Another big first-person shooter to hit the list of the biggest esports in the world, but with a bit of a different twist. It’s also a big difficult to really lump this in to the emerging section, but the game is still growing and hasn’t yet hit the heights that the bigger games have. Despite this, the tournaments and prize money are certainly start to grow and pull it into the realm of one of the biggest titles.
Whilst a first-person shooter, the game is very different to the others on these lists such as Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, and Valorant. All three are much faster paced in their own regard, and whilst there is a deep tactical aspect to games like Counter-Strike, it is on a very different level to that which is seen in siege. With a deployment phase at the start of the game that allows each team to both scout the playable area and set out defensive traps for the offensive and defence respectively, the main play stage of the game sees the attacking team assault the point in a much slower and controlled manner. It also leads to a much slower and more methodical approach. The game requires a much deeper knowledge of the maps and the way the game is played, and as such can be difficult for new viewers. But for those who are already well versed in the game, it does bring a lot of excitement – and with a very low time-to-kill, something very unique to Siege, the flow of the game takes on a much different role.
The Rainbow Six game series is already well established within itself, with the gunplay and game mechanics not entirely foreign to many of the players. Furthermore, it doesn’t suffer the same issue as Call of Duty, with brand new yearly releases which may help the longevity of this growing title. Professional players from other games, such as Shroud and variety streamer Summit1G, have also both stated that the game is perhaps the highest form of tactical FPS on the market, certainly helping the game boast a competitive scene and spirit.
There is still plenty of room to grow, however. Whilst the game launched in 2015 and has performed well since, it needs a little something extra to pull it toward the top with others. And whilst there is a healthy esports betting scene within Siege, which is a good indicator amongst others, this is mainly linked to the big franchises that have picked up a team within the game, rather than the talent who play who outside of it.
There is also one other big challenge to the game – the cost. Much of the success of the biggest games in the world have come down to their free-to-play approach which allows fans to jump on and experience the game without needing to commit to any payment, but with a cost still associated with Siege it may deter many – not a deal breaker at all, but certainly a factor that hurts the growth.
If you haven’t checked out Siege and enjoy the more nuanced gameplay that comes with first-person shooters, it’s definitely worth a look. With further support, the emerging title can definitely go on to hit bigger numbers but may also look to have a newer release of the game, on a newer engine within the near future too. Although only five years old, it does have an opportunity to get a jump on the competition in this regard.