Rainbow Six Extraction gets first gameplay trailer, September 2021 release date at E3

Rainbow Six Extraction
Rainbow Six Extraction (Image credit: Ubisoft Entertainment SA)

What you need to know

  • Ubisoft has delivered an extensive deep dive for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction at E3 2021, providing our first look at gameplay, following the project's recent rebrand.
  • The title, formerly known as Rainbow Six Quarantine, brings back many existing Rainbow Six Siege Operators, spun out into a new standalone experience.
  • Rainbow Six Extraction launches September 16, 2021, on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and PC.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction has received its first in-depth showcase, breaking down the upcoming cooperative shooter, formerly known as Rainbow Six Quarantine. The game took center stage at the Ubisoft Forward E3 2021 conference, serving up its gameplay debut, following a lengthy absence after its year two years prior. The publisher also announced planned availability, now targeting a September 16, 2021, release date on console and PC.

Rainbow Six Extraction sees players deployed to contain a viral outbreak, with an alien parasite sweeping the nation, sparking various infected forms. The game translates many fundamentals of Rainbow Six Siege, a tactical shooter that rewards precision and forethought, into a collaborative setting. The game will also support cross-play between all platforms at launch.

Ubisoft opened its E3 2021 press conference with a new cinematic trailer for Rainbow Six Extraction, further establishing the game's premise, with returning Rainbow Six Siege Operators. We also received seven minutes of gameplay, the first look at the title in action, with both new and returning gadgets for its next outing.

Rainbow Six Extraction's origins can be traced back to early 2018, where Ubisoft hosted a limited-time cooperative event, dubbed Outbreak, in Rainbow Six Siege. The mode proved a significant departure from Siege's traditional player-versus-player combat, featuring several playable missions and a select lineup of the game's playable Operators. The mode's success, which helped propel the game's concurrent player base to an all-time high, helped inform Extraction in the early stages of development.

While first unveiled as Rainbow Six Quarantine in mid-2019, the project later fell out of the spotlight, with development still underway under the codename "Parasite." Ubisoft reintroduced the title earlier this month, coupled with its latest rebrand.

Rainbow Six Extraction launches September 16, 2021, with preorders now live via the Ubisoft Store. While headed to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 versions are also available, coupled with upgrades for the systems.

Matt Brown

Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central's Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft's gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter @mattjbrown.