By Sagar V. Mankar Ubisoft and BLAST have revealed major changes to the Rainbow Six Siege esports ecosystem for the 2025 season. These updates aim to enhance the competitive structure while providing more opportunities for players and teams at every level.
New Season Calendar
The 2025 season will kick off in May with a LAN event named Reload, tentatively set in Brazil. This event marks the beginning of a packed season that includes two stages of regional leagues, a mid-season break in August, and a Major in November.
The year will conclude with the Regional Finals, the Six Invitational Last Chance Qualifiers, and finally, the prestigious Six Invitational, where the 2025 World Champions will be crowned.
Simplified Global Competition
A significant overhaul in the global league system will see the current nine regional leagues streamlined into four:
- EML (Europe, MENA & Turkey): Covering teams from Europe, the Middle East, and Turkey.
- SAL (South America League): Merging Brazil and South Latin America.
- NAL (North America League): Featuring teams from North America, Central America, Ecuador, and Colombia.
- APL (Asia Pacific League): Divided into three subdivisions—APAC North (Korea & Japan), Asia (South-East and South Asia), and Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia).
How the New Leagues Work
Each main region (EML, SAL, and NAL) will host 10 teams competing in round-robin matches. The top six teams enter playoffs each stage, with the best four qualifying for the November Major. Year-end regional finals feature the top six teams based on their performance across both stages.
The APL’s three subdivisions will compete in online group stages and playoffs, with the top teams from each subdivision advancing to a LAN Major Qualifier. This qualifier will determine the teams representing APAC at the November Major. Additionally, the top two teams from each subdivision will move on to the APL Regional Finals, where six teams will compete for the APAC championship.
Better Support for Teams
The league has announced 18 of 20 partnered teams for 2025 and introduced an Affiliate Program. This program supports up to 23 organizations globally, allowing teams to earn a share of profits from in-game branded items. New item categories, such as operator portraits and drone skins, will also be introduced. Affiliates are chosen based on league qualification, with additional slots for APAC based on its subdivisions.
Road to the Championship
Getting to the Six Invitational is now clearer than ever. Nine teams qualify directly by winning specific tournaments:
- 1 spot for the Major champion
- 4 spots for Regional Finals winners
- 4 spots from Last Chance Qualifiers
The remaining 11 spots go to teams earning points throughout the season, rewarding consistent performance rather than just tournament wins.
For more information follow @R6esports and @Rainbow6Game on Twitter and Instagram and stay updated on these exciting changes and the upcoming Six Invitational 2025 at GAMING FOODLE.