Rainbow Six Esports is about to enter a new era. We are thrilled to unveil a major update of our esports program for 2020 and beyond. From Pro League Season 1 at Pax East to the Six Invitational 2020, our teams, players, and competitions have been growing, thanks to the boundless engagement of our community. Over the past five years, we have progressively laid foundations for a sustainable and high-level competitive scene. While we embark on Year 5 after the Pro League Season XI Finals in Sao Paulo (May 16-17), the Rainbow Six esports scene will evolve towards a regionalized program kicking off mid-June. .

While fitting into a coherent global frame, the 4 existing regions – Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific – will decide on the specifics of their regional program, whether it is their formats or the way the regional program fuels the global program. Regionalizing our program is the natural next step for Ubisoft to enhance the specificities and successes of each region and keep building upon the momentum from the past five years of Rainbow Six esports. As developing our local scenes has always been part of our DNA. This new program allows a stronger focus on local particularities and an increased diversity in the different choices of esports programs. All of this will feed into one exciting global race towards a qualification for the Six Invitational, the pinnacle of the Rainbow Six competitive year.

The program changes will result in:

• 4 regional programs running in parallel during the year. A competitive year of Rainbow Six esports, known as a “Season”, will be divided into 4 quarters. The first 3 quarters will be known as “Stages”, each concluding with a Major, where the 4 best teams from each region at the end of a given stage, will gather to compete. The 4th quarter will be dedicated to regional finals and relegations, leading towards the Six Invitational that will crown the world’s best team at the end of the Season.
• Teams involved in the regional programs will be ranked based on a new and in-depth point system that rewards sustained performance.

• Performance in the regional programs and Majors will impact the global rankings and the teams’ journey towards the Six Invitational.

asia-pacific

The Asia-Pacific region will include two divisions. In the North Division, the Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian programs will come together to form a single, highly competitive, online league gathering 12 teams. In parallel, the South Division will provide exciting new opportunities to the established Oceanic market along with up-and-coming regions such as South Asia. ESL Asia-Pacific Japan will become Ubisoft’s agency to handle Asia-Pacific leagues and events.

europe

The European League will expand to ten teams and build upon what was created over the past years. The European national programs will receive greater significance, thus forging a multi-tiered esports scene, allowing players from all levels and horizons to compete. FaceIt and LiveNation will be Ubisoft’s co-production partners for the European League and events.

latin america

Latin America will grow from 8 to 10 teams in Brazil and move to an offline structure in Mexico while expanding into South America (Argentina, Peru, Chile, Uruguay). The LATAM League will now support three divisions (Brazil, Mexico and South America) with the intent of continuing to evolve into global competitors. The Latin American program will be owned and operated by Ubisoft and its contracted vendors in the region.

north america

North America will level up the production and tournament operations across the board while continuing to champion players and community. Next year will see the introduction of the US Division, a new program with premier production and play dates. For the first time, Canada will have a place within the global competition stage with the Canada Division.

To stay in the loop on everything related to our regionalized esports programs and the upcoming announcements, follow Rainbow Six Esports as well as our brand-new Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific and Latin America regional accounts on Twitter. For a behind-the-scene coverage, follow Rainbow Six Esports on Instagram.