Rainbow 6 Accused Of 'Cash-Grab' With Returning Outbreak Packs
Despite coming out all the way back in 2015, that hasn't stopped the runaway success of Ubisoft's Rainbow 6 Siege. Even as players look ahead to the renamed Rainbow Six Extraction, there are still a lot of us playing Siege. There's also a seemingly equal number who are unimpressed by the return of Outbreak Packs.
The return of the fan-favourite Outbreak Mode could've been a major win for R6 in its milestone sixth year, however, it's only brought back the divisive mechanic of Outbreak Packs.
In a time when microtransactions and EA's loot box scandal with Star Wars: Battlefront 2's still rings in our ears, the return of Outbreak Packs was always going to cause a stir.
Why is Rainbow 6 accused of being a cash-grab?
Posting online on Tuesday (July 6), Ubisoft announced that Outbreak Packs will be back for a limited time only. For those who are new to R6, Outbreak Packs are the only way to unlock the 50 cosmetics that appear in the Outbreak Collection. Alongside hazmat-themed uniforms, there are weapon skins, headgear, charms, and even an Elite Set. The problem is, the new version of Outbreak Packs are only redeemable in one way.
Back when we first played the Outbreak Collection, you could earn Outbreak Packs by playing the limited Outbreak Mode or even buying the Advance Edition of Rainbow 6 Siege. Now, you'll have to part with your real-world money if you want to dress in all your outbreak finery.
What have Rainbow 6 fans said about the return of Outbreak Packs?
Considering you can only get Outbreak Packs by spending R6 Credits or splashing your cash to buy more R6 credits, the move hasn't gone unnoticed by the game's usually loyal fan base. The general consensus is that if Ubisoft had brought back the beloved Outbreak Mode alongside the Outbreak Packs, it would've been a very different story.
Retired pro player Niclas "Pengu" Mouritzen clapped back, "If you wanna run a mobile free to play based game: make NEW content for a FAIR price released WITH actual NEW content ( game-modes ) You can't keep the game running by trying to cash grab, your playerbase can't afford this, these 50 skins are almost double the price of a AAAgame".
Team SoloMid's MacieJay is another R6 pro and added, "I am by no means a marketing expert but I think you guys should've waited until the launch of Extraction to rerelease these packs and even include a few with a purchase. Rereleasing these packs for seemingly no reason has clearly rubbed the community the wrong way".
Finally, FNATIC's BikiniBodhi concluded, "You really just gonna drop a week long FOMO lootboxes for up to $100 and not even an event to go with it? Disappointed. Do better".
It's clear that professional R6 players and casual fans alike are up in arms. Remembering that a lot of what has helped the game stay alive has been its esports community, this is clearly a blunder on Ubisoft's behalf. It remains to be seen whether the company will walk back its cash-grab ideals for Outbreak Packs, but for the time being, there's an angry horde at the R6 door.
