Ubisoft announced major changes to the BLAST R6 ecosystem, which will completely restructure the league formats, Six Invitational qualification system, and the R6 Share partnership program. For the first time, regions will be merged into larger divisions, and the process for selecting teams for the main tournament of the year will become more transparent. These changes are aimed at creating a dynamic and sustainable esports environment in Rainbow Six Siege.
New Format of Regional Leagues
The key update involves enlarging the regions. Now, professional teams will compete in four global leagues:
EML (Europe, MENA, and Turkey)
- Official Teams: Falcons, BDS, Team Secret, G2, fnatic
- Affiliated Teams: Wolves Esports, ENCE, Virtus.pro + 2 slots for Challenger Series Teams.
SAL (South America League)
NAL (North America League)
- Official Teams: M80, SSG, Wildcard, DarkZero, Cloud9
- Affiliated Teams: Luminosity, Oxygen, Shopify Rebellion + 2 slots for Challenger Series Teams.
APL (Asia-Pacific League) – divided into three subdivisions:
- Official Teams: CAG Osaka, Elevate, FearX, PSG Talon, SCARZ
- APAC North (Korea and Japan): Kinotrope, Enterforce.36, Dplus KIA + one team to be announced later
- Asia (Southeast and South Asia): FURY + one team to be announced later.
- Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia): Chiefs Esports Club, Gaimin Gladiators
Updated Six Invitational Qualification System
Ubisoft introduces a hybrid system that allows teams to qualify for the Six Invitational through both direct slots and accumulated points. The tournament will feature 20 top teams distributed as follows:
- Direct Qualification (9 teams) – winners of the Majors, regional finals, and Last Chance Qualifiers.
- Points Qualification (11 teams) – top performers throughout the season.
This model encourages consistent results rather than one-time successes, ensuring the strongest teams are guaranteed places at the Six Invitational.
Expanded Ubisoft Partnership Program
In addition to the main R6 Share partner pool, Ubisoft is launching an Affiliate Program providing financial support to 23 organizations worldwide. These teams will receive income from the sale of in-game items related to esports. The program automatically extends to teams qualified for their regional leagues.
Ubisoft is also updating the categories of in-game items for fans: operator portraits, drone skins, and team logo charms will be added.
The merging of regions and new qualification system will offer teams more opportunities for growth and competitive practice. The league structure will become more transparent, and esports funding through partnership programs will enhance the stability of organizations. Ubisoft is clearly betting on the long-term development of the professional Rainbow Six Siege scene, and this step could be pivotal in the evolution of the discipline.
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