This Game May Get A Different Name Due To The Coronavirus
Ubisoft may be planning to rename its latest entry into the Rainbow Six franchise, apparently due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During Ubisoft's 3rd quarter earnings call from Feb. 9, 2021 (via Video Games Chronicle), Ubisoft CFO Frédérick Duguet noted that both Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Quarantine and Far Cry 6 are currently on track to be released on Sept. 30, 2021. Fans had previously prepared themselves for bad news regarding both titles after the release of Ubisoft's previous earnings reports.
In the same call, Ubisoft CEO Rainbow Six: Quarantine with respect to the ongoing pandemic. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot told others on the call that the company was currently re-evaluating keeping that title. Put simply, much of the world has been in some form of quarantine for the past year, and the title might hit a little too close to home. While Guillemot didn't elaborate on how Ubisoft would proceed, this could turn out to be a significant and late-stage alteration for an already anticipated title.
Revealed by Ubisoft in 2019, Rainbow Six: Quarantine was introduced by an E3 Teaser Trailer that showed off the cinematic, first-person gameplay the series has been known for. Initially intended to be released between Jan. 1, 2020 and March 31, 2020, it has since seen a few delays.
Regardless of its ultimate title, Rainbow Six: Quarantine represents a continued shift for the popular series. In its earlier installments, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six was rooted firmly in the counter-terrorist origins of its source material. Still a squad-based co-op survival game, Rainbow Six: Quarantine appears to be significantly more science-fiction than thriller-fiction.
There's no word yet on what Rainbow Six: Quarantine may be renamed to if Ubisoft does choose to rename it. Presently, PC, PS4, and Xbox One players can sign up with Ubisoft to receive updates on the game and potentially play it early.
Not everything is up in the air for Ubisoft — in fact, the company seems to be doing rather well. In the same call and Ubisoft's subsequent 3rd quarter earnings reports, Duguet noted that the quarter has been "marked by success" for the company, with Watch Dogs: Legion, Immortal Fenix Rising, and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla all performing well.