I’ve been playing Siege since Operation Black Ice, and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve sat through a 10+ minute ranked queue at 2am, or tried to play with a friend in another country only to get stuck with unplayable ping. If you’ve ever run into the same issues, you’ve probably asked can you change servers in Rainbow Six Siege to fix the problem. The short answer is yes, but there are a few rules and hidden limitations you need to know before you mess with your settings. This guide breaks down exactly how to switch servers, when you should do it, and what risks to watch out for to avoid getting penalized by Ubisoft.
Can You Change Servers in Rainbow Six Siege: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Ubisoft added built-in server switching a few years back, so the process is a lot simpler than it used to be. You don’t need to modify game files or use VPNs to switch servers for most casual and ranked play. The steps vary slightly depending on what platform you play on, but the core process is the same across all devices.
For PC players, open your Ubisoft Connect launcher, navigate to your Rainbow Six Siege library page, and click the three dot menu next to the “Play” button. Select “Properties” from the dropdown, then scroll to the “Preferred Data Center” section. You’ll see a list of all available servers in your region, plus most major global servers. Pick the one you want to use, close the menu, and boot up your game.
For console players (PlayStation and Xbox), the process is tied to both your game settings and console location settings. First, go to your console’s system settings and make sure your location is set correctly, then boot up Siege. Navigate to the in-game settings menu, select the “Gameplay” tab, and scroll to the “Preferred Server” option to pick your desired region. Always restart your game after switching servers to make sure the change takes full effect.
If you don’t see the server you want listed, that means it’s not available for your account region, or you’re running an outdated version of the game. Make sure you’ve installed the latest patch, and check Ubisoft’s server status page to confirm the server you want is online and not undergoing maintenance.
Key Reasons to Switch R6 Servers (And When You Should Do It)
Most players don’t touch their server settings unless they run into a specific problem, but switching servers can solve a lot of common Siege frustrations. I’ve switched servers dozens of times over the years for all sorts of reasons, and these are the most common use cases that make the change worth it:
- Reduce high ping or packet loss that’s making your games unplayable, especially if your default server is having technical issues
- Queue with friends who live in a different region than you, so you all get a more consistent ping than you would playing on one person’s local server
- Avoid long matchmaking wait times during off-peak hours in your local region, like late at night or during work/school hours
- Practice against different playstyles common in other regions to improve your skills, like the more aggressive play common in South American servers or the more methodical play common in Asian servers
Switching servers to play with long-distance friends is the number one reason most players adjust this setting. I regularly switch to the EU West server to play with my friend who lives in Germany, and we both get around 90 ping, which is more than playable for casual and even unranked matches.
That said, switching servers isn’t always the best fix. If your ping is high on your local server, the issue is probably your internet connection, not the server itself. Run a speed test first to rule out issues with your own network before you switch to a different region.
Risks and Limitations of Changing R6 Siege Servers
While server switching is allowed by Ubisoft, there are strict rules around how you can use it, especially for ranked play. A lot of players don’t know these rules exist until they get locked out of ranked rewards or get a temporary ban, so it’s important to understand the limitations before you make the switch.
Ubisoft actively restricts region hopping for ranked play to stop smurfing and cross-region boosting. If you play more than 30% of your ranked matches in a region that’s not set as your home region on your Ubisoft account, you won’t be eligible for ranked rewards at the end of the season. You also might get put into a smurf queue if you switch regions and play at a much higher rank than the average player in that region.
You’ll also almost always have higher ping on a server outside your local region, even if your internet is very fast. If your ping goes over 150, you might get automatically kicked from matches for high latency, and you’ll be at a major disadvantage against players who are on their local server.
Never use a VPN to access servers that aren’t listed as an official option in your game settings. Ubisoft’s anti-cheat system flags VPN usage for server hopping as a potential violation, and you can get a temporary or permanent ban if you’re caught using a VPN to bypass region locks. Some limited-time events and game modes are also region locked, so you won’t be able to access them if you switch to a different server.
How to Fix Common Server Switch Issues in R6 Siege
Even if you follow the steps correctly, you might run into issues when you try to switch servers. I’ve dealt with almost every possible problem over the years, so these are the easiest fixes for the most common issues:
If you’re in a party, the game will always default to the party leader’s preferred server, even if you have a different region selected. If you want to play on a specific server, make sure the party leader has that server set as their preferred option before you queue up for a match.
If your server change won’t save, the issue is usually a corrupted cache in Ubisoft Connect. If your server change won’t save, log out of your Ubisoft account and log back in before restarting your game. For PC players, you can also clear the Ubisoft Connect cache by navigating to the app settings and selecting “Clear Cache” under the “Downloads” tab.
If you’re still getting high ping after switching servers, close any background apps that are using bandwidth, like streaming services, file downloads, or video calls. I once spent 20 minutes troubleshooting my server settings before I realized I had a 4K movie streaming on my TV in the other room, and closing it cut my ping in half immediately.
If the server you want is greyed out, that means it’s either down for maintenance, or it’s not available for your account region. Wait a few hours and check again, or pick a different nearby server that’s available.
So if you were asking can you change servers in Rainbow Six Siege, the answer is a definite yes, as long as you follow Ubisoft’s official rules and understand the limitations. It’s a great tool for fixing ping issues, cutting down on long queue times, and playing with friends who live in other parts of the world. Just make sure you test the new server in casual mode first before you jump into ranked matches, and don’t try to bypass region locks with a VPN or you might face penalties. If you run into any issues, the fixes we covered above will solve 99% of common server switch problems.
