If you’ve ever grabbed a friend, pulled up your console or PC, and asked can you play 2 player on rainbow six siege, you’re not alone. Millions of R6 fans want to team up with someone they know instead of random queue partners, whether they’re learning the game for the first time or trying to climb the ranked ladder together. This guide breaks down every 2-player supported mode, common limitations you might run into, and actionable tips to make your co-op sessions way more fun and successful. I’ve put over 1,200 hours into Siege playing almost exclusively with my roommate, so I’ve tested every single one of these setups across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S to make sure the info is up to date.
Can You Play 2 Player on Rainbow Six Siege? Supported Modes to Try
First, let’s get the most common question out of the way: split screen 2-player play for Rainbow Six Siege was removed back in 2019, so you won’t be able to play on the same device with a friend using two controllers. That said, online 2-player play is fully supported across every platform, and there are tons of modes built for small teams of 2 or more. From my experience, these are the best modes for 2-player teams:
- Casual Unranked PvP: This is the most laid-back option for 2-player teams, especially if one of you is still learning the ropes. You’ll be matched with 3 other random teammates against a full 5-player enemy team, and there’s no rank on the line if you lose.
- Ranked PvP: If you and your friend are both at least level 50, you can queue for ranked together as a 2-stack. Ranked has stricter matchmaking rules to make sure you’re paired with players of similar skill, and you’ll earn rank points to climb from Copper to Champion as you win matches.
- Terrohunt: This PvE mode is perfect for new players or teams that want to practice their aim and map knowledge without fighting other real players. You can play Terrohunt as a 2-person team against AI-controlled terrorists, with difficulty levels ranging from Easy to Realistic.
- Custom Games: If you want to mess around, practice specific operator combos, or even play 1v1 against your friend, custom games let you adjust every setting from map choice to operator availability. You can also invite other friends to fill out lobbies if you want to play larger private matches.
Step-by-Step Setup for 2-Player Rainbow Six Siege Matches
Setting up a 2-player match is super simple, but there are a few small steps people often miss that can lead to connection issues or being unable to queue together. First, make sure both you and your friend have each other added on your platform’s friend list, or on Ubisoft Connect if you’re playing on PC. Once you’re friends, send a party invite from the in-game social menu, and have your friend accept to join your squad. You’ll need to make sure both of you meet the minimum level requirements for the mode you want to play before you queue. For example, ranked requires all party members to be at least level 50, and some limited-time events might have their own level locks too. If one of you is under the level limit, you’ll get an error message when you try to queue, and you’ll have to switch to a mode with lower requirements like casual or Terrohunt instead. If you run into connection issues when trying to play together, try restarting your game or checking your NAT type. Open NAT is ideal for Siege co-op play, so if either of you has a strict or moderate NAT, you might need to adjust your router settings to fix connectivity problems. I’ve run into this issue dozens of times when my roommate’s NAT switched to strict after a router update, and adjusting port forwarding settings fixed it every time.
Pro Tips for Dominating as a 2-Player R6 Siege Team
Playing with a friend you know gives you a huge advantage over random teams, because you can communicate more clearly and coordinate plays without worrying about toxic or unresponsive teammates. That said, there are a few small adjustments you can make to your playstyle to get even more out of your 2-player team. Pick complementary operator loadouts that cover each other’s weaknesses first. For example, if you’re playing attack and your friend picks a hard breacher like Thermite or Hibana, you can pick a support operator like Thatcher to disable enemy gadgets so they can safely breach reinforced walls. On defense, if your friend picks a roamer like Caveira, you can pick an anchor like Smoke to hold the objective while they roam the map to catch enemies off guard. Another tip is to split your responsibilities so you don’t end up doing the same thing. If you’re both checking the same angle or both focusing on opening the same wall, you’re wasting valuable time and leaving other parts of the map unprotected. I like to call out my role at the start of every round: if I’m taking site, my friend will watch for flanks, and if I’m roaming, they’ll hold the objective. You should also take advantage of your ability to communicate off-game if you’re playing in the same room, or use a private voice chat instead of in-game team chat. That way you can talk about strategies without letting the enemy team overhear if they have proximity chat enabled, and you don’t have to worry about other random teammates interrupting your calls. We once won a ranked match against a full 5-stack by coordinating a quiet flank over our private Discord call, while the enemy team was yelling their plans over in-game chat for us to hear.
Common 2-Player Play Limitations to Watch For
While 2-player play is fully supported for most of Siege’s core modes, there are a few limitations you should know about before you queue up, to avoid frustration mid-session. First, you can’t queue for ranked as a 2-stack if your ranks are more than 1,000 MMR apart. This is a rule Ubisoft put in place to prevent smurfing, where high-rank players team up with low-rank friends to get matched against easier teams. If you and your friend have a big MMR gap, you’ll have to play casual or Terrohunt together until your ranks get closer, or play custom games instead. We ran into this issue when I first started playing, since my roommate was already Platinum and I was still Bronze. We played casual for about a month until my MMR climbed enough to queue for ranked together, and it was a great way to learn the game without pressure. Another limitation is that some limited-time events only support full 5-player stacks or solo play, so you won’t be able to queue as a 2-player team for those. It’s always a good idea to check the event details page before you try to queue, to make sure 2-person squads are allowed. Finally, if you’re playing on a console with an active subscription requirement for online play, both you and your friend will need to have an active PlayStation Plus, Xbox Live Gold, or Nintendo Switch Online subscription to play online together. If one of you doesn’t have an active subscription, you won’t be able to join the same party or queue for any online modes.
At the end of the day, if you were wondering can you play 2 player on rainbow six siege, the answer is a resounding yes, as long as you’re playing online across separate devices. Whether you’re looking to climb the ranked ladder, practice your skills in Terrohunt, or just mess around in custom games with a friend, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy Siege as a 2-person team. Just keep the limitations we covered in mind, use the operator and communication tips we shared, and you’ll be winning matches consistently in no time. Next time you and your friend are looking for a competitive co-op game to play together, give Siege a shot.
