If you’ve ever queued for a casual Rainbow Six Siege match only to get one-shot by a roamer you never heard coming before you even planted the defuser, you’re not alone. I still remember my first 20 multiplayer matches ending with a 0.3 K/D and my teammates yelling at me for reinforcing the wrong wall. Figuring out how to play multiplayer Rainbow Six Siege doesn’t have to feel like you’re learning a second job, though. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to stop feeding and start pulling your weight on any team, no matter your skill level.
How to Play Multiplayer Rainbow Six Siege: First Steps Before Queuing
Most new players make the mistake of jumping straight into ranked or casual matches without doing any basic prep, and that’s the fastest way to end up frustrated with a pile of losses. You don’t need to spend 10 hours studying pro gameplay, but a few quick checks before you hit “play” will make your first 10 matches way less stressful.
- Test 2-3 attack and 2-3 defense operators in training grounds first, so you know their gadget basics before you load into a real match
- Adjust your audio settings to cranked up footstep volume and lowered background music – audio is 70% of success in Siege
- Pick a squad of 1-2 friends if you can, instead of solo queuing, to cut down on toxic random teammates and miscommunication
Picking Operators That Work for New Players, Not Just Meta Chasers
It’s easy to watch top Siege streamers dominate with Ash or Jager and assume those are the best operators for new players, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Those operators have high skill ceilings, and you’ll spend more time learning their gadget quirks than actually contributing to your team when you’re just starting out. Stick to low-effort, high-impact operators for your first few dozen matches. For attackers, Sledge is a perfect pick: his breaching hammer lets you open walls and doors without fumbling with grenades, and he has a solid, easy-to-control assault rifle. Thatcher is another great option, as his EMP grenades only require you to throw them in the general direction of defender gadgets to disable them, no precise aim needed. For defenders, Rook is almost foolproof: drop his armor packs at the start of the round for your whole team to use, then watch one entrance to the site. Mute is another solid pick, as his signal jammers block drones and hard breaching tools, and you only need to place them near walls or doorways to be useful. You don’t have to play the most popular meta operator to be useful to your team – a Rook who places all his armor packs and watches one entrance is way more valuable than an Ash who runs off alone and dies in the first 30 seconds. If you’re not sure what to pick, ask your team if they need a specific role before you lock in.
Core Gameplay Rules That Will Keep You From Getting Kicked
Rainbow Six Siege has a lot of unwritten rules that new players learn the hard way, usually after getting yelled at or kicked from a match. You don’t have to memorize every tiny community norm, but following a few basic rules will keep you in good standing with almost every team you play with. First, never reinforce walls between two bomb sites on defense. These are called rotation walls, and blocking them cuts off your team’s ability to move between sites to respond to attacker pushes. Second, be extra careful with grenades and wallbangs in the first 30 seconds of a round, when most of your team is still setting up defenses. Accidental team kills will get you kicked fast, even if you didn’t mean it. Third, don’t leave matches mid-round unless it’s a real emergency. Leaving leaves your team down a player, and repeated early exits will get you a temporary matchmaking ban. Always check if a wall is a rotation wall before you reinforce it – if you’re not sure, ask your team first, no one will judge you for asking, but they will judge you for blocking the only way between two bomb sites. Also, remember that the objective is always more important than getting kills. I’ve won dozens of matches where I had a 0-2 K/D but planted the defuser and watched it go off, or defended the site for the last 10 seconds of the round. K/D doesn’t win matches, completing the objective does.
Communication Tips That Make Every Match Go Smoother
You don’t have to be a professional shot caller to communicate effectively in Siege. Even simple, clear callouts will make your team way more likely to win, and you don’t even need a high-end mic to do it. If you don’t want to speak, the in-game ping system works perfectly for marking enemies, gadgets, and objectives. When you do use voice chat, stick to relevant, short callouts. Instead of saying “guy over there”, say “shotgun roamer on second floor Consulate office”. Call out when you’re planting the defuser, when you see a Kapkan trap on a doorway, or when you’re rotating to another site so your team doesn’t think you’re running off alone. Don’t spam the mic with unnecessary chatter – no one wants to hear your background music or your argument with your roommate in the middle of a round. Also, don’t yell at your teammates for making mistakes. Everyone has bad rounds, and being toxic only makes the whole team play worse. I’ve had random teams that were down 0-3 come back and win 4-3 just because we stayed positive and communicated well, instead of yelling at each other for every mistake.
At the end of the day, Rainbow Six Siege is meant to be fun, even if you’re still learning the ropes. You’re going to have bad matches, you’re going to get destroyed by smurfs, and you’re going to make stupid mistakes that make your team laugh. Once you get past the initial steep learning curve, figuring out how to play multiplayer Rainbow Six Siege is one of the most rewarding experiences in competitive gaming. Take these tips with you, be patient with yourself, and you’ll be climbing the ranked ranks before you know it. Oh, and one last bonus tip: always check your corners. 90% of the time, that’s where the enemy is hiding.
