Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Parasite — Everything we know so far

First revealed back in 2019, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Parasite (originally known as Rainbow Six Quarantine) is a bit of a mystery. Eschewing terrorism and domestic threats for what appears to be an alien parasite, Rainbow Six Parasite borrows heavily from the popular team-based multiplayer shooter Rainbow Six Siege while offering new ideas.

There's a lot that is still shrouded in mystery but a combination of leaks and reports mean we have a pretty decent idea of what to expect. Here's everything we know about Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Parasite.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Parasite: What is it?

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Parasite is a spinoff of the incredibly popular Rainbow Six Siege. Developed and published by Ubisoft, the game was first announced at Ubisoft's E3 2019 showcase under a different name: Rainbow Six Quarantine. You can check out the reveal teaser trailer above.

Based on leaked materials such as the key art at the top of the page, the name appears to have changed from Rainbow Six Quarantine to Rainbow Six Parasite. This probably has something to do with how a global pandemic spread in 2020, affecting the gaming industry and everyday life, causing lockdowns and encouraging people to quarantine.

Ubisoft has issued a statement saying that Parasite is not the final name for the game, so we'll have to wait and see if this name sticks but for now, it appears to be what Ubisoft is using moving internally for now.

Much like Rainbow Six Siege, Rainbow Six Parasite is a first-person shooter starring different Operators. Each of the different Operators have their own weapons and abilities. Rainbow Six Siege is incredibly popular and has been a huge success for Ubisoft, reaching over 70 million players so far.

Unlike Siege, which is a 5v5 multiplayer game, Rainbow Six Parasite appears to be a PvE (player vs environment) game where Operators face off with alien parasite creatures. This concept was first established with the limited-time Outbreak event in Rainbow Six Siege, so you can consider this game a continuation – or evolution – of that event.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Parasite: Operators

Leaked data indicates there are at least 21 Operators in the game, though it's currently unclear if all of these Operators will be included at launch. It's safe to assume at least Ela is in at launch, given how prominently she's featured in the key art.

Alibi
Doc
Echo
Ela
Finka
Fuze
Gridlock
Hibana
IQ
Jackal
Jager
Lion
Nomad
Pulse
Rook
Sledge
Smoke
Tachanka
Vigil
Ying
Zofia

Rainbow Six Parasite release date

Rainbow Six Parasite has been delayed repeatedly. Initially slated to arrive in before April 2020, the game was one of multiple Ubisoft games delayed in October 2019. There was no release date except for a vague "before April 2021" release window. In October 2020, the game was again delayed, this time to some point after April 2021.

Whenever Rainbow Six Parasite releases, it'll be available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and PS4.