Ubisoft has unveiled an unusual new entry in the Rainbow Six franchise – a cute, cartoonish mobile game called Rainbow Six SMOL. Developed exclusively for Netflix subscribers, it provides a family-friendly spin on the normally gritty tactical shooter series.
SMOL was revealed during the recent Rainbow Six Siege Invitational event. However, it has little in common with the hardcore Siege experience. Instead, SMOL is a top-down isometric roguelite described as a “tiny, funny, whimsical” interpretation of the Tom Clancy universe.
In SMOL, players control squads of iconic Rainbow Six operators like Sledge and Twitch. Missions take place across the globe, with destructible environments letting users take stealthy or aggressive approaches. Operators have unique weapons and abilities, requiring smart squad composition.
As a roguelite, permadeath is a factor – fallen operators stay dead. Players earn XP and credits to unlock new gear between missions, adding progression. With no microtransactions, all content comes from gameplay rewards.
The cute graphical style and simplified mobile gameplay seem targeted at widening the appeal of Rainbow Six beyond its traditional complex simulations. While perhaps incongruous with Tom Clancy’s grounded militaristic worlds, SMOL provides a family-friendly alternative.
Its Netflix exclusivity also represents an evolution of the streaming service’s gaming offerings. Netflix is aggressively expanding into games to supplement its video content, though mostly focusing on mobile titles. SMOL is among the service’s higher profile releases so far.
However, the lack of a standalone purchase option disappoints some franchise fans. Being able to play on PC or consoles without a Netflix account would be preferable. Time will tell if SMOL’s accessibility and charm outweighs this limitation.
With Ubisoft and Netflix collaborating to reinvent Rainbow Six for a new audience, SMOL could open the series up to fresh generations of players. Tom Clancy may not recognize it, but expanding brands often requires bold new directions.
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