If recent reports are to be believed, Ubisoft might be taking Rainbow Six in a completely different direction. It’s going to make a huge shift from what fans of the tactical shooters are used to.

As per Insider Gaming, Ubisoft is working on a completely new Rainbow Six game that isn’t another fast FPS. Rather, it’s said to be a turn-based strategy game heavily inspired by XCOM. You can expect calmer, more calculated moves and squad management instead of twitch reactions and firefights.

According to the sources who are close to the project, the game is already quite far. In fact, some even go far as to say it's playable in its current state internally and that Ubisoft plans to release it in the next year or two if all goes accordingly. Details such as gameplay mechanics, by and large, are still locked behind secrecy lids, but the resemblance to XCOM implies that operators will be commanded on grid-based maps, executing turns to move, attack, and wield abilities upon enemy forces.

This would be a big departure for the Rainbow Six brand, which has always been a very Real-Time Tactical Shooter. With the massive success of Rainbow Six Siege, Ubisoft has been careful with the series, but they seem ready to roll the dice a bit bigger with the next game. Still, it’s not clear that fans are going to be into a slower, more strategic Rainbow Six experience, but it’s pretty clear that Ubisoft isn’t comfortable just resting on its laurels anymore.

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