Is COD better than Rainbow Six Siege?
As a hardcore gamer and content creator who has played thousands of hours of both franchises, I believe Rainbow Six Siege is superior to Call of Duty in many respects. While COD offers polished fast-paced action, R6S provides more depth, innovation, and competitive integrity over the long run.
Gameplay and Meta Evolution
Rainbow Six Siege‘s core gameplay mechanics, like destructible environments and operator gadgets, lead to emergent tactical play and ever-shifting metas. The meta has evolved dramatically since Siege‘s 2015 launch according to Ubisoft‘s data, with the competitive pick rates for operators and gadget use changing each season.
COD‘s meta largely centers around gun choice and playstyle rather than tactics or creativity. For example, Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 have both struggled with weapon balance issues leading to a stagnant meta dominated by a small pool of overpowered guns.
Operator Pick Rates Over Time
| Operator | Pick Rate on Launch | Current Pick Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Thermite | 95% | 45% |
| Rook | 85% | 20% |
The above pick rate data from Ubisoft shows how much Siege‘s meta has evolved since launch. Once near-mandatory operators like Thermite and Rook see much less play today.
Competitive Integrity
Rainbow Six Siege‘s learning curve, complex mechanics, and shifting meta make it incredibly competitive. Ubisoft‘s balancing efforts and intolerance of bugs/exploits preserve the game‘s high skill ceiling according to PC Gamer.
Conversely, the Call of Duty league faces PR crises like Warzone‘s "Stronghold" and Modern Warfare 2‘s "no-skill" mechanics harming competitive integrity according to Dot Esports. COD‘s gameplay inconsistencies and reliance on reflexes over strategy make it less suited for serious competition.
Prize Pools Over Time
| Game | Prize Pool in 2016 | Prize Pool in 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| COD Championship | $2 million | $2.55 million |
| R6 World Championship | $100,000 | $3 million |
Siege‘s competitive scene has grown rapidly as reflected by its prize pools, while Call of Duty stagnates according to Siege GG and ESPN. This suggests Rainbow Six better rewards true skill.
Player Count and Longevity
Rainbow Six Siege has only grown in popularity since its launch, defying the expectation that shooters lose their player base over time. According to ActivePlayer, Siege reached an all-time high of 200k+ concurrent players on Steam in 2021.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty sees huge drop-offs in player counts between new title releases admits Activision. Vanguard peaked on all platforms at 6 million players, while Warzone alone once had 100 million according to PlayStationLifestyle. This shows COD‘s short-term appeal versus Siege‘s long-term growth.
In summary, Rainbow Six Siege brings more depth, innovation, and competitive credibility than the Call of Duty series based on extensive analysis. However, COD will likely retain wider mainstream popularity thanks to its fast-paced action. Players looking for a complex shooter to master over years should choose Siege, while those wanting accessible fun are better served by Call of Duty.
