Is Rainbow Six Siege Crossplay? How the Console and PC Pools Work

Summary: Yes, but Rainbow Six Siege splits players into two pools rather than one. PlayStation and Xbox share a console pool by default, PC has its own, and console players can opt in to the PC pool when they want to squad up with friends there. Cross-progression works across everything through a Ubisoft account, though ranked progress is tracked separately for PC and console.

• Xbox and PlayStation players share one console matchmaking pool.
• PC has a separate pool that console players can choose to join.
• Crossplay is forced on for PC and switched off by default on console.
• Cross-progression carries operators, cosmetics and Renown between platforms.

Ubisoft built Siege's crossplay in stages rather than all at once, which is why so many older guides contradict each other and why Ubisoft's crossplay and cross-progression page is worth checking against. Console crossplay arrived first, in December 2021. The route between console and PC came later. What you get now is a system that works, but one with a structure worth understanding before you try to get a five-stack together.

Which Platforms Can Play Together

Every current version of the game is crossplay-capable in the sense described in our guide to how crossplay works, but they do not all sit in the same queue:

• PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 match with Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in the console pool.
• PC players sit in the PC pool, whether they own the game through Steam, the Ubisoft Store or Epic.
• Cloud gaming players on Amazon Luna queue with PC.
• Console players who enable crossplay can be pulled into the PC pool.

The split exists for input reasons. A mouse is a real advantage in a game decided by the first accurate headshot, so Ubisoft keeps controller players together unless they ask otherwise. Nobody is excluded, they are just sorted. Audio is the other half of that edge, and a decent pair of headphones from Cowin Audio does more for hearing a roof breach coming than any setting in the menu.

How to Turn Crossplay On

On PC there is nothing to do, since the setting is on and cannot be switched off. On PlayStation and Xbox:

1. From the main menu, open Settings.
2. Go to the Matchmaking tab.
3. Switch Crossplay on.
4. Link your platform account to a Ubisoft account if you have not already.

One quirk catches groups out. If a console player invites a PC player, the whole squad moves into the PC pool for that session. The console player does not get a prompt asking whether that is fine, so agree on it before you queue.

Is R6 Crossplay Between PC and Console?

Yes, but only in one direction by default. A PC player cannot drop into a console lobby. A console player who has enabled crossplay can join a PC squad, and the match then runs in the PC pool against PC opposition. If your group is mixed and the console players want no part of mouse and keyboard lobbies, the only workable answer is for everyone to play on the same side of the divide.

Ranked is the place where this matters most. PC and console ranked progression are tracked separately, so a console player who spends a season queuing into PC lobbies is building a rank that does not follow them back.

What Cross-Progression Actually Carries

Cross-progression is the more generous half of the system. Link every platform to the same Ubisoft account and your operator unlocks, cosmetics, Renown, R6 Credits and Battle Pass progress follow you. Buy the game on a new platform and you are not starting from scratch, which also makes a rental service like GameFly a cheap way to test whether a second platform is worth owning.

The exception is ranked placement, which stays tied to the pool it was earned in. Everything cosmetic and everything you have unlocked travels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can PS5 and Xbox players play Rainbow Six Siege together?

Yes, and it needs no setup. Console crossplay has been the default since December 2021 and covers PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in every mode.

Is R6 crossplay with PC?

Partly. Console players can opt in to the PC pool, and the squad plays there. PC players cannot join console lobbies, so it only works in that direction.

Does Rainbow Six Mobile play with Siege?

No. Rainbow Six Mobile is a separate game with its own servers, operators and progression. It does not connect to Siege in any way.

Is ranked progress shared between PC and console?

No. Ranked is tracked per pool. Your operators and cosmetics sync, your rank does not.

Decide Which Pool You Want to Queue In

The practical version of all this: pick the pool your regular group plays in, enable crossplay only if you are happy queuing against mouse and keyboard, and link your Ubisoft account early so nothing you buy is stranded on one platform. If the group wants something that needs less setup, our list of the best crossplay games covers the easier options. If you are topping up R6 Credits or picking the game up on a new system, you can browse gaming gift cards and pay with crypto.