Ubisoft has revealed how Testing Grounds will work when it arrives in Rainbow Six Siege X next January, and the first experiment focuses on armor and speed. Testing Grounds is a planned experimental playlist that gives players a sandbox to try mechanics before they hit the live build. A preview posted on Rainbow Six Siege X’s socials shows a system where operators can have their durability, mobility, and loudness adjusted before a match begins.
⚗️ Testing Grounds will be coming to Siege in January!
New features will appear for you to test and provide your feedback on.
🛡️ First up, armor and speed! 💨 pic.twitter.com/fKcrGUdbKE
— Rainbow Six Siege X (@Rainbow6Game) November 24, 2025
The clip uses Gridlock as an example. Traditionally she is one armour and three speed. Under the new setup operators get five levels of armour, three points for sound, a health range from 70 to 150 and a tunable speed value. Every 20 health added or removed applies a 5% speed buff or penalty and sound changes between normal, loud and a quieter option depending on how much health is allocated. This is not a permanent change yet. Testing Grounds will collect player feedback and telemetry so Ubisoft can refine the numbers before any live rollout. When, or if, the system moves out of the playtest into ranked or pro play has not been confirmed.
Long-time Siege players will spot the resemblance to the old technical test servers that Ubisoft ran for PC only. The developer has linked that history in its announcement and appears to be widening access to experimentation by putting the feature into a discrete playlist. Operator traits are a core part of Siege balance so adjustable armour and speed has clear implications for the competitive meta at both the amateur and pro levels. Depending on timing and feedback, these changes could be available before the 2026 Six Invitationals in February or land later in the season for majors and regional events.
Ubisoft has already been nudging cross-platform competition with the Rainbow Six Siege X Seasonal Series that opened esports competition to all platforms. Introducing customizable operator stats into a live tournament environment will require careful rollout and likely a separate set of rules for sanctioned events. Testing Grounds looks aimed at letting the community and competitive teams experiment with balance without risking ranked integrity. If the data shows a clear path to fair play the changes could be fast-tracked, if the data does not the mode will give Ubisoft room to iterate.
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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege X
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal
