Tom Clancy's games are often realistic military shooters, but with "Rainbow Six Extraction," the series has a distinctly science fiction axis.

Officially called "Rainbow Six Quarantine," "Extraction" is a spin-off of the hugely popular "Rainbow Six Siege." The cooperative multiplayer will remain the same, but the focus will be on defeating alien enemies called Archians. Extraction was originally scheduled to launch on September 16, but has been pushed back to 2022. In a June news post (which has since been deleted), Ubisoft quietly released a copy of Extraction on PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox one, PS4, PS5, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna on January 20. updated.

So here's everything we know about "Rainbow Six Extraction," including the latest news and trailer.

Rainbow Six Extraction was originally scheduled to be released by April 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ubisoft delayed its release. It was then scheduled to be released on September 16, but was pushed back to January 2022.

"We are embracing the opportunity to take additional time to bring this vision to fruition in a way that is appropriate for January 2022," the development team said. We are confident that this will make Rainbow Six Extraction the immersive, cooperative, and thrilling experience we have set out to create, and the game you have always wanted to play."

Now, the game is set for release on January 20. Ubisoft has quietly updated their June news post (which has since been deleted) and changed the date at the bottom of the copy to reflect the new release date. It is unclear why Ubisoft did not issue a formal press release about this new release date.

Tom's Guide contacted Ubisoft for an explanation: "We are committed to delivering Rainbow Six Extraction in January 2022 and look forward to sharing more information soon."

In other words, either someone at Ubisoft prematurely leaked the date when updating an old article, or they got it completely wrong. As of now, Ubisoft has not officially confirmed a release date for Extraction.

Rainbow Six Extraction was first revealed at E3 2019, but more trailers have now been released.

The trailer below gives a clear overview of the game's action, showing how a squad of three will enter an alien infested area and attempt to rescue captured members of the wider team.The complete Extraction trailer is available on Ubisoft 's YouTube channel.

Between the "Rainbow Six Siege" Outbreak event and recent footage, we have a pretty good idea of what we can expect from "Rainbow Six Extraction" gameplay.

From what we've seen, player loadouts are fairly standard, including grenades, weapons, and equipment including barricades and drones. Teams of operators will face off against zombies/aliens called Archians, but they don't necessarily have to take them head-on.

Incursions in Rainbow Six Extraction appear to be stealth-based and involve navigating the environment in search of sample-like information. If found, they will be confronted by enemies.

Comparisons to Left 4 Dead are demonstrated in the sub-zones, which become more dangerous as you progress. There are airlocks between each zone, similar to Left 4 Dead's safe houses. The spirit of not leaving players behind is the same as in Valve's popular series.

As in L4D, if you leave a player behind in the previous zone, you can still find and rescue a fallen teammate as you move on. Since the teammate must be carried to the rescue point, the main weapon cannot be used during the rescue. But that makes the rescue all the more exciting. Or it can be stressful. Either way, your heart rate goes up.

It is not only the archian who must be careful. The black goo on the floor is a drag, but can be erased with a few well-placed bullets. Also, like L4D, there is a wide variety of enemies to keep you occupied.

As seen in the cinematic trailer, "Rainbow Six Extraction" revolves around a mission to learn about a parasitic alien threat that has crash-landed on Earth by a meteorite. In the trailer, the trio of Era, Lion, and Nomad take on a mission to rescue a companion called Hibana.

However, the number of operators is even greater, with a total of 18 operators and 12 evolving maps. In other words, in "Rainbow 6 Extraction," if an operator collapses in the field, he or she will have to rescue other operators. Other missions include capturing alien specimens and destroying nests.

Ubisoft announced "Rainbow Six Extraction" a full year before the next generation of consoles came out, but the game will be available on the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

So far, "Rainbow Six Extraction" looks like a solid team-based survival horror shooter, and if you're familiar with the franchise, that shouldn't be too surprising; Outbreak has PvE play and tight squads. It's great to see the inspiration for a dedicated game, and Left 4 Dead fans may be satisfied here - but not until Back 4 Blood comes out before Extraction on October 12.

If Ubisoft incorporates PS5 and Xbox Series X enhancements and sharply refines the beat-to-beat action, "Rainbow Six Extraction" will be a multiplayer game worth the wait.