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 teamThe 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