The beta of the game began on September 24, 2015. Players could also gain access to the beta by donating money to a charity organization called Extra Life. Ubisoft revealed that guaranteed access to the beta would be available for those who pre-ordered the game on any of the platforms. A closed beta of the game was also announced for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
On March 12, 2015, Ubisoft announced that a closed alpha was in development, scheduled to be released exclusively for Microsoft Windows. A trailer shown at E3 2014 demonstrated a hostage rescue scenario, and the game initially received positive reactions. Although focusing heavily on team play and realism, similar to previous titles in the Rainbow Six franchise, Siege introduced a new heavy multiplayer focus and destructible environments. Siege was announced as a successor to the canceled Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Patriots. The development of Siege began in January 2013.
