BLAST Reveals New Format for Rainbow Six Siege RE:L0:AD 2025

Ubisoft and BLAST have finally unveiled the format for RE:L0:AD (Reload), the first Rainbow Six Siege tournament of the 2025 season, and the first competition ever to be played on Rainbow Six Siege X. Taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the event will feature the 20 R6 Share 2025 Partnered Teams battling it out for their share of a €480,000 prize pool.

First teased during the Six Invitational 2025 Finals in Boston, and later expanded on at the Rainbow Six Siege X Showcase in Atlanta, Reload has already generated massive hype. Now, with the format finally revealed, it’s safe to say Ubisoft and BLAST have thrown the rulebook out the window — introducing an entirely new competitive structure built around bullets and cards.

Here’s a full breakdown of this bold and imaginative new system.

Two Stages, One Champion

Let’s start with the basics. The tournament is divided into two stages:

Group Stage: May 10–14

• Round 1 – May 10
• Round 2 – May 11
• Round 3 – May 12
• Round 4 – May 13
• Round 5 – May 14

All Group Stage matches are BO1 — even elimination games.

Playoffs: May 16–18

• Quarterfinals – May 16
• Semifinals – May 17
• Grand Final – May 18

Now that the easy part is out of the way, buckle up. The real madness begins.

The Bullet System – Reload to Survive

Forget everything you know about Swiss stages. Reload’s Group Stage is built on a brand-new system: the Bullet Reserve.

Each team begins with six bullets. In every match, teams “reload” by wagering a number of bullets. Wins return the bullets used, plus a bonus equal to the bullets spent. Losses subtract the bullets used.

Teams that hit zero bullets are instantly eliminated.

By Round 4, the top 4 teams on the leaderboard advance to the Playoffs. By Round 5, the next top 4 join them. The rest? Eliminated.

The Card System – Wildcards of Reload

Adding another layer of chaos and creativity, Ubisoft has introduced a Card System, with six total wildcards divided into two categories:

Always Active Cards (unlimited use for all teams)

• Survivor Card – Win a match with 1 bullet? Get 1 bonus bullet.
• Flawless Victory Card – Win 7-0? Receive 2 extra bullets.
• Eliminator Card – Eliminate a team? Gain 1 bonus bullet.

Single Use Cards (each can be used only once per team)

• Chicken Card – Decline a challenge (Rounds 2–4 only).
• Extended Mag Card – Boost bullet recovery by +6 (Rounds 3–5).
• Duel Card – Facing elimination? Call a 1v1 Duel. Win to reset your bullet count to 0 and gain 1 bullet per round won beyond the opponent's score.

Round-by-Round Breakdown

Round 1

• Every team starts with 6 bullets
• Max of 2 bullets can be used
• Matches are randomly drawn
• No Cards can be used

Round 2

• Lower-ranked teams pick their opponents
• Picked teams can use the Chicken Card to decline
• Max of 2 bullets
• Still, no Extended or Duel Cards allowed

Round 3

• Same format as Round 2
• Max of 8 bullets can be used
• Extended Mag and Duel Cards become available
• Teams can risk more bullets than they have (but risk elimination on loss)

Round 4

• Lower-ranked teams pick again
• Same card rules as Round 3 (if unused)
• Top 4 teams qualify for Playoffs
• Teams ranked 17th–20th are eliminated

Round 5

• No more Chicken Cards
• Only the Extended Mag Card remains usable
• Teams 5–8 qualify for Playoffs
• Remaining teams are eliminated

Playoffs – Back to Basics

After all the bullets and cards chaos, the Playoffs offer a return to a more traditional format. The eight teams that survive the Group Stage’s gauntlet of strategy, risk, and bluffing will fight in a classic knockout bracket for the Reload crown.

• Quarterfinals & Semifinals – Best-of-3
• Grand Final – Best-of-5

Reload: A Format Built for Mayhem

With its unorthodox mix of strategy, bluffing, and straight-up firepower, Reload promises to be one of the most memorable Rainbow Six tournaments in recent history. Whether it becomes a hit or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure — fans and teams alike will need to stay sharp, adapt quickly, and maybe keep a deck of cards on hand.

Stay tuned for more updates as the path to Reload begins.

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Learn more about Year 10 Season 1: Operation Prep Phase HERE. You can also learn about the future of Rainbow Six Siege and Siege X HERE.

Don't forget to check out Strafe Esports for all the latest Rainbow Six Siege news and our X account for the latest content and coverage.

Featured Image Source: Ubisoft

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