The first major of the 2026-2027 competitive Rainbow Six Siege season ended in a blowout victory for DarkZero, defeating Shopify Rebellion 3 maps to one in the Grand Final. The showdown between these two NA giants started off a little rocky for DarkZero with a 7-2 loss on map 1, however they were able to turn it around, absolutely dominating the next 3 maps to take the win and hoist the Dokkaebi trophy.
This was my first time attending any esports event, and as some of you may have noticed, I have an extra soft spot in my heart for Rainbow Six Siege. I was very appreciative to Ubisoft for inviting me to this event. Nothing compares to being there in person to feel the rush of the crowd and see it all unfold on the mainstage.
The Salt Lake City Major, taking place at the Salt Palace Convention Center, was full of some of the craziest twists, upsets, and truly remarkable moments in R6 esports. Who could forget Ambi’s record-breaking 21-1 k/d match in Shopify Rebellion’s victory over G2 Esports? Or watching back-to-back Six Invitational champs FaZe Clan getting decimated by DarkZero on their most dominant map?
The Swiss Stage was easily the wildest phase, with several high-performing teams being eliminated, like Five Fears, Furia, Weibo Gaming, and All Gamers, who were all first place in their respective regional kickoff qualifiers. It was at this point that viewers and co-streamers realized their predictions were cooked, and dreams of getting the Year 11 Season 2 battle pass for free evaporated.
The games were unreal, but the crowd was even more insane. In the semifinal matches of Shopify Rebellion vs Twisted Minds and DarkZero vs FaZe Clan, chants of “USA! USA! USA!” and “SEND THEM HOME” were on repeat as SR and DZ battled the foreign invaders, ultimately defeating them before moving on to the Grand Final. But the real moment of magic was watching a marriage proposal live, which garnered the loudest roars and cheers from the crowd.
However, the wins don’t stop there. The Salt Lake City Major was the most-watched major in R6 Esports history, with over 254,000 peak viewers and over 7.5 million hours of watchtime, which is double the numbers compared to the Munich Major back in November last year. This explosive rise in viewership is most certainly due to the over 200 content creators who co-streamed the event on YouTube and Twitch, with exclusive drops on Twitch throughout the Major’s 11-day run. While most of those drops were esports packs, there were also a handful of cosmetics and other items for viewers to collect that could then be showcased in game, such as weapon skins and charms.
Of course, BLAST also knows how to put on a good show. A partnership that launched in March 2023, BLAST and Ubisoft co-produce all the big R6 Esports events, including the majors, Six Invitational, and regional tournaments (with support from additional partners). The production value of each showcase is next level, both virtually and in person. From the flow of the event to captivating broadcasts to the on-site sound design and aesthetic, every show is unique and engaging, which is further enhanced by dozens of incredibly talented hosts, casters, and analysts who break down the action in real time.
Salt Lake City made for a beautiful setting for the major, with the backdrop of the still snowcapped mountains against the city skyline, the Great Salt Lake, and the salt flats all within a short driving distance. The weather wasn’t too shabby either, with temperatures hovering in the 80s F for most of the event’s duration.
There was a lot of pushback, however, regarding the host country, especially after all the announcements of visa issues. Most notably, of course, was the unfortunate forfeiture of Wolves Esports (CNL) after the whole team’s visas were denied, making them unable to make the journey to Salt Lake City. Several other players were also denied visas, which required teams to use stand-in players from other organizations to fill their active rosters. There were many calls for the event to be taken out of the United States entirely, especially amidst the current tensions in the country regarding ICE and the political climate. However, the event moved forward with the roster and attendee updates.
So what’s next? Over the next couple of months, teams will compete in the first regional stages. Stage 1 has already started for the CNL, EML, and APL regions, with SAL and NAL starting later this week. These games will be critical as teams are trying to rack up points for Six Invitational 2027. DarkZero and Shopify Rebellion are already well on their way to qualifying, almost guaranteeing their place by earning 1500 and 1200 points, respectively. Only the top 16 teams in the global standings will qualify for S.I., so these next six months will be critical.
In August, teams will compete in the Esports World Cup, the winning team earning a direct qualification for S.I., which will then be followed by the second regional stages throughout September and October. The next major will take its qualifying teams to Osaka, Japan, in November, which will be the last opportunity teams will have to secure points. After that, teams will spend the last couple of months preparing for the season finale, with Six Invitational 2027 taking place in Brazil in February.
We'll have more recaps as the season progresses, so make sure to stay tuned!
