With the Rainbow Six Pro League continuing its rise to becoming a legitimate esport, Ubisoft has revealed massive increases to the prize pool.
Following the close of a successful ninth season, Ubisoft announced that R6 esports will receive a massive bump in terms of financial support. R6 esports will now have access to an additional $1,069,000 in support, according to the post.
Parker “Interro” Mackay, a well-respected Pro League broadcaster, provided exact figures to show fans the drastic difference in support from last year. The Pro League will see a 100-percent increase in financial support—bringing the total up from $275,000 to $626,000, according to Mackay’s post.
Additionally, Ubisoft plans to drastically extending its financial support of the Challenger League. Past support for the Challenger League clocked in at just $15,000. But now, that figure will be increased by 390 percent, according to Mackay’s post. This massive shift in support brings the total financial support for the Challenger League to $73,500.
Although the Pro League is a bonafide esport, the Challenger League has struggled to claim any meaningful status in the scene. Most conversations surrounding the Challenger League fail to extend past which Pro League team gets booted down to the lower league. Die-hard fans will recognize certain players from Challenger, but overall, the league tends to be an afterthought. With so much of the Pro League depending on Challenger League talent, many fans will be excited to see some added support and hopefully more growth to follow.
Other notable prize pool increases include a $25,000 bump to each Minor and a $150,000 bump for the U.S. Major. The drastic increase in prize pools across the board reflects the growth that R6 esports has experienced this year. If these increases are any indication of the game’s future, it looks like Ubisoft will keep the R6 hype train rolling well beyond its 100 operator goal.
