Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield is a 2003 computer game developed and published by Ubisoft. Released on March 18, 2003, the Rainbow Six video game series is based on Tom Clancy’s best-selling novel of the same name.

Based on the Unreal Engine 2.0, Raven Shield is a tactical shooter with realistic properties. Raven Shield moved toward mainstream first-person shooters like Counter-Strike, adapting various features absent in previous versions. These included the ability to see one’s weapon while in first-person view, many new weapons and upgrades (including larger magazines and sights), and a redesigned multiplayer.

A console version, entitled Rainbow Six 3, was developed for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo GameCube. This iteration of the game features the same basic engine, models, textures, and artwork, but with significantly different game mechanics, gameplay, and storyline. A port was also released on Mac OS X on December 19, 2003. Due to the console version’s success on the Xbox and the popularity of its subscription-based online multiplayer service, Xbox Live, an Xbox-exclusive semi-sequel was released in 2004 titled Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow. The next full game in the Rainbow Six series, Rainbow Six: Lockdown, was released in 2005.