Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Patriots has been formally removed from GameStop's database, and is no longer available for pre-order. Some retailers automatically deactivate database entries after a lengthy period of time, which wouldn't mean much in this instance. GameStop, according to a source with intimate knowledge of the retailer, "actively flipped a switch" to eliminate Rainbow 6 Patriots from its system.

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GameStop tends not to remove big-name games from major publishers without an official confirmation that a title is dead, a source said. Moreover, it's exceedingly rare for GameStop to delist a game that appeared on the cover of its Game Informer magazine.

Amazon, Game, and other retailers, meanwhile, retain a listing for Rainbow 6. While the removal from GameStop isn't indicative of a

cancellation

or delay, it brings up the question once more: What is going on with this game?

Rainbow 6: Patriots was announced in 2011, but Ubisoft has spoken about the tactical shooter very little since then. Ubisoft told IGN last year that it's still in active development, and recent signs point to a next generation Rainbow 6 on new hardware.

Ubisoft's response to IGN concerning this delisting was, "We have nothing further to share about Rainbow 6: Patriots at this time."

Perhaps we'll learn more about the state of Rainbow 6: Patriots at this year's E3. You can catch Ubisoft's press conference coverage on IGN Monday, June 10 at 3pm Pacific.

Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor at IGN. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN