Hereford Base is getting a makeover. The aim of this rework is to make serious adjustments to the map to address previously encountered gameplay issues, and to raise the standards of what’s expected for competitive play. Overall, the map will still feel familiar, but this new Hereford Base contains many twists and should be treated as a new map.

The current map as we know it was the first to be prototyped for Rainbow Six Siege, so it only makes sense for this map to be the first rework. Rarely does a Dev Team get to revamp an existing map, let alone a location as iconic as Hereford. Thanks to your continued support and feedback, the Dev Team collected a good amount of data to make the required fixes, pushing Hereford Base to the next level.

Players can expect a new layout and the map as a whole will be bigger, meaning that each floor will have a larger surface area. Level Designers have also added new stairs to improve movement between each floor, increasing the viability of rotations. However, the new Hereford Base will still retain its “soul,” making multiple nods to the old base. Level Artists also took this opportunity to update the map’s visual identity and color palette, giving each floor more personality.

For the Level Designers, revisiting this map was a rare treat. Rainbow Six Siege has been running live for over two years. During this time, the level design team has matured and fine-tuned its knowledge of the game, and now has the chance to apply this knowledge to the Hereford Base map. Despite the frequent rain over Hereford Base, the Dev Team has a sunny and positive outlook on what’s to come.

Again, none of this would be possible without the community’s feedback. Thank you for all your support.

Find out all about Hereford’s full treatment by visiting our Rainbow Six Twitch Channel on August 17-19th during the first ever Six Major in Paris.

In a game like Rainbow Six Siege, ensuring that all maps are as competitive as possible is crucial. As part of that effort, we have learned a lot about how our maps are played, and what goes into making all of the Bomb Site locations viable options. For some maps, this can be done with adding and removing a few walls, and making minor tweaks to the flow of the map. For others, it will require extensive overhauls to the core layout of the map, which is where our Map Reworks come in. The goal of these reworks is to make a map more player-friendly at all skill levels, but also ensure that they are as balanced as possible. As previously announced, the first map receiving a rework will arrive in Year 3 Season 3.

With the Map Rework system, the level design team heavily alters the landscape to improve map flow. The overall goal of this process is to create more feasible Defender site choices. Our hopes are not to remove the most favorable selections, but to make other choices more practical, leading to a fresh experience. Additionally, changes to the layout of the map will open up better possibilities for Defenders to move around the map, as well as for Attackers when they are assaulting the objective. For example, ensuring that players have rotation opportunities and are not funneling through a single choke point to access a portion of the map is a part of reimagining the interior layout of a map.

The theme, or visual identity, of a map is also one of the areas that may be fine-tuned. This is where the art team will use their skills to make changes that improve the art direction. This is not limited to touching up on graphical fidelity of certain aspects of the map – the team may choose to revamp the feel, or setting, for where this map exists. We believe that this is an important step in making the maps more visually pleasing.

Maps that have competitive potential, but lack in this area, will be the leading candidates for the rework process. When maps suffer from imbalanced Bomb Sites, difficult rotation options, or spawn points that are problematic, they will either be reworked (Hereford Base), or removed from Ranked/Professional play (Tower). It is important to note that a map being removed from a playlist does not guarantee it will go through a rework or buff. This will allow the team to reevaluate the layout and make the necessary changes to improve the player experience.

To find out further details about map reworks and the incoming Hereford Base in Season 3, be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, on the forums, and on our subreddit.

These two Operators may associate with two different CTUs, but they are both joining Rainbow’s Urban Tactical Response Team, codenamed Grim Sky (or GSUTR).

The first Operator is a Defender from Great Britain. She’s a tough police officer who’s an expert on mob behavior and snatch-squad tactics. She knows she belongs on the front line and she won’t tolerate any nonsense.

The second Operator is an American Attacker, a specialist with a remarkably sharp mind when it comes to tactical operations. He has seen the worst in Kabul. Despite it all, he fell in love with the city. Legendary for his surgical precision, he remains an enigma within Rainbow Six.

We’re also introducing our first map rework. The map in question: Hereford Base. Despite the high chance of rain at this iconic training facility, we’re renovating the place and making many adjustments to raise the bar for competitive play.

A few gameplay enhancements are also making their way into Operation Grim Sky. Following a lengthy test phase, we’re bringing forth much-anticipated modifications to address the weapon sights misalignment. But that’s not all! In our constant pursuit to improve the game and the player experience, an adjustment with the Operator Idle Pick as well as dynamic resolution scaling for consoles are also on their way. Make sure to play on our test server and submit your feedback on R6 Fix.

Visit our Rainbow Six Twitch Channel on August 17-19th for the full reveal of Operation Grim Sky during the first ever Six Major in Paris.

On June 7th, we provided you with a recap of our next steps regarding Anti-Cheat. We wanted to take a moment to update you on our progress on the various topics covered in the original message.

On Monday, a vulnerability used by a large number of cheat creators was patched, and is rendering a large number of cheats defunct. We also deployed a fix to prevent cheaters from planting the Defuser anywhere on the map.

This week, we suspended approximately 1300 players that we determined to have been boosted by cheaters. These players were suspended for 15 days, which many in the community feel is not harsh enough. They will also not benefit from their illicit activities come the end of the Season. We are currently assessing how we will be delivering this from a technical side, but all players sanctioned for this will have their rank and rewards removed prior to the launch of Season 3. We want to stress that we do not view the sanctioning of boosted players as a solution to the issue. It was a stop-gap while we work on the solution, which is adjusting MMR gains/losses for all players in a match with a cheater.

On the topic of adjusting MMR gains/losses for matches with cheaters, we are finalizing the design next week. Once that is complete, we will meet to determine workload, personnel, and deadlines. We will then have a better idea of the timeline for this feature going live.

We are continuing to make progress on the Two Step Verification requirement for Ranked. As of right now, our plans are to have this implemented during Season 3. This will be done in a patch that will occur within the Season, and is not tied to the launch of Season 3. As mentioned previously, we will have more detailed information once it is available.

We are interested in hearing your thoughts, and welcome your feedback on the topics mentioned above. Please let us know what you think on Twitter, Facebook, the forums, and our subreddit.

Patch 2.2 will be deployed on Monday, July 23rd for PC. The primary focus on this patch is balancing changes and bug fixes.



Players will now have the option of not being immediately pulled into their drone’s camera after deploying it.

Standard: Will pull players into drone view immediately following deployment of their drone.

Advanced: Players will need to manually enter the drone’s camera after deployment.


Players will now be able to select their preference for rotating through the Observation Tool groups, as well as cycle through the first and last Defender cameras.

Following the implementation of the new Observation Tool system, we have seen players express that they have two different expectations for how the cycling of the Observation Tools should function. Some players would like to see the “next tool” key bind stay within the same group, while others would like to see it cycle to the next grouping.


The enter Observation Tool key bind can be found in the Operator Control section, and the Exit Observation Tool key can be found in the Observation Tool Control.

With the introduction of the new Observation Tool System, we split the key bindings section into three groups, General, Operator Control, Observation Tool Control. Enter/Exit Observation Tool was not split between Operator and Observation Tool controls, which led to that key bind not responding as expected.


Below you will find the bulleted list of balancing changes in 2.2. For a detailed explanation of why we have made these changes, please reference the Designer’s Notes, found here.

• Reduce ability duration from 20 seconds to 10 seconds
  
• Stun grenades will be replaced with Frag grenades
  
• Reduce Smoke’s Gas Canister damage modifier
  
• Aim down sights modifier from Adrenaline Rush reduced from -50% to -25%

• Frag Grenades replaced with Claymore
  
• Electronics detection reduced from 20m to 15m

• Increase MK17 damage from 42 to 49
  
• Reduce SR-25 damage from 72 to 61
  
• Reduce the hit points on the Rifle Shield from 60 to 50
  
• 30% reduction in movement speed penalty when the Rifle Shield is equipped (He will move faster)

• Reduce OTS-03 damage from 85 to 71

• Reduce FAMAS damage from 40 to 37

• Increase footsteps scanning distance from 5m to 8m

• Increase SMG damage from 43 to 45
  
• Increase Super 90 damage from 32 to 35

• Claymore will be replaced with Stun Grenades

• Slowing effect increased from 45% to 50%

• Fixed - Following certain steps, it is possible to peek an enemy without exposing your head
  
• Fixed - Defuser can be stuck in a wall after dropping it during rappel animation
  
• Fixed - Shield operators will have the ADS sensitivity while reloading
  
• Fixed - When Maestro is hacked and using his turret, there's no "Operated By" mention in the hackers observation tool

• Fixed - Prismas are unable to deploy when thrown on a magazine
  
• Fixed - Prismas will not deploy on certain carpets
  
• Fixed - Players get detected when shooting at Alibi's Prisma gadget through the hologram

• Fixed - Capitao’s crossbow bolt can remain floating on the side while in use

• Fixed - Doc's Legendary skin has two less syringes in Terrorist Hunt

• Fixed - Following certain steps, it is possible to reload three rounds in the BOSG 12
  
• Fixed - Defender cannot identify any Attacker via hacked camera if any Attacker is using this hacked camera

• Fixed - If an Evil Eye is destroyed when Maestro is controlling it, he will not be able to shoot
  
• Fixed - Maestro's Evil Eye loses its functionality after attempting to pick it up from higher ground

• Fixed - Tachanka's speed is significantly increased following certain steps
  
• Fixed - Tachanka can exit the building during prep phase

• Fixed - When Valkyrie has thrown all her Black Eye cameras, she cannot connect to them with the gadget button

• Fixed - Drones can clip in 2F Offices from EXT Roof

• Fixed - The electrical panels in Utility Room do not have collision
  
• Fixed - Players are able to clip under the floor of 1F Pool Room
  
• Fixed - Drones can clip in the wall from 1F stage

• Fixed - Players can vault onto purple tarps from EXT Rooftop
  
• Fixed - Operator's feet can clip through a wall at 2F Penthouse

• Fixed - Player can fall out of world at EXT Peaceful Tree
  
• Fixed - Attackers can fall or drop the defuser in an unreachable spot

• Fixed - Players can CLIP through the wall at 1F Kitchen
  
• Fixed - Drones can clip inside the wall at the bottom part of the dome
  
• Fixed - Gadgets, projectiles and drones have no collision with the wooden support beam in 2F Classical Hall
  
• Fixed - Players are able to plant the defuser on top of the boxes at 1F Dining Room preventing the defender to defuse it from the ground
  
• Fixed - Drones clip into the ceiling at the "1F Art Studio" location
  
• Fixed - [PVP20_Italy][LD] Player get stuck in two corner of a barrel at B Wine Cellar
  
• Fixed - Drones can clip in 1F Pantry Stairs

• Fixed - Players switching from a disabled Evil Eye to another camera can end up with the EMP disable sound playing indefinitely
  
• Fixed - 1gb video memory cards are not meeting the minimum requirement set

Patch 2.1 will be deployed as follows:

• PC - Wednesday 20th of June.

• Fixed - Players can access 3rd person perspective following certain steps.
  
• Fixed - The counter defuser doesn't appear in the Operator's hands in the end of round replay.
  
• Fixed - The red light in the Bulletproof Camera remains on after picking up the camera during the EMP pause effect.

ALIBI

• Fixed - Most charms are clipping through Alibi's MX4 Storm.
  
• Fixed - The Mountain Foliage headgear and uniform have an incorrect thumbnail.

BANDIT

• Fixed - Bandit Keychain charm appears as low quality.

ECHO

• Fixed - Yokai's Sonic Burst doesn't always inflict deafen effect.

MAESTRO

• Fixed - Maestro gets stuck and cannot shoot anymore after pressing his gadget button if both Evil Eyes are destroyed.
  
• Fixed - Maestro's Evil Eye can still ping enemies while disrupted by a Twitch drone.
  
• Fixed - In some instances, the Evil Eye will deal no damage to gadgets nor Operators.
  
• Fixed - Maestro an put his turrets in Equipped state while he is in prone mode.
  
• Fixed - When the Evil Eye overheats, the bulletproof glass won't open if the players keeps right mouse button pressed.
  
• Fixed - Maestro doesn't receive bonus points for assists with the Turret in PVE.
  
• Fixed - Evil Eye does not break assets on deployment.

TACHANKA

• Fixed - Tachanka's skin is red when equipping the Para Bellum Headgear.

THATCHER

• Fixed - Thatcher's portrait is misaligned in his Elite Uniform card during the Preparation Phase.

CLUBHOUSE

• Fixed - The bullet proof camera becomes unbreakable when placed in certain spots.
  
• Fixed - It is possible to climb up on the other side of the fence.
  
• Fixed - Fixed multiple issues when rappelling at EXT Graffiti Area.

• Fixed - Para Bellum is misspelled on the Seasonal Weapon Skins banner.
  
• Fixed - Adding ban or 6th pick to a playlist avoids the operator selection screen to correctly appear.
  
• Fixed - Players can see the message "the Attempt to connect to Server failed" during matchmaking.
  
• Fixed - Banned operators from a custom game remain temporarily unplayable in PVP/PVE matches
  
• Fixed - "Play 0x14839b2b18" appears in Discovery Playlist for Villa.
  
• Fixed - The diamond pattern of the Carnevale skin appears broken on the lower section of the stock.
  
• Fixed - "Full Screen" display mode can't be set during banning phase.

With the Seasonal Test Servers now closed, we have an updated list of changes in the Year 3 Season 2.0 patch. These notes serve as an addendum to the original patch notes for Operation Para Bellum, located here.


We will now be using R6FIX to manage bug reports for both Live and Test Servers.

If you encounter a bug, please navigate to https://r6fix.ubi.com/ and submit your findings today!


The rate of fire for Glaz’s rifle was increased from 220 RPM to 235.

He was slightly buffed to account for other changes that are coming in Operation Para Bellum.

• Claymores can be placed closer to walls and objects in the environment.
  
• Claymores are now less picky about the slope of the ground it is being placed on.
  
• Pickup is slightly easier to do from different heights.
  
• You can no longer deploy claymores inside of barricades.

We will be making some changes to the way dropshotting works. Starting with Para Bellum, it will not be possible to go prone from a standing position without been taken out of ADS.


We have removed the ability to throw grenades back at enemies. This feature did not perform as we had intended, and was prone to collateral damage as a result. As such, we looked at the data and saw an unnaturally high occurrence of team kills and suicides that resulted from throwing grenades back.

• Fixed – Inconsistent barricade destruction with firearms.
  
• Fixed – Barricades can be destroyed with just one bullet.
  
• Fixed – Multiple objects have inconsistent destruction when shot.
  
• Fixed – Sticky Gadgets obstruct The Maestro Evil Eye.
  
• Fixed – Operators are unable to enter prone stance while standing on top of a reinforced trap door.
  
• Fixed – Walking in the smoke effect from Smoke Grenades causes a visual bug.

TERRORIST HUNT

• Fixed – Enemy AI can get stuck rappelling up and down indefinitely.

SPECTATOR CAMERA

• Fixed – The Caster has no UI when viewing Evil Eye.
  
• Fixed – Casters or players spectating Maestro using the turret in first person view do not see the overheating gauge.

PICK AND BAN

• Fixed – For Pick and Ban, the Operator icon on Operator card is not properly placed.

ALIBI

• Fixed – The red dot sight has no sway when firing when attached on the Mx4 Storm.
  
• Fixed – When Alibi equips and activates her Decoy, the finger animation is not synced with the gadget slider animation.

IQ

• Fixed – IQ's Gadget is opaque instead of transparent during the End of Round replay.

VALKYRIE

• Fixed – Inconsistent lighting effects when using the Black Eye cameras.

FROST

• Fixed – Broken animation when Frost deploys a welcome mat.

MAESTRO

• Fixed – The Bulletproof Camera and Maestro's turret can destroy some gadgets through thin surfaces.
  
• Fixed – Missing sound when rotating Maestro's turret.
  
• Fixed – Maestro's turret can be placed between the pillows and the camera can see through them on House, in Kid's Bedroom. (It will still clip partway through the pillow, but not entirely.)

JÄGER

• Fixed – During the deploy animation of Jäger’s Magpie, the operators hands and gadget disappear for a few frames.

TACHANKA

• Fixed – Tachanka's hand is offset when he reloads the LMG.

BANDIT

• Fixed – The electricity of Bandit's gadget does not destroy drones on reinforced traps and walls.

MONTAGNE

• Fixed – Players are able to vault over Montagne’s shield.
  
• Fixed – Players are able to kill Montagne while his shield is extended if they vault and fire at the same time.

• Fixed – Wooden wainscoting panels across the maps cannot be destroyed normally with gunshots.
  
• Fixed – Decorative models on destructible walls across the maps do not break normally with gunshots.

HOUSE

• Fixed – Shotguns and rifles cannot destroy lower third of the walls on House.

YACHT

• Fixed – Bullet and ping are not registering correctly on the 3rd floor on Casino between the round wall and the roulette table.
  
• Fixed – Bullets have wrong trajectory when shooting the South-East wall on the 3rd floor Casino area.

CLUB HOUSE

• Fixed – Sometimes the player spawns inside a wall while playing as a defender in "Secure Area" and selecting spawn point "Garage".

SKYSCRAPER

• Fixed – The last two AI of the second wave remain stuck at EXT Peaceful Tree.

VILLA

• Fixed – Defenders can be detected while standing under the archway at the "2F Statuary Room".
  
• Fixed – Basement camera is not in the right place.
  
• Fixed – Enemy AI is unable to rappel on one of the objects.
  
• Fixed – The player is able to reinforce the floor near the hatch in 2F Classical Hall area.
  
• Fixed – Broken animation for Thermite breaching charge while deploying on any breakable surface.

BORDER

• Fixed – The player can disable the defuser from below the floor of the armory bomb.

• Fixed – Reflex sight is much bigger on ACS12, Mx4 Storm, and Alda 5.56 than other weapons.
  
• Fixed – Reticule may disappear during End of Round for teammate.
  
• Fixed – The Shutterbug Elite gadget has a visual effects issue.
  
• Fixed – Visual pop is present when deploying a deployable shield.
  
• Fixed – The camera shows out of world for a second at the beginning of any End of Round and Death Replays.
  
• Fixed – Inner part of the Operator head is blinking in the End of Round replay.
  
• Fixed – The Uplay Overlay stops working after using Shift+F2 when the "Raw Input" option is turned on.
  
• Fixed – "Only the squad leader can start a game" is not present for the invited squad members.
  
• Fixed – Counter Defuser is floating near the player if put in DBNO while using it.
  
• Fixed – Counter defuser is floating in the end of round replay if the Operator using it is shot in the back.
  
• Fixed – The Counter Defuser model will not appear in the Operator's hands if the previous Operator defusing went DBNO.
  
• Fixed – When players look into a Bullet Proof Camera on the floor next to a wall, the Camera angle is misplaced.
  
• Fixed – Barbed Wire deployment animation has a few frames where the wires pop on the right side of the operators hands when deploying the gadget.
  
• Fixed – Barricade appears already deployed depending on where you look at when placing the barricade.
  
• Fixed – Another object appears for less than a second when placing a turret on any surface.
  
• Fixed – Recruit's name does not fit in the nameplate while in Operator Loading Menu.
  
• Fixed – Equipped weapons are not displayed when entering Support Mode on a player that is performing an action that removes the weapon from the player's hands.
  
• Fixed – Constant rattle sound is played if the defuser is dropped on an uneven surface.

We will be removing Tower from the Ranked Playlist at the start of Year 3 Season 2, Operation Para Bellum. Tower is being removed for the following reasons:

• Tower’s overall balance is not where we want it to be for a Ranked playlist.
  
• Due to the size of the map, roamers have an unfair advantage as it takes a significant amount of time to drone and clear the map.
  
• Our Level Design team direction lends itself to more vertical gameplay.
  
• Tower does not include the competitive design learnings that we have applied to other maps, such as the buffed Clubhouse and Villa.
  
• Many areas are too dark for optimal performance.
  
• Difficult to play in a group that does not work together regularly.

There are now 11 maps in the Ranked map rotation.



We are interested in hearing your feedback, and invite you to share it with us on the forum and subreddit.

In Operation Para Bellum, two G.I.S. Operators thrive under the blaze of the Tuscan sun. Team Rainbow is deploying Maestro and Alibi in the villa of one of the most dangerous crime families.

Year Three Season Two brings a breath of innovation, spawning a new intel gadget, a Clubhouse map buff, an Echo buff, lots of gameplay fixes, and the Pick & Ban settings.

Release Date: Currently available on Technical Test Servers.


For Operation Para Bellum, Team Rainbow recruits two of G.I.S.’ finest: Maestro and Alibi.

The new Operators are immediately unlocked when Season launches for Season Pass owners, with exclusive access granted for seven days. All players can then unlock the Operators with Renown or R6 Credits after the exclusive period ends










Operation Para Bellum launches our 20th map: a luxurious Tuscan villa. No riches were spared to offer our most tactical map to date. The house provides diverse options with its wide staircases, narrow tunnels, and secret hatches. The illusion of cover haunts whoever sets foot in the villa.

The land belongs to the Vinciguerra, a dangerous crime family known for their smuggling activities. The house is their retreat, where they lead a lavish lifestyle and collect rare art pieces. Now we catch the villa in a snapshot of time: Vinciguerras are burning documents and transporting their holdings before the big raid. But they’ve got wind of Operation Para Bellum and fled, leaving everything in disarray with vital information ready for the taking.







In Operation Para Bellum, we celebrate the Italian artisanship of weapon fabbrikas. Our seasonal weapon skins Carnevale, Renaissance, Ancient Marble, and SPQR will bring that refinement to your Loadout.

Once unlocked, the seasonal weapon skins can be applied on all available weapons until the end of the Season.


Our Level Artists and Designers were asked, three years later, to revisit Clubhouse and bring it to new heights. They were pumped to step up to the plate, now armed with years of know-how and a series of advanced tools. Their mission was to improve the course of the map by fixing what forced Defenders into high-risk low-reward situations.

First, our Designers added a connector between the bedroom and the cash room to open up the flow of the map. Defenders can now move between buildings on the second floor without being forced to go outside. The objective locations were also targeted for balancing. The Designers added a staircase in the garage, subdivided the bar, added a bathroom to sneak past the bar, and removed some hatches on the rooftop so that players could circulate more freely.

Second, Designers monitored closely how the community adopted the map through the years with the arrival of new gadgets. It was essential to examine how players actually used the map to make sure it still “felt” like clubhouse when buffed. Our Designers wanted to honor the players’ progress and investments. Plus, it made them see their creations anew. For instance, when a Level Artist created a new staircase in the basement, a Level Designer mentioned that the community nicknamed the area “Blue Room.” The Artist played up the reference, adorning the wall with a navy banner and planted blue flares on the path that led to the staircase.

Lastly, the map buff was the perfect opportunity for the Artists to polish their initial work from three years ago; a rare treat. They reworked textures, diversified materials, dramatized the skydome, added lighting, and infused the map with the presence of unseen bikers.

As our first map buff, we look forward to watching you play on our Technical Server, and to collect your feedback on R6 Fix.


A detailed breakdown of the reasoning behind all balancing changes can be found in our Designer’s Notes: Pre-Season article.

ECHO

• Now has 2 Yokai Drones
  
• Max charges per Yokai drone reduced from 3 to 2
  
• Recharge time between drone shots increased to 20 seconds

OPERATOR SPEED

• 3 Speed Operators slightly slower
  
• 1 Speed Operators slightly faster
  
• Small increase to movement speed with handguns out
  - Automatic sidearms (SMG-11, SMG-12, etc) excluded

PICK AND BAN

First announced at the Six Invitational, Pick and Ban will be revolutionizing the selection process of Operators. We are first introducing Pick and Ban into custom game options with the launch of Year 3 Season 2, and it will be a highlighted feature during the following Pro League season.

Pick and Ban - Caster Flow

More details about the Pick and Ban feature can be found in the Dev Blog: Pick and Ban.

BULLET PROOF CAMERA

The Bulletproof Camera is a secondary gadget that will be given to the following six Defenders.

• Frost – Bulletproof Camera instead of Deployable Shield.
  
• Doc – Bulletproof Camera instead of Deployable Shield.
  
• Mute – Bulletproof Camera instead of Deployable Shield.
  
• Castle – Bulletproof Camera instead of Deployable Shield.
  
• Caveira – Bulletproof Camera instead of Barbed Wire.
  
• Vigil – Bulletproof Camera instead of Barbed Wire.

This new device will allow them to have more options to hold an objective and counter some attack strategies. More details about the Bullet Proof camera can be found in this Dev Blog: Observation Tool and Bullet Proof camera.

COUNTER DEFUSER

Starting with Year 3 Season 2, Defenders will use a hacking device instead of a melee animation to disable the Defuser. We wanted to improve the visual and audio feedback with this new animation to provide more clarity when a Defender is interacting with the Defuser. It is important to note that the interaction distance and conditions will remain the same.

The Counter Defuser Dev Blog contains more information on these changes.


OBSERVATION TOOL

Right now, players need to perform multiple actions to reach the drone or camera they want to use – especially if they want to switch between two active observation tools (i.e. if Twitch wants to swap between piloting her first and second drone). As such, we have overhauled the Observation Tool system, with a new UI, and granting players better control over how they switch from camera to camera.

You can learn more about the Observation Tool changes in the Observation Tool and Bullet Proof Camera Dev Blog.

LEANING

We have adjusted the player experience when leaning from one side to the other. A method could be used to shift from one side to the other more quickly than intended by using a combination of keys. You will now switch smoothly from left to right, and vice versa, without the need to utilize additional key presses.


SCORING REFACTOR

We are implementing a numerical refactor process with slight adjustments to the existing scoring system for Operators. The goal is to balance the current system to have every Operator potentially winning a similar amount of score per round, from completing near-identical actions.

A full breakdown of the scoring changes can be found in our article on scoring.

XBOX ONE X AND PLAYSTATION 4 PRO SUPPORT

We have increased the resolution to 1728p on the Xbox One X, and 1440p on the PlayStation 4 Pro, while maintaining 50% render scaling (same as before). We are currently working on dynamically increasing the render scaling when performance allows it. This will allow for better render quality in low-complexity scenes, while maintaining 60 fps at all times by adjusting the render scaling dynamically. We do not have an ETA for when this additional dynamic render scaling will be implemented.

VOICE CHAT (PC)

We have altered how we detect your microphone on Windows. We will now utilize your “Default Communications Device” as opposed to your “Default Device”. This will allow players to have easier control over their desired communication device.

If you are encountering issues with microphone detection in game, please check your Windows recording settings.


MAP ROTATION

With the addition of the new Italian map, we will be making some changes to the Ranked and Casual playlist. We will have 11 maps in the Ranked rotation, and 17 in the Casual playlist, and all maps will be available in Custom Games.



Ranked

• Bank
  
• Clubhouse
  
• Oregon
  
• Kafe
  
• Consulate
  
• Chalet
  
• Border
  
• Coastline
  
• Skyscraper
  
• Theme Park
  
• Villa

Casual

• House
  
• Plane
  
• Hereford
  
• Kanal
  
• Yacht
  
• Tower

GAMEPLAY

• Fixed - Claymore mines cannot be deployed while standing parallel, right next to a wall.
  
• Fixed - Defender is able to defuse the bomb from a floor underneath if close enough.
  
• Fixed - Operators can vault over a deployable shield to clip inside the hostage.
  
• Fixed - In certain spots, bullets can pass through a reinforced and an indestructible wall.
  
• Fixed - When attempting to perform a tactical reload, entering or exiting prone stance cancels reloading.
  
• Fixed - Some deployable gadgets cannot be picked up if you are very close to them.
  
• Fixed - Sound of drones cuts off in first person following certain steps.
  
• Fixed - Wall deployable Gadgets, such as Jager's ADS, are not be automatically destroyed when destroying the object it is attached to.
  
• Fixed - Barbed wire can be deployed through barricades.
  
• Fixed - Defenders lose the round if the attacker leaves the room while the objective is contested with the securing slider loaded at 100%.
  
• Fixed - It is possible to melee shield operators through their shield when approaching from a particular angle.
  
• Fixed - Operator models can appear in 2D and not receive any damage.
  
• Fixed - Players can clip through walls and barricades in multiple spots.

OPERATORS

BANDIT

• Fixed - Batteries are not destroyed by any kind of explosive when installed on a reinforced trapdoor.

CAVEIRA

• Fixed - Caveira is able to reload while sprinting in Silent Step.

VALKYRIE

• Fixed - Black Eyes can be placed in unintended spots to see through the map.

DOC

• Fixed - Doc's Emergency Rescue Headgear is corrupted and equipping it distorts the entire character model.

ELA

• Fixed - Concussion Mine effect can go through barricades, Castle barricades and bare reinforcements.

MIRA

• Fixed - Black Mirror does not destroy pictures properly while being deployed on certain spots.
  
• Fixed - Mira's One Way Mirror can disappear when close to a wall.

FINKA

• Fixed - Blue border does not appear in the kill cam and support views if Finka used her boost right after the kill.

TWITCH

• Fixed - If a player leaves while Twitch's drones are out, the drones will disappear.
  
• Fixed - Twitch drone doesn't show ammo count nor cooldown for the taser.

FROST

• Fixed - Welcome Mats can be hidden after performing a series of actions.

IQ

• Fixed - If IQ's gadget is activated, she can detect electronics while doing other actions like cooking a grenade.
  
• Fixed - Electronics are not highlighted on the edge of the detector.

JAGER

• Fixed - Jager's ADS can be deployed and hidden through certain structures.

TACHANKA

• Fixed - Tachanka's LMG shield is inconsistent and players can be shot through it.

LEVEL DESIGN

BORDER

• Fixed – Defenders can throw gadgets outside through the small window at 1F Detention during the preparation phase.
  
• Fixed – Wall sections float after an operator destroys them.
  
• Fixed – Frost traps clip through the cable protectors located in 1F Server Room making them partially invisible.

CHALET

• Fixed – Players do not receive any damage after detonating a nitro cell near the flower pot at "2F Bedroom Hallway" area.

CLUBHOUSE

• Fixed – Defenders are detected if they stand in the doorframe between Basement Hallway and Church.
  
• Fixed – Players take fatal fall damage when vaulting off the AC unit from EXT Western Roof.
  
• Fixed – Players can hide behind a TV of B Memorial Room.
  
• Fixed – Drones can clip in the stairs of EXT Kennels and see through textures.
  
• Fixed – Players will experience FPS drops after performing a series of actions.
  
• Fixed – It is possible to shoot between two reinforced walls in 2F Bedroom Hallway.
  
• Fixed – The defuser can be planted or the container can be secured from 2F Bathroom while the objective is in 2F Bedroom.
  
• Fixed – The floor between Bedroom Hallway and Central Hallway allow bullets to pass through.
  
• Fixed – There is a gap under the Ext Eastern Sub-Roof wall that gives Attackers a line of sight to the floor below.
  
• Fixed – Nitro cell deals no damage when exploding on the stairs of the 1F Bar.
  
• Fixed – Breach Charges will destroy only the first layer of the wall in the Basement Hallway area.

COASTLINE

• Fixed - Objective not discovered when aiming towards it from the Ruins.

CONSULATE

• Fixed - Placing cluster charges in specific spots on Consulate will kill Fuze.

HOUSE

• Fixed - Certain areas of House are too dark when viewed from the outside.

KAFE

• Fixed - Drones can clip into walls at 3F Cigar Lounge and scan through the whole map

THEME PARK

• Fixed - Yokai loses signal on 1F Haunted Stairs.

TOWER

• Fixed - Gadget placement on floor is too restricted in 1F Tea Room

OREGON

• Fixed - Players will not receive any damage if they plant a C4 on the unfinished Northeast wall of the "Dining Hall Corridor".

• Fixed – Empty usernames appear in the scoreboard.
  
• Fixed – 3-0x000A0013 error is received if a player accepts an invite to an already started custom game.
  
• Fixed – Drones do not register slow mouse movements.
  
• Fixed – In some cases, players will receive a "Game Full" error when matchmaking.
  
• Fixed – A yellow dot is displayed under the operators tab.
  
• Fixed – Voice chat icon remains active after a team member stops speaking.
  
• Fixed – The game will randomly crash with a Ryzen CPU setup.
  
• Fixed – Players are unable to rejoin their Ranked game after a maintenance.

Starting with Year 3 Season 2, Defenders will use a hacking device instead of a melee animation to disable the Defuser. It is important to note that the interaction distance and conditions will remain the same.



We wanted to improve the visual and audio feedback with this new animation to provide more clarity when a Defender is interacting with the Defuser. The auditory feedback will be more distinct, and the hacking device will provide a visual cue on the Defuser itself. This new animation is also more visually appealing and fits into the context of the action. Finally, this change will fix the issues that resulted from destroying the Defuser from further than intended, or "long arming."

We are open to any feedback you may have in regards to these changes, so please feel free to leave your comments on the Rainbow Six subreddit.