Balancing changes are data and feedback informed. Several teams in contact with various segments of our community, gather and compile both data and feedback to provide guidance to our designers. We are about to give you an insight about future changes and the reasoning behind them.

• Adding new secondary gadget: Proximity Alarm.

The new thrown sticky gadget is an essential intel-gathering tool, and it works just as well for anchors as it does for roamers. It will be triggered by any attacker entering its detection field.

One of the key factors behind the creation of this gadget is that we felt that we needed to have a "hands off" gadget able to provide audio intel. We consider this new addition as a variation of the Barbed Wire which tends to be used for intel-gathering more than for his crowd control aspect.

Having a gadget not requiring active interaction to trigger its effect was the main goal, it will therefore work differently than Bullet Proof Cameras for instance.

We believe that we have found a good balance between the range of detection and the volume of the sound emitted by this gadget, we are curious to hear your feedback from the Test Server.

Many operators will see their secondary gadgets reshuffled:

• Castle: Impact Grenades replaced with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Caveira: Bulletproof Camera replaced with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Goyo: Impact Grenades replaced with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Rook: Barbed Wire replaced with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Wamai: Barbed Wire replaced with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Tachanka: Deployable shield replaced with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Mira: Barbed Wire replaced with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Oryx: Replaced Bulletproof Camera with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Recruit : Primary Gadget

• Switch ACS12 ammo from shells to slugs.
  
• Increased damage to 41 (from 27).
  
• Damage drop off distance set to 18 m.

Population targeted by the change: Casual and top ranked.

Motivation behind the change: Low popularity of the weapon and technical issues.

According to our data, the ACS12, the other primary option for G.I.S operators was barely picked (+/-1%). The community preferred the versatility and the outstanding performance offered by the Alda and the Mx4.

The ACS12 was also known for creating performance issues on our end, and it appeared necessary to come up with a solution.

The switch to slugs should affect the auto-shotgun ability to remodel bombsites and make this weapon a bit closer to Kaid's and Goyo's TCSG12.

We do not expect this weapon to become overly popular. We expect people to notice the relatively low recoil at first, but we consider it to be needed to find the right balance. In any case, we'll keep a very close eye on its performance, and we will be ready to reduce its damage if necessary.

• Removed the mouse sensitivity modification when affected by Grzmot mines and KS79 concussion grenades.

Population targeted by the change: Top ranked and esports.

Motivation behind the change: Reduce frustration.

We have experimented various crowd control effects and the sensitivity modification continued to be a constant factor of frustration. Given their relative popularity, this feature turns out to be a regular source of frustration. We have decided to remove the sensitivity modification to partially address the issue in top level plays. Ela's performance and popularity might be impacted more strongly than Zofia's. We will keep a very close eye on them to reevaluate the change if needed.

• Removed the camera roll effect from Echo's Sonic Burst.
  
• Concussion effect now lasts 10 secs (not tied to player movement anymore).
  
• Changed vignette intensity during concussion effect. (Now similar to other concussion effects).
  
• Replaced Ballistic Shield with Impact Grenades.

Population targeted by the change: Casual and top ranked.

Motivation behind the change: The concussion effect is not consistent across all abilities and the camera roll is not intuitive enough for newcomers.

Echo remains one of the top banned defenders in ranked across the last seasons. He is both frustrating to play against and very powerful. Pro players seem to consider that what matters most is the Yokai's invisibility as well as his capacity to perform plant denials. However, they recognize as well that the camera roll effect being tied to the movement of the Operator does not seem logical and ends up being frustrating. These changes should lead to less frustration and should help newcomers to understand how the Sonic Burst concussion effect works. We will keep an eye open on the feedback from this change, we want players to be able to differentiate a Sonic Burst from other concussion effects.

Removing the deployable shield from Echo's load-out is a way for us to continue reducing the amount of utility in esports matches. We continue our efforts to reduce the presence of these shields to an acceptable level. We consider that impact grenades should be a decent alternative for the Japanese defender.

Population targeted by the change: Casual and top ranked players.

Motivation behind the change: Low presence, revive mechanic potentially prejudicial.

We would like to make Finka’s ability a bit more meaningful and remove the player's hesitation whenever an ally is in a DBNO state. After this change, teammates will be revived with 50 hp (30 base HP + 20 Temporary HP from the boost). We hope this will slightly increase her presence and win delta to make her a viable support in attack.

Finka has been discussed as well during Pro Workshops. We have noticed that the recoil cancellation when under Finka’s buff is perceived negatively, as it interferes with muscle memory. It is too early to say if we are ready to act on that specific aspect, but we always keep an open mind and will reconsider for future updates. The addition of Melusi's gadget might open a spot for Finka in esports play.

• Replaced P226 Mk5 with SPSMG9 (Clash's SMG).
  
• Reduce LV Explosive Lance fuse time to 1.5 s (from 2.5s).
  
• Reduced CRSX300 screen climbing after each shot.

Population targeted by the change: Casual, top ranked players and esports.

Motivation behind the change: Low presence, and low win delta.

Kali was designed to offer an alternative to Thatcher, we are exploring what levers could be used to try to make her a more viable option.

We intend to address Kali on two different levels, her load out and her ability. We initially wanted to replace the CZ75, but feedback has been heard and we decided to add another option by offering the SPSMG9 as an alternative. We hope that this new sidearm will offer more flexibility to the Nighthaven CEO, in terms of gunplay. We also would like to try and make the CRSX300 a bit more easy to use. We are very much aware that this gun is also a strong source of frustration for defenders. We are going to proceed carefully in that aspect and reduce the screen climbing after a shot.

We are also looking at improving her gadget. We want to adjust the fuse time to make it a bit more challenging for Bandit mains to pick up their batteries. Pro players also suggested that the Lance is somewhat not efficient enough against Kaid's Electroclaws and that she often requires the assistance of IQ. Again, we are keeping options open and would like to monitor the impact of the validated changes first, before exploring more options.

• Added PRB92 to Nomad's loadout (Capitão's pistol).
  
• Added LFP586 to Kaid (GIGN revolver).

Population targeted by the change: Casual, top ranked and esports.

Motivation behind the change: Lack of options for Nomad and Kaid in terms of secondary weapons.

Kaid & Nomad could only rely on the .44 Mag Semi-Auto as a sidearm. This is a very particular gun, due to its built-in sight, that's why we wanted to offer more options. We are also trying to see if more people would opt for the AUG instead of the TCSG12 with Kaid, if they could rely on the revolver which brings a (limited) destruction aspect.

• Replaced Bulletproof Camera with Proximity Alarm.
  
• Reduced damage when going through walls to 5 (from 10).
  
• Added Angled Grip to Oryx's MP5.

Population targeted by the change: Casual, top ranked and esports.

Motivation behind the change: Low presence and win delta.

As much as Oryx seems to be great at creating wide rotation holes, his ability was somewhat limited by the quite high subsequent damage taken. We would like Oryx players to have more opportunities to use the ability as they see fit, whether during preparation phase or against other players while roaming. Pro players' feedback indicates that 5 hp sounds like better amount. We will still keep an eye on his efficiency when preparing bombsites as he could have become a bit too efficient in that regard.

The Proximity Alarm seems also to be a better fit for a roamer and should improve team play, as it is a good gadget for intel-gathering and covering flanks.

Our discussions led us to choose to replace the Bulletproof Camera instead of the Barbed Wire as those have a higher pick rate. It made more sense to keep a popular secondary gadget when our goal is to increase the overall presence of the Operator.

Oryx's MP5 will now have an angled grip. Our data indicates that the weapon does not perform as well when deprived of an ACOG. It is a way for us to increase Oryx's swiftness and mobility. We also considered adding the attachment to Rook, but that was deemed as too powerful and quite scary.

• Reduced number of Candela to 3 (from 4). Already deployed on PC.

Population targeted by the change: Casual, top ranked and esports.

Motivation behind the change: Ying feels too oppressive, frustration generated by a feeling of powerlessness against Ying.



Ying was buffed several times during the last few months. During Y4S4.3 we added an extra pellet to her Candela, and changed their dispersion to increase the gadget reliability. According to our data, this change had little to no effect on Ying performance and popularity.

The latest balancing patch included controversial updates, including a significant buff for Ying. We believe that the combination of these two buffs have led to create an over-performing attacker. Our data analysis team was able to confirm a steep increase in the number of Candelas used across the casual and the top ranked populations. After gathering feedback and additional data, we decided to reduce her number of Candelas by one. We are aware that Ying has become better in terms of gunplay and that she is still able to burn ADS quite effectively thanks to her smoke grenades. As always we will continue to keep a very close eye on her performance to see if further tweaking is needed.

• When using the Garra Hook, barricades will be broken as Amaru goes through them.
  
• The Garra Hook will now break hatches.
  
• Faster recovery when landing.

Population targeted by the change: Casual.

Motivation behind the change: Low presence, increase the surprise effect on defenders.

Amaru is mostly used in Quick Match. Despite offering unique tactical opportunities, her ability is not comfortable to use. We consider now that the she is too predictable, and that she cannot really use the hook to her own advantage. We would like to reduce the time needed for her to recover after using her ability. Breaching barricades upon direct contact should also provide some audio and visual cover. She will now be less exposed and could surprise opponents a bit more.

We don't expect Amaru's performance to improve too drastically, our goal is to improve her overall presence.

Try out the latest Rainbow Six updates on the Test Server and earn an exclusive charm through the BugHunter program.

Two groups come to a head in a familiar place. The gunshots ring through the hallways of the Headquarters as they clash. There’s valuable loot on the line, and these Operators will stop at nothing to claim them. Will you make it out alive with a fortune, or will you fall in the crossfire?

For two weeks starting May 5th, take what’s yours in The Grand Larceny!


PLAYABLE OPERATORS
Most Operators will be unlocked to play in this event, with a few exceptions for gameplay reasons. Each of them will only have a main shotgun equipped, customization with the event’s weapon skins as found in The Grand Larceny Collection and the Roaring Riches Bundle.


RULES OF THE EVENT
The Stolen Goods game mode is different from our standard ones. There is no Hostage, no Area to Secure, and no Bombs to Defuse. There’s also no Preparation Phase, and Attackers’ drones have been removed entirely. However, there are Safeboxes spread out throughout a special version of the old Hereford map.

Defenders must protect these at all costs, but they can also win rounds by eliminating all their opponents.

Attackers, on the other hand, have to open a certain amount of Safeboxes, or eliminate all the Defenders.

Mind you, all players always know where the Safeboxes are, and you’ll find that a lot of flooring no longer leaves metal beams after being destroyed. So, get creative with those shotguns and go all out!


THE COLLECTION
The Grand Larceny event comes with its own Collection of 31 items, featuring exclusive customization for Amaru, Fuze, Gridlock, Hibana, Maverick, Echo, Maestro, Kaid, Wamai and Warden. These century-old stylings are the same you’ll find in-game by picking these Operators to play the Event.

The Grand Larceny pack can be obtained by completing special Event Challenges, or by purchasing them for 300 R6 Credits or 12500 Renown each in the Packs section of the Home screen.

The Roaring Riches Bundle, which contains the Deco Artistry signature weapon skin and the Crafted Six charm, will also be available to acquire with your preferred currency during this time.

FIND OUT MORE!

Updated: 23 April 2020

We will be updating the following list regularly to outline the status of certain issues that are currently pressing for our community. Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and should only be used as a reference to give a general idea of where our focus currently is.



We have recently observed an increase in cheating mentions and reports from players. We want to emphasize that we do not tolerate cheating in game and are working on multiple strategies to address the cheating frustrations and uphold the competitive integrity of Rainbow Six Siege. Below are some of the strategies that we can share that are being worked on for the short-term.

Description: We've seen an increase in incidences of lobby freezers seeking to disrupt games to their advantage. We will be releasing update(s) that will allow us to better monitor and more accurately track lobby-freezers.

Objective: The updates will allow us to gather necessary data points that we will use to accurately track and identify lobby-freezing. In future updates we will use this data to automatically detect and kick lobby-freezers.

Status: This is currently an ongoing process.

Description: Due to the increased mentions and player reports of cheating, we are reinforcing the bridge between R6 and BattlEye.

Objective: Strengthen our collaboration with BattlEye by implementing automated processes and reinforcing data sharing to shorten the feedback loop on banned players.

Status: Ongoing.

Description: Increase Ranked and Champion Rank requirements.

Objective: Increase the barrier to access for illegitimate accounts to both Ranked and Champion rank to promote a better Ranked environment and a clean Champion leaderboard.

Status: (Target: Y5S2) We will have more specifics on the new requirements closer to S2.

Description: Daily level grind cap from PvE as a prevention tactic to make Ranked requirements less accessible to illegitimate accounts.

Objective: Our goal is to make Ranked less easily accessible to bots and smurfs by limiting the daily XP that can be earned in PvE. This will make it easier for us to spot and catch bots and smurfs before they are able to make their way into Ranked.

Status: We are aiming to have this completed as soon as possible.

Description: An error was found in the matchmaking flow that was causing players to receive abandon sanctions if they left the Ranked queue right as a match was found. Players were already processed as being in the match when they had already backed out.

Objective: The game flow will be modified so that the penalty warning message for abandon can be displayed earlier, and coincide with the time when the penalty system will effectively apply.

Status: (Target Y5S2) A fix is scheduled for Y5S2.

Description: An error was found in the matchmaking flow that was causing matches to start with incomplete teams if a player exited the Ranked queue right as a match was found. These players were already processed as being in the match when they had already backed out, resulting in games starting with incomplete teams.

Objective: Part of the solution is to correct when the abandon sanction warning message popup is displayed to alert players that they have already entered a match and deter them from leaving. We are also working on a Match Cancellation feature which will allow players to cancel matches in the early stages of a game under the condition that their team is incomplete (this will come later to the PC TS in Y5S2).

Status: (Target Y5S2) A fix is scheduled for Y5S2.

Description: Past completed Community Challenges show up as "Coming Soon" in the Battle Pass menu after the challenge is over. This is purely a visual bug.

Status: (Target Y5S2) A fix is scheduled for this bug with the Y5S2 BP update.

Description: The popups notifying players of an MMR rollback after a cheater has been banned is displaying the incorrect values. This is a purely a visual bug.

Status: (Target Y5S3) This is currently under investigation.



Description: This feature improves the current PC Hardware Benchmark tool in Siege, giving detailed information and performance reports about their hardware specifications and resource usages.

Objective: We are working toward a new benchmark test that better conveys how Siege performs on different setups.

Status: (Target Y5S2).

Description: There are inconsistencies in how gadgets interact/destroy props on maps.

Status: (Target: Y5S3) Similar to how we implemented consistency on how props break on projectile trajectory in Y4S4, we are working on a system for deployable gadgets’ interaction with these props.

Description: Ranked games will sometimes begin with incomplete teams due to players leaving at the very start of the match.

Objective: To address frustrations where players are placed into a game with incomplete teams on either side, we are working on a Match Cancellation feature. The goal will be to allow players to cancel matches in the early stages of a game under the condition that their team is incomplete.

Status: (Target Y5S2 on the PC TS) Match Cancellation is scheduled to be released on the PC Test Server in Y5S2.

Description: Improved in-game notifications and feedback for when an Operator has been deactivated.

Status: (Target: Y5S3) There have been times when we have had to deactivate an Operator in-game to better the play experience when exploits arise. We are working on better feedback to our players when such an occasion arises.

Please see our Designer's Notes for more insight on the balancing changes coming with the update.

Update - the quick match map pool will remain the same throughout Y5S1 and will rotate again in Y5S2.

With you til the end of the line.

• Frag Grenades replaced with Claymores.
  
• Increased Skeleton Key Magazine Capacity:

1. Skeleton Key magazine capacity increased to 5 + 1
   
2. Skeleton Key max ammo count is now 25+1

Less is more.

• Reduced number of Volcán shields to 2 (down from 3).

Less of a pain-in-the-schnitzel.

• Now a 2-speed/2-armor operator.

Still a shortie.

• Removed Super Shorty secondary.

Lights, Camera, Action!

• Increased number of Candelas to 4 (up from 3).
  
• Replaced Claymores with Smoke Grenades.
  
• Increased T-95 LSW damage to 46 (up from 43).

• Added a Razor Holographic Sight option to her M12.

• Added an additional magazine to the TCSG12.
  
• Reduced TCSG12 damage to 57 (down from 84).

FIXED – Barricade replication issues where the barricade is not destroyed for all players in game except the shooter.
FIXED – The Dynamic Play button does not update properly when last match was on an Event/Discovery playlist.
FIXED – Players can clip inside the excavator in EXT Construction Site of Oregon.
FIXED – Game boots with DX11 when players manually select the Vulkan executable in the steam installation folder.
FIXED – Minor menu/shop visual and cosmetic fixes.
FIXED – Lighting issue on Consulate map.

Recently, an interview took place where we made the following statement:

“So, if professional players are not happy with our proposed features, then that means we are going in the right direction.”

We wanted to take a moment to clarify the intention behind this. It is true that part of our balancing efforts is to push every player, professionals included, out of their comfort zone. This does not mean we are going about things to be intentionally frustrating for these players, but instead make adjustments to ensure our professional players are the best at the game as a whole, and not a specific update or meta. We also have to consider the entire player-base, and while some aspects of professional play will trickle down to general matchmaking, not all do (Goyo for example).

When it comes to the highest level of play, we find a few things to be true that we would like to share.

• Professional players are masters of the game, and place significant value on mastery of the game as it stands today. Naturally, this can lead to resistance when we make changes, as it can be disruptive to a teams composition, strategy, and performance, while beneficial for others.
  
• Professional players have an incredible understanding of the intricacies of Siege and are able to see many things from that perspective that we may miss. That said, we have to balance their understanding of the game with the data we have that is more representative of the game as a whole before we reach decisions.
  
• We recognize the importance of providing these high-level players with input into our balancing process. We have plans to adjust how we respond to the feedback they provide and explain situations where we make decisions that is contrary to their input, detailed below.
  
• We listen to pro feedback, but also monitor and gather data on every aspect of the game, their matches included. We make decisions on the best course of action with their feedback, player feedback, and data in mind.

We would also like to outline how we plan to address the concerns raised over the recent changes, and our previous communication.

• We will improve our communication around balancing changes to include additional context and explanations for instances where we make a decision on an important topic and are in disagreement with our professional players. This will provide everyone with a common starting point for discussion. Please note that this is not feasible for every topic, but we will do it for the more critical topics (For example, Jäger becoming 2/2).
  
• We will provide context for which section(s) of our player base changes are targeting.
  
• We will provide Designer’s Notes updates in advance of changes being deployed on the test server so our players can have more context and insight into the thought process behind the proposed changes, as opposed to when those changes go live with the next update.

Please note that we are using presence to gauge the popularity of an operator. This notion had to be introduced to reflect the implementation of the pick & ban. Presence definition: pick rate of an Operator when not banned. Win Delta: The Win Delta is aggregated from Operator’s Win Deltas per map. We usually compute it per map and per bomb site for more precision.

• Added smoke grenade
  
• Removed Claymore
  
• Increased T-95 LSW damage to 46 (up from 43).
  
• Added one Candela (4 Candelas in total)
  Ying is not yet where we would like her to be in terms of presence and her Win Delta has decreased since the update Y4S4.3. Adding an extra Candela should strengthen her performance and give her more option when pushing towards the objective.
  
  Replacing her Claymore with smoke grenades aims at improving what she brings to the team. Playing Ying does not require a lot of interaction with your teammates. We want to increase the level of synergy she deploys when spearheading. At the same time, smoke grenades are useful to circumvent utility such as Black Mirrors and deployable and Goyo shields. We expect her to be more at ease and faster when rushing, as she won’t rely as much on droning thanks to her improved primary and secondary gadgets.
  
  Her LMG has also received a damage boost, to reinforce her ability to win duels. Despite decent stats, her gun does not quite perform as we would like. We are monitoring its performance and will adjust accordingly if needed.
  
  
  GUNS
  M-12
  • Added Razor Holographic sights to Caveira’s M-12.
  
  Just like Frost (#C9Holo) and Vigil (#BOSGACOG) previously, we have decided to offer the option to equip Caveira’s SMG with the Razor Holographic. This should not drastically impact the gun or the Operator performance and is just a pure quality of life change.
  
  
  TCSG12
  • Reduced weapon damage from 84 to 57.
    
  • Increased total ammunition (from 51 to 61)
  The TCSG12 proved to be an extremely powerful weapon, able to kill any Operator with two body shots. We have monitored the performance of the gun since its addition in Operation Wind Bastion and he have decided to reduce its damage in order to even the odds during duels. To compensate this radical change, we have added 10 extra slugs to Kaid and Goyo’s pouches. After this change, two shots will put any 1 and 2 armor Operators in a DBNO state and 3 armor Operators will require 3 shots to get in the same status.
  
  
  JÄGER
  • Changed Operator from 3 speed/1 armor to 2 speed/2 armor.
  Jäger has been incomparable in terms of presence and win delta for an incredibly long-time. We have recently fine-tuned his 416-C which led to a reduction of his K/D ratio.
  
  We started to explore how much we could tweak the German gunner to try and get him a bit closer to other Operators. Jäger was amongst the most mobile defenders and could rely one of the most praised weapons in the game on top of an incredibly useful utility. Our drive is to develop and improve core mechanics of our Operators. We are creating new synergies and interactions and making ample room for every one of them to have a distinct role to play. More options are still on the table for him and we are still considering other areas to affect his current impact in the game.
  
  
  MOZZIE
  • Removed Super Shorty.
  
  Mozzie is currently one of the most versatile Operator on defence. He boasts an increased presence which can be justified by several factors. Due to his speed and very decent primary weapons, he is a great roamer who brings a lot of utility to the team. When paired with Mute, droning against Mozzie becomes extremely treacherous. On top of it all, this duo brings two prized Nitro Cells which makes them extremely dangerous.
  
  By removing the Super Shorty from his loadout, we aim at not only removing Mozzie’s ability to remodel bombsites, but also to address his capacity to create escape routes on the fly while roaming.
  
  
  BUCK
  • Removed frag grenades
    
  • Added Claymore
  
  
  Skeleton Key
  
  
  • Increased magazine capacity from 5 to 6.
    
  • Increased total amount of rounds from 21 to 26.
  Buck was viewed by many as a very balanced Operator, but we noticed that he brought unique opportunities to the attacking team and was incredibly potent on many bombsites. He could rely as well on frag grenades that are extremely strong in the current meta. Sledge, who can be used in similar situations, cannot breach ceilings or upper walls, however.
  
  By removing his frags and giving more gadget ammunition, we expect players to have to operate a choice between an excellent downward attacker and a versatile soft breacher.
  
  
  GOYO
  • Removed one Volcàn Shield (from 3 to 2)
  Goyo performs very differently depending on the level of play. As you can see in the balancing matrix above, he is not performing greatly as he suffers from a low presence and a low win delta. This change is directed towards the current Pro League META, which is currently utility heavy. We hope that it will alleviate some of the frustration stemming from his increased influence at a professional level.
  
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