To follow up on our last Top Issues update below in April, we would like to give you all a status update on the hacking, cheating, and lobby-freezing issues. We'll go over some of the steps we have taken where we have found success, where we are still working to make improvements, as well as emphasize our continued focus on cheating and hacking as priority issues.

Lobby-Freezing: Lobby-freezing occurs while in menu or while loading into a round, and no connectivity icons will appear.

Update: After our April Top Issues blog, we made an update to the game that would allow us to gather more data to accurately track and identify lobby-freezers. We were able to successfully use that data to implement an auto-kick feature for individuals identified as holding up games through extreme loading times. Kicked players will receive an abandon sanction and be locked out of ranked/unranked until the match is over. We have been monitoring the automatic kicks for some time now on the live servers and have observed high success rates of detecting and only kicking players who are holding up lobbies to the detriment of the other players in the game. We are continuing to gather data on console lobby-freezing before we finalize plans to activate the lobby-freeze autokick detection on console as well.

DOS: DOS attacks can be distinguished from lobby-freezing as they typically occur during gameplay and the connectivity icons will appear.

Update: We have also observed some unusual network traffic and activity for Console players and suspect that some cases of lobby-freezing on Console may be tied to DOS attacks. We are currently pursuing this and investigating the issue and will update when we learn more.

Update: In our last update, we re-emphasized that we do not tolerate cheating in-game and were preparing a number of short and long term strategies to address the cheating frustrations. While we are aware this is still an ongoing issue, we believe these upcoming changes will help to mitigate some of the frustrations as we work internally on more robust long-term solutions.

• Offline Bans (Target date: End of May): We will begin banning players offline. Previously sanctioned accounts were banned after logging back into Siege. Accounts will now be banned even if they remain offline. This will provide more clarity on the ban feedback loop and improve visibility on banned accounts.
  
• Increased Clearance Level Requirements for Ranked (Target date: Y5S2): In Y5S2 we will be increasing the required clearance level for players to play Ranked. This is aimed at increasing the barrier to access for illegitimate accounts for Ranked to promote a better Ranked environment.
  
• Increased Champion Rank Requirements (Target date: Y5S2): In Y5S2 we will be increasing the requirements for players to be eligible for Champion Rank. In addition to meeting the minimum 5000 MMR, eligible layers will be required to have played at least 100 ranked matches to qualify. This is also aimed at increasing the barrier to access for illegitimate accounts and maintaining a clean Champion leaderboard
  
• XP level cap in PvE: (Status: Active) We have already put an XP cap in PvE in place in order to increase barriers to entry for Ranked for smurfs.

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.

At the beginning of Y5 we announced an upcoming new Match Replay feature for Rainbow Six Siege.

While originally scheduled to go live in the first half of the year, circumstances have forced us to push back the schedule on Match Replay. Match replay is a feature that requires a great deal of technical development, but we hope to deliver the best experience to our players when it is ready to go live. Despite the delay, we’d like to share an early look at Match Replay with you all.



Match Replay is a system that automatically records your last 10 played games. With it, you’ll be able to re-watch and fully spectate your recorded games from both first-person and top-down points of view, from any player, and any angle.

Our goal with Match Replay is to provide players with an interactive tool that will provide full coverage and perspective on their last 10 games. Through the Watch tab in the main menu, you will be able to access your replays where your last 10 games are saved. Once you’re in the replay, you can use the Spectator mode tools to relive your clutch plays, scrutinize missteps, and analyze your strategy to level up your game.

Further down the road, we would like to give Match Replay even more functions such as storing them on the game server instead of locally, a share feature so you can share your replays with your friends, and even the possibility of downloading and watching replays from official esports matches.

We plan to first push an early version of Match Replay out onto the PC Test Servers for testing before sending it to live, so keep an eye out on the TS Patch Notes for updates on when it will be available!

Prepare for the unexpected, because Operation Steel Wave is full of novelties! New Operators arrive, with gadgets that are sure to change the flow of every match they participate in. A new NIGHTHAVEN recruit, Ace, swoops in to join the Attackers, while the Defenders gain a new teammate in Melusi, an Inkaba Task Force ranger.

As you’ll find in the Patch Notes below, with this season you can also expect our House rework as well as the new secondary gadget, the Proximity Alarm. Keep an eye out for changes to our Matchmaking Rating system and Amaru’s gadget function, plus brand new seasonal weapon skins and Echo’s Elite skin!

View Patch Notes

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.
  
  Try out the latest Rainbow Six updates on the Test Server and earn and exclusive charm through the BugHunterProgram.
  
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The Y5S1.1 Patch will deploy to both PC and Console on the week of March 23rd.

OBS compatibility with Vulkan (such as capture-mode) will work with the latest version of OBS Studio (v25.0).

FIXED – Inconsistent debris when barricades/hatches are destroyed by multiple different weapons.
FIXED – Sound propagation issues when the spikes on a reinforcement are destroyed.
FIXED – Explosion SFX of some gadgets can be muffled if detonated on the back/spiked sections of reinforced walls.
FIXED – Spamming gadget equip/unequip can cause shield operators to take longer to equip their shield.
FIXED – Incorrect animations when performing certain actions.
FIXED – When ADS some parts of the scope will go in and out of focus.

FIXED – Various operator visual animation issues.
FIXED – Operator’s shields will flip if going prone right after a melee.

FIXED – Using ADS while Blackbeard's shield is equipped causes SFX issues.

FIXED – Castle’s armored panels are destroyed by any explosive if an operator is standing too close to the panel.

FIXED – Clash CCE shield has a slightly overextended hitbox.

FIXED – If Echo gets DBNOed while deploying his Yokai he is unable to deploy his 2nd Yokai later.

FIXED – Missing overheat SFX when firing his Evil Eye.

FIXED – Maverick can instantly destroy hatches with his suri-torch under certain circumstances.

FIXED – Monty’s shield hitbox is larger than the shield and can prevent players from hitting enemies when they hide behind Monty.

FIXED - Sight alignment offset when Nokk goes from prone to standing if Hel is activated.
FIXED – Weapon stays on screen after ADSing with Hel activated.

FIXED – EOR replay camera doesn’t move if Iana activates her gadget at the last moment.
FIXED – After hologram is destroyed or recalled, Iana can sometimes see OOW very briefly.
FIXED – Hologram VFX remains even if her hologram is destroyed right upon deployment.
FIXED – Iana’s operator model remains in the map even if the player leaves the game while controlling the hologram.
FIXED – From 3rd person POV, Iana’s hologram deploys facing the wrong direction.
FIXED – Iana’s hologram doesn’t take the same weapon that Iana is equipped with (Her hologram has a mind of its own).
FIXED – Iana’s hologram can trigger shrapnel holes.
FIXED – Iana can still control her hologram even after Mute places a jammer close by if she is already in the Hologram beforehand.
FIXED – Iana can’t deploy her hologram when there are Lesion Gu Mines in front of her.

FIXED – Scanned Jackal footprints disappear during killcam when Jackal scans them.
FIXED – Scanned footprints disappear during a killcam when the owner of the footprints is killed.
FIXED – Jackal can swap scans between 2 sets of footprints of the same operator without getting his gadget reset.

FIXED – Kali’s CSRX 300 won’t destroy a hatch if it only hits one panel of the hatch.

FIXED – Operators with ballistic shields are stuck in an un-equipped shield state while trying to remove Lesion’s Gu needles.

FIXED – Inconsistent damage and concussion FX when using Oryx’s Remah dash in certain spots or in abnormal ways.
FIXED – If Oryx dashes into a reinforced wall next to a destructible, he will take damage without destroying the destructible wall. (Poor guy doesn’t need any higher insurance premiums).
FIXED – Oryx can sometimes lose control if he is pushed back by a Nomad Airjab at the same time that he attempts to climb a hatch.
FIXED – Players can melee after being knocked down by Oryx or Nomad’s Airjabs.

FIXED – Using Sledge’s breaching hammer on the sides of the hatches does not break them.
FIXED – Sledge continues to reload his weapon even if he cancels it to take out his hammer.

FIXED – Gadget deployment inconsistencies with various map assets.
FIXED – Inconsistencies/issues with the destruction of some map props.
FIXED – Various LOD issues on maps.
FIXED – Various problematic LoS issues on maps.
FIXED – Some pixel peeks and spawn peek spots on maps.
FIXED – Various visual/cosmetic fixes on maps and map assets.
FIXED – Various clipping/dynamic clipping issues with map assets.
FIXED – Various clipping and dynamic clipping issues
FIXED – Various lighting issues for dark spots on maps.
FIXED – Some collision issues with map assets + drones/Operators.
FIXED – When using a breaching charge on the lower section of a barricaded window, it destroys only the top layer of the adjacent floor.
FIXED – Some walls types do not take bullet damage when shot from a certain side.

FIXED – Players can go OOB from the police barricade.

FIXED – Oryx can go through a wall using his Remah dash in 2F Armory Desk of Border.

FIXED – Hibana’s X-Kairos has no collision with the desk at 1F Lobby of Consulate.

FIXED – Inconsistent vaulting and vault issues for some areas of Oregon.
FIXED – Some collision/navigation issues with some map assets on Oregon.
FIXED – Various areas where players can still receive damage from outside indestructible walls on Oregon.
FIXED – Valkyrie Black Eye can be hidden inside a flower pot in 1F Lobby of Oregon.
FIXED – Indestructible wooden shelf in 1F Meeting Hall in Oregon
FIXED – Players can get stuck after vaulting the metal fence at EXT Construction Site on Oregon.
FIXED – Ceiling fans on Oregon have inconsistent SFX.

FIXED – Wall splinters remain when destroying some of the walls on Yacht.

FIXED – Duplicate running SFX when sprinting close to a wall.
FIXED – Overlapping running SFX when shield is on a shield operator’s back.
FIXED – Players receive a matchmaking error when making a full squad and trying to join an Unranked match.
FIXED – Various minor menu and HUD visual fixes and updates
FIXED – Toggling gadgets too quickly can cause Operators to look strange from 3rd person POV.
FIXED – Various shop and cosmetic visual issues.
FIXED – Various spectator mode visual issues on maps.
FIXED – Various minor menu and HUD fixes and updates.
FIXED – For bright light sources and bright cosmetics, the lens effect with Bloom/Lens flare is too bright.
FIXED – Infinite loading in menu for some Operator/weapon previews
FIXED – Situations: Operators can get stuck and lose functionality during Prep phase after skipping the cinematic.
FIXED – JIP/Reconnecting players sometimes see incorrect information displayed when spectating.
FIXED – Grainy thumbnail texture for maps in the Maps tab of the playlist guides.

Over the course of the Void Edge Test Server we've made numerous updates and bug fixes.

APPROXIMATE Y5S1 PATCH SIZES
PC - Steam: 66 GB, Uplay: 69 GB
PS4 - SIEA: 41 GB, SIEE: 42 GB, RUS-UK: 38 GB, SIEJ: 38 GB
XB1 - WW: 43 GB, UK-RUS: 39 GB


Click the image above for the rest of the Y5S1 Operation Void Edge Season Patch Notes.

With the release of Y5S1, OBS is now compatible with Vulkan. This includes capture-mode.
Situations and Tutorials can now be found in the new Learning Area section.
The Learning Area is a new section that groups all learning-focused content in one place for easier navigation and better accessibility. We’ve also added new Learning Tips for beginners in the Learning Area to help new players ease more quickly into the Rainbow Six Siege experience. These tips will rotate automatically but players can scroll through the tips themselves as well.

• Removed Frag Grenades, replaced with Claymore.

After the last buff to her Scorpion EVo3, we saw players primarily picking only the Scorpion and an overly large increase in her win-delta and pick-rate. We also observed Ela’s K/D and K/R ratios jump much higher than what we would like to see from a healthy balance change. While we still want to keep her Scorpion fun to play, our primary focus is to keep her balanced.
These changes are aimed at scaling back some of the changes made in Y4S4.3 and tweaking her EVo3 to be at a more appropriate power level closer to what we had in mind.

• Reduced recoil now only applies to the first 11 bullets
  
• Increased resettle time after burst firing
  
• Faster uptime to increase vertical recoil
  
• Slightly increased recoil + spread

• FIXED – Clash Exploit.
  
• FIXED – Various Iana/Oryx/Oregon Rework fixes to prepare for their release (see Test Server Patch Notes for details).

• FIXED – Melee SFX muffled while prone.
  
• FIXED – Missing SFX when picking up a claymore while crouched.
  
• FIXED – Some missing SFX when in observation mode.
  
• FIXED – SFX of throwable gadgets can be muffled or missing if another SFX is played before.
  
• FIXED – Various minor SFX issues when deploying gadgets.
  
• FIXED – Missing drone sounds for other players in the match.
  
• FIXED – Slug shotguns will destroy only the first layer of a destructible wooden wall.
  
• FIXED – Missing debris on the floor when the player damages a barricade with a shotgun.
  
• FIXED – Some weapons have inconsistent damage values between PvE and PvP.
  
• FIXED – Rappel prompt is sometimes available from a long distance from the ledge.
  
• FIXED – Gadgets sometimes not sticking when deployed on roof hatches during the prep phase.
  
• FIXED – Operators unable to climb ladders when a deployable shield is placed at the top of the ladder.
  
• FIXED – Planting the defuser on a breached wall can end the match and incur a loss.
  
• FIXED – Inconsistencies with shrapnel from Operator gadget explosions.
  
• FIXED - Barricades disappear when vaulting through them after they are only partially destroyed.
  
• FIXED – Operator collision issues with indestructible walls.

• FIXED – Various Iana bug fixes.
  
• FIXED – Various Oryx bug fixes.
  
• FIXED – Various gun, Operator model clipping issues while performing various actions.
  
• FIXED – Various issues with sight alignment and obstruction while/during ADS for some operators/guns.
  
• FIXED – Various Operator model minor VFX issues when performing some actions or sequences of actions.
  
• FIXED – Amaru can sometimes kill a defender after reeling in under certain circumstances.
  
• FIXED – Ash's and Zofia's projectiles can damage operators without destroying the barricade if they are shot at the window's frame.
  
• FIXED – Ash’s breaching round sometimes will not breach destructible walls if fired from an angle and close to a metal border.
  
• FIXED – Blitz exposes himself (from the safety of his shield people) from 3rd person POV when using his shield.
  
• FIXED – Caveira’s Luison damage text is incorrectly stated as 55 in the loadout menu (65 is the correct damage value).
  
• FIXED – Dokkaebi’s Logic Bomb VFX not appearing for a Defender kicked from cams.
  
• FIXED – Echo’s Yokai appears OOB while in support mode if thrown and the spectating player joins back into the game.
  
• FIXED – Echo’s Yokai can do a full rotation when spectating after being attached to a surface.
  
• FIXED – Echo's Yokai not visible and showing incorrect lights during replays.
  
• FIXED - Fuze and Monty deploying their drones in advanced mode even if the option is set to standard.
  
• FIXED – Glaz’s flip-sight has different FOV levels when standing vs proning and using the same sight.
  
• FIXED – Glaz's fire rate is lower on PvE compared to PvP.
  
• FIXED – AOE of Goyo Volcan flames is not propagating through a pre-barricaded door or large holes in walls.
  
• FIXED – Goyo is not receiving any points for Volan detonating after he is dead.
  
• FIXED – Goyo’s Volcan fire AOE sometimes displaced when his Volcan is destroyed by an explosive.
  
• FIXED – Goyo’s Volcan shield can trigger and detonate if a Mira Black Mirror is deployed next to it.
  
• FIXED – Using Jackal's Eyenox, older footprints are not visible for some players who reconnected.
  
• FIXED – Jackal can sometimes still scan if he is at the edge of Mute’s Jammer AOE.
  
• FIXED – Kali’s Lv-El can remain in the air after the barricade/wall is destroyed.
  
• FIXED – Lesion's Gu Mines not deploying properly when thrown directly on holes in grating in Club House garage.
  
• FIXED – Gu Mine HUD FX can get desynced with actual damage after canceling the removal of a Gu mine.
  
• FIXED – Maverick can destroy hatches instantly using a specific set of actions.
  
• FIXED – Nomad’s Airjab doesn’t detonate if placed at a 90-degree angle at the EXT Vehicle Customs window on Border.
  
• FIXED – Nomad’s Airjab ejects 2 shells after use.
  
• FIXED – The magazines of the ARX200 clips through the weapon's mag-well when reloading in first person POV.
  
• FIXED – Valkyrie can deploy her gadget inside knife block map assets.
  
• FIXED – Vigil receives a “Drone Deceived” bonus when forced out of his gadget by a Nomad Airjab.
  
• FIXED – Wamai can’t pick up his Mag-Net if thrown between some map assets.
  
• FIXED – Ying’s Candelas missing collision effect with other player models.
  
• FIXED – Ying’s Candela can’t be destroyed when captured by Wamai’s Mag-Net.
  
• FIXED – Studs on reinforced walls are not visibly destroyed after being broken by Zofia's or Maverick’s gadgets.

• FIXED – Various Oregon rework map tweaks and fixes.
  
• FIXED – Various dynamic clipping/clipping issues on maps.
  
• FIXED – Various LOS/pixel peek issues on maps.
  
• FIXED – Various spawnkill exploits.
  
• FIXED – Various LOD issues on maps.
  
• FIXED – Some lighting issues on maps.
  
• FIXED – Drones getting into places they should not be on various maps.
  
• FIXED – Gadget deployment inconsistencies on various map objects.
  
• FIXED – Floating gadgets after deployment on some map objects.
  
• FIXED – Various map assets have floating issues after the surface that they are on is destroyed.
  
• FIXED – Some map assets made of multiple parts that do not break all at once, the SFX is out of sync.
  
• FIXED – Various minor issues and inconsistencies with map assets.
  
• FIXED – Various collision issues with drones/Operators/gadgets across maps.
  
• FIXED – Various prop projectile destruction fixes on maps.
  
• FIXED – Some projectile gadgets will warp through specific props.
  
• FIXED – Players can vault on top of a shelf in 1F workshop of Border.
  
• FIXED - Players can reach the top of big rocks at EXT Cliffside woods of Chalet.
  
• FIXED – Attackers can plant the defuser inside the hand truck at B Arsenal Room of Clubhouse.
  
• FIXED – Bullets can penetrate the Pool table on Coastline.
  
• FIXED – 1F Toilet wall can be reinforced from a safe position in the bathroom on Consulate.
  
• FIXED – Metal skylight on Consulate rooftop is not blocking bullet penetration.
  
• FIXED – Missing collision for gadgets with the desk bars at 2F Hallway of Consulate.
  
• FIXED – Operators can throw gadgets outside during prep phase by destroying a hatch on Fortress.
  
• FIXED – Defuser can fall through the metal container in B1 Kayak when planted on top of the ammo box in Kanal.
  
• FIXED – Breaching charges placed on the floor of 2F Café of Theme Park destroy only one layer.
  
• FIXED – Defuser can be dropped OOB behind the truck on EXT Fuel Pumps of Outback.
  
• FIXED – Drones can scan enemy players without being seen through in 1F Nature Room in Outback.
  
• FIXED – Players can rappel through iron railings on EXT Roof of Yacht.
  
• FIXED – Operators receive damage through the foosball table if a nitro cell is placed on the other side of it.
  
• FIXED – TV screens white noise effect still present even when damaged.

• FIXED – Various spectator mode + caster HUD updates and improvements with the update.
  
• FIXED – Various Menu and HUB fixes.
  
• FIXED – Various cosmetic updates and fixes.
  
• FIXED – Purchasing items separately from a bundle does not mark the bundle as ‘Owned’ in the shop menu.
  
• FIXED - Some character's models appear distorted/missing on the Player HUB while reconnecting to the internet.
  
• FIXED – Guns sometimes appear on-screen when picking up gadgets.
  
• FIXED - Several Ubisoft Club Rewards do not display notification after they are redeemed.
  
• FIXED – Booster timer not updating properly in the Player Hub.
  
• FIXED – Casters can see OOB on some areas of maps.
  
• FIXED - Terrorist Hunt map preferences are not applied on Online matches.
  
• FIXED – Players can get stuck in an infinite loading screen if a player stays in the skip cinematic screen.
  
• FIXED – Switching weapons while flashed can sometimes cause visual distortions.
  
• FIXED – Random + Recruit selection options are sometimes missing from the selection menu.
  
• FIXED – Chat messages typed in too quick succession will not always send.

With the start of Y5S1, we're reworking how custom load-outs are saved in your player profile. If you log in at least once during Y5S1, we will be able to save and convert your custom loadout to the new load-out format. Players who don't log in at least once during Season 1 will find a default loadout upon logging in come Y5S2.