In August 2021, we released an article outlining the top issues and community concerns among the Rainbow Six Siege community in which we informed our intention to provide a complete solution to protect our content creators. In this update, we will provide insight on what we will soon be doing for the protection and privacy of _all_ our players, including our streamers.

The protection of our entire player community is important and key for our game. In addition to the importance of this subject for our content creators, we believe that it is also everyone's right to be protected while playing.
Therefore, we are working on establishing sustainable solutions to protect all of our users, not only at the game level, but also at the account level with several Ubisoft partners and teams.
We are motivated by the same goal: improving our users' protection. Whether it's by giving more control over their personal data or public identity, we believe that our users require and deserve an improvement on this matter. We are aware that changes must be done within the Ubisoft environment and externally (external third-parties).
For this reason, we are working on three fronts:

• Preventing stream sniping with options that are on the Rainbow Six Siege dev team’s side. The options will prevent malicious players from using another player’s live stream to gather information and get an unfair edge, or to act in a disruptive manner to sabotage and harass the streamer.
  
• Controlling and limiting the data shared from your account to third-party sites/apps/overlays.
  
• Ensuring the protections for account data and game telemetry are respected by those third parties.

Consequently, it is no longer only about protecting our streamers, but all of our player base and, even more globally, all users of Ubisoft services.

Players will see a new section in the Options menu called "Privacy" which will contain all the current options related to queue sniping that were deployed with Y6S1.1.



Status: Available at Y6S4 launch.
To discourage and prevent disruptive players from using streamers' public information in a toxic way, we improved and created a new set of options that will allow players to increase their gameplay privacy while being able to keep their legacy name without the need to create multiple accounts or change their account name to avoid stream snipers.





Hence, here is the set of options that will compose this new protection:

• Appear as Nickname: This will allow our players to create and use a custom temporary display name to be used directly in-game without losing their legacy name. These will not be cross-linked and can be changed at any time, which will add more friction to malicious players’ process of grieving.
  
• Appear as “You”: Both your legacy and alternative generated names can be a primary indicator used by malicious players to follow you from match to match. To reduce any collateral effects, this option will replace the player's name on their screen with "You" so that somebody viewing their live stream, for example, cannot determine their displayed username.
  
• Hide Other Players: The use of surrounding information is also part of the problem and can contribute to the identification of a specific match. To alleviate this, this option generates pseudonyms for all usernames on the streamer’s screen in a match session except their own. This applies to both teammates and opponents in the match.
  
• Account Identity Privacy: Additionally, we’ll be testing an experimental iteration of account privacy settings to conceal the Ubisoft account name (with a randomly generated username) and profile avatar of users to protect their name on the platform. This will prevent stream snipers from using third-party tools to reveal streamer identities. Note: depending on the success of the test, this may not be available for public release.

Status: Planned to release during Season 4, but not at season launch.

Privacy and Data Sharing at the account level remains a particularly key point.
We are currently working with internal service partners at Ubisoft to establish and provide sustainable solutions from the short to long term. We are aiming to better protect our players and global users by increasing the protection and control over their data at the Ubisoft level.

• Data Shared by Ubisoft: Extend the protections for players’ account data and game telemetry to third-party partners outside of Ubisoft.
  
• Legal Actions: Exploring consequences for entities that undermine our efforts to respect players' personal data and game telemetry. People accessing our data for community use must abide by our rules and guidelines.

Our end goal remains to protect anyone in terms of identity in Rainbow Six Siege, but to ensure a smooth deployment and to gather key players’ feedback, we will first release to a small pool of content creators, who remains one of the user groups most impacted by identity-based harassment in-game. Our plan is to roll out this feature in a gradual way, which will allow us to stress-test the functionality of each setting and allow adjustments to be made before a wider release.
To summarize, these first sets of privacy settings described above (including part of the account privacy settings) will be deployed initially on Rainbow Six Siege on PC via a soft-launch release to a limited audience during Season 4. Following the results of the soft launch, these features will roll out publicly to our entire PC community. As noted above, the “Account Identity Privacy” option is more experimental, and is possible not to ship publicly with the rest of these options. We are also planning to extend these privacy features to console players in the future.

Rest assured that this topic remains a top priority on the Rainbow Six Siege development team and across Ubisoft. The Player Behavior team and the different stakeholders involved are committed to protecting our players' personal identities and providing a safer environment for our players.
We will release a roadmap around the launch period of Season 4, followed by further planned updates to be released iteratively. We will continue to inform you of the long-term plans including console release.

For additional information and further details on the changes listed below, please see our [Y6S3.3 Designer's Notes](https://rainbow6.com/DN_Y6S33).

Below you will find the download sizes for each platform.

• Ubisoft Connect: 2.21 GB
  
• Steam: 1.7 GB
  
• Xbox One: 1.2 GB
  
• Xbox Series X: 3.7 GB
  
• PS4: 1.4 GB
  
• PS5: 1.13 GB

Increased Mx4 Storm vertical recoil.

• Reduced P10 Roni Magazine from 19+1 to 15+1.
  
• Increased vertical recoil and first kick recoil.
  
• Total ammo is now 181 in PVP, 121 in Hardcore and 196 in PVE.

• Increased number of Armor Panels to 4 (was 3).
  
• Reduced number of punches required to destroy an Armor Panel to 9 (was 12).

• Replaced P-10C with Super Shorty.

• Increased number to 2 (was 1).
  
• Affected Operators include: Montagne, Buck, Fuze, Capitão, Amaru, Nøkk, Ying, and Zero.

• No longer limited to placing 1 trap per door/window frame.

• Added Bulletproof Camera (removed Nitro Cell).

• Reduced Dash refresh time to 8 seconds (was 12 seconds).

• Increased number of Mag-NETs to 6 (was 4).
  
• Reduced catching area of effect to 3.5 meters (was 5 meters).

Performance Metrics

• PC users can now display real-time performance metrics in the HUD such as FPS, latency, and NVIDIA-related metrics. This feature can be turned On in the General section of the Options menu.

FIXED – Attacker is removed from the match if they injure a hostage that is later revived and eliminated by a Defender.
FIXED – Ammo counter flashes red after switching weapons.
FIXED – The G36Cs rail reduces visibility when the Red Dot is equipped.
FIXED – If a player is reconnecting, round doesn't end when the last opponent is eliminated.
FIXED – "Join Party" option is not functional in the Ubisoft Connect overlay and client.
FIXED – Rim lighting is applied to Operators on the victory screen.
FIXED – Muffled sound is heard on some weapons.
FIXED – Defenders can vault on top of an unreachable location and secure a win for their team in the Doktor's Curse Event.
FIXED – The attacker's hammer animation freezes and loops without collision when holding down the trigger button in the Doktor's Curse Event.

FIXED – Bar shadow at 1F Bar disappears when viewed from trapdoor in 2F Library Entrance on Chalet map.
FIXED – Asset and collision issues on Bank map and Kafe Dostoyevsky map.
FIXED – The light of the wall cladding located at 3F Lounge disappears when LOD lowers when viewing it from 3F Casino on Yacht map.
FIXED – Player is unable drop the defuser on the roof above 2F Billiards Room on Coastline map.

FIXED – Kapkan is not receiving 20p for each activated trap.

FIXED – Various UI issues.
FIXED – Various localization issues.

In this latest edition of Designer's Notes, we'll go into more detail about the balancing changes that'll come with the Y6S3.3 patch and give you an insight into the reasons behind these changes.

For more information on all the updates, changes, and content that launched as part of Crystal Guard, check out the seasonal patch notes here.







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 Bomb Site.

• Increased Armor Panels to 4 (was 3).
  
• Reduced melee hits required to destroy a Armor Panels to 9 (was 12).

Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.

At their core, Castle's Armor Panels represent one of the most quintessentially "Siege" Operator abilities - reinforcement is in Siege's DNA. While they've served him well over the years, we felt his stock was a little limiting, especially with such a clear counter in Sledge.

Starting each round with one additional Armor Panel, this is expected to change how Castle approaches each map and encourage more creativity in their placement. Now, he'll be able to employ more complex defense setups and stand out as a more effective anchor pick, while feeling less of a sting if there's a Sledge on his case. Of course, this increased utility can't come without a small price - namely that it will take less melee hits to break each panel. Given the amount of time and effort required to destroy one of these with even the reduced value, we feel this is a more than fair tradeoff for the increased defense these barricades bring to the table.

• Added Super Shorty (removed P-10C).

Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.

Clash, say hello to the Super Shorty shotgun! With a pick rate of only 3%, the P-10C hasn't been seeing much use in Clash's loadout. Given that she already has a machine pistol at her disposal, we wanted to introduce a weapon to her kit that offers a different option from what she already has.

The Super Shorty will open up more gameplay options and utility for Clash, lending well to her up-close-and-personal style of play.

• Number of Entry Denial Devices per door/window frame no longer limited to 1.

Population targeted by this change: Casual.

If one Entry Denial Device on a door is a fun surprise, what would you call five EDDs? In an effort to spice up Kapkan's gameplay, he can now place a greater number of traps on doors and window frames, both increasing their active coverage and possible damage output.

It should be noted that while he is no longer limited to one trap per door or window, the deployment space on each will still have a limit depending on their size. This means that while windows are capable of housing fewer EDDs than doors, they can still be stacked on either side of the frame, including on the inside and outside to maximize explosive impact. Triggered traps on a given frame will then explode in unison, dealing 60 damage each. For reference, depending on armor, you can expect three or more traps to be lethal (or just about).

This is expected to open up quite a few more options for creativity when locking down a site as Kapkan. Now, Attackers will have to contend with more unpredictability when facing him, as trapped doors can go from being a mild inconvenience to a full frag real quick. This should also make his ability function more logically, as given its size, it makes sense that attaching multiple traps to a single surface should be possible.


While you'll never come across a round with this many EDDs, this should help illustrate just how stacked windows and doors can get with Kapkan's rework

• Added Bullet Proof Camera (removed Nitro Cell).

Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.

Even after the recent rework to her Banshee, Melusi continues to be a strong Operator. In particular, her win rate continues to trend upward. In order to tone down her fragging potential and focus in on her intel side, we've replaced her Nitro Cell with the Bullet Proof Camera.

This, combined with the set-it-and-forget-it intel-gathering capabilities of her Banshee will help to better define Melusi's role in matches outside of seemingly being able to do it all. She's an intel gatherer at heart and this should help to increase the utility value she brings to matches at the expense of some of her frag power.

• Reduced Remah Dash charge refill time to 8s (was 12s).

Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.

As some of you may remember, we tweaked Oryx's Remah Dash in Y5S2.3, which included an increase to the time it took to refill charges. While the other aspects of the tweak have worked well since then, we've decided to roll back the charge refill time.

Charging around as Oryx is one of the main things that sets him apart, so we want to make sure players are able to make the most of this mobility. After all, waiting around to smash through an unsuspecting wall is no fun, so get ready for less downtime and more wanton wall destruction.

You can expect some more tweaks to Oryx in the future as well. His ability to climb through hatches is key to his gameplay identity, but it's a little slow at the moment. We're working on a solution to speed this up slightly, but it will take more time, so stay tuned.

• Increased max Mag-NET System to 6 (was 4).
  
• Reduced Mag-NET System catching area to 3.5m (was 5m).

Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.

Similar to Oryx, we've decided to roll back a change to Wamai from Y5S4 and tweak him slightly to account for this. We've heard your feedback about wanting a more viable alternative to Jäger and his ADS, and hope that by increasing Wamai's total Mag-NETs, this will increase his map control.

To account for the 50% increase in total Mag-NETs, their catching area has been decreased, which is expected to make their placement more predictable and easier to spot for Attackers. While this will temper their effectiveness slightly in larger environments, when used in the tighter confines of many maps, players are unlikely to notice a huge difference.

• Increased Mx4 vertical recoil.

Population targeted by this change: Casual, Pros, and Top Ranked.



Please note that recoil simulations shown are representative of recoil on PC without attachments.

Approaching Y6S3.3, Alibi has one of the three highest K/D ratios (1.26) of all Operators when equipped with her Mx4. In an effort to give it a little more kick and require a little more finesse to effectively handle and secure frags with, we've increased its vertical recoil. As you can see from the above recoil comparison, the change will require some re-adjustment from players, but should still be manageable to handle.

• Reduced P10 Roni magazine to 15+1 (was 19+1).
  
  • Total ammo:
    
    • PVP - 181
      
    • Hardcore - 121
      
    • PVE - 196
• Increased vertical recoil.
  
• Increases first kick recoil.

Population targeted by this change: Casual, Pros, and Top Ranked.



Please note that recoil simulations shown are representative of recoil on PC without attachments.

Similar to Alibi above with the Mx4, Mozzie also has one of the highest K/D ratios (1.26) with the P10. While Aruni's K/D isn't quite as high, the power and precision of the P10 has helped to make her already-stacked kit - from the strong utility of her Surya Gates to her passive which allows for the creation of infinite rotation holes - a force to be reckoned with. To help bring both Operators back in line with their fellow Defenders and encourage some more experimentation with their loadouts, the P10 is getting a nerf to its recoil and magazine.

In its pre-Y6S3.3 state, the P10 had an extremely tight pattern that made it extremely effective, as proven by Mozzie's impressive K/D. While its vertical recoil has increased, when compared to the updated Mx4 above, the updated P10's recoil should still be slightly easier to manage. It should still represent a strong pick for both Operators, but we also hope that it will open the door to more experimentation with Aruni's MK 14 and Mozzie's Commando. Plus, with the P10's magazine reduction, players will want to make sure they have a solid bead on their opponents before firing, as they'll have less bullets to fall back on.

• Increased gadget amount to 2 (was 1).
  
  • Affected Operators: Montagne, Buck, Fuze, Capitao, Amaru, Nokk, Ying, Zero

Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.

When we introduced the Hard Breach Charge a year ago, the intention was to give Attackers more versatility and approach options - something we're happy to say it achieved, especially in lower ranks. One thing we've noticed, though, is that this flexibility is sometimes hindered by its single use. This can dissuade creative or risky plays in favor of choosing the safe option, so we've added another HBC to the applicable Operators' loadouts.

We expect this to encourage more creative uses of the gadget, whether it's for creating an additional rotation or tying in some more vertical play.

---

Try out the latest Rainbow Six updates on the Test Server and earn an exclusive charm through the Bug Hunter Program.

Follow us and share your feedback on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook and on our forums.

For additional information and further details on the changes listed below, please see our Y6S3.2 Designer's Notes.

Below you will find the download sizes for each platform.

• Ubisoft Connect: 1.40 GB
  
• Steam: 1.2 GB

Scoreboard – Visual Improvements

• Reduced overall size and improved readability.

Performance Metrics

• PC users can now display real-time performance metrics in the HUD such as FPS, latency, and NVIDIA-related metrics.
  
  • This feature can be turned On in the Options menu, and players can choose between Minimal and Advanced Metrics.

FIXED – When one player downs a teammate and another player eliminates the teammate, the player who downed them will be removed from the match.
FIXED – Muffled sound is heard on some automatic weapons.



FIXED – The player can get stuck between the barrels and garbage bags at EXT Teacups on Theme Park map.
FIXED – Multiple issues with planting or picking up the defuser in specific areas on various maps.
FIXED – Rappel exploit allows players to reach location that should be inaccessible on new Coastline map.
FIXED – Various LOD issues on Yacht and Tower maps.



FIXED – Game crashes when Mira's Black Mirror is ejected while an active Cluster Charge is attached to it.
FIXED – Pulse's Cardiac Sensor appears to be stuck on the "Connecting..." screen when a player views Pulse in Support Mode.
FIXED – Animation is missing when player tries to exit rappel with Osa's Talon-8 Shield equipped.
FIXED – Player is able to exit rappel with Osa's Talon-8 Shield equipped.


FIXED – Various UI issues.
FIXED – Shield skins are not previewed in 3D in the Weapon Skins category of the Shop.
FIXED – Thumbnails for shield skins are missing from the Battle Pass purchase side-panel.
FIXED – C4 turns white on the new Nitro Cell model.
FIXED – Various localization issues.
FIXED – Round timer shows incorrect time remaining on Stadia. (Hotfix delivered to PC and Luna last week.)

Below you will find the download sizes for each platform.

• Ubisoft Connect: 1.29 GB
  
• Steam: 847.7 MB
  
• Xbox One: 1.07 GB
  
• Xbox Series X: 1.56 GB
  
• PS4: 1.46 GB
  
• PS5: 1.07 GB

• FIXED – After spawning with Blitz or Montagne and switching PC windows, hip-fire spread is reduced.

• FIXED – The operator can lean and clip inside the electrical box at EXT Garage on Villa map.
  
• FIXED – Various asset issues on Bank map.
  
• FIXED – Various collision issues on Coastline map.
  
• FIXED – Various LOD issues on multiple maps.

• FIXED – The refill SFX for Lesion's GU is not triggered.
  
• FIXED – When shooting Clash's CCE Shield with Kali's CSRX 300, the operator will not receive the Guard Break state nor the animation.
  
• FIXED – Osa's bullet impact decals disappear when deploying her Talon-8 Shield.
  
• FIXED – The first-person camera is offset inside Maestro's Evil Eye when a player spectates through it.

• FIXED – Voice Chat Volume is set to 0 when accepting a party invite on Stadia.
  
• FIXED – Under certain conditions, HUD markers will not be visible to players.
  
• FIXED – ADS Sensitivity slider jumps in increment of 2 when set to Standard.
  
• FIXED – Extra texture is present in first-person view on all of Buck's uniforms.
  
• FIXED – Various localization issues.

After releasing the amazing SAU_SIEGE and Sunstark bundles in Y6S1 and Y6S2, we are delighted to continue our collaboration with Prime Gaming for the Community Artist Bundle Program in Y6S3 Crystal Guard!

With this program, we want to celebrate our amazingly creative and dedicated community artists and give them a chance to be represented in-game. Each chosen artist will have the opportunity to design a full set for an operator of their choice and the resulting bundles will become available during Year 6 and beyond.

Today, we are proud to present our next Community Artist Bundle: A Samurai and Oni – a type of yōkai, Japanese spirit – inspired set for Hibana, designed by FrAgMenT.



This Hibana Operator Bundle includes the FrAgMenT:

• Uniform
  
• Headgear
  
• Weapon skin
  
• Charm

The FrAgMenT Operator Bundle will be available via Prime Gaming for a limited time, starting from Wednesday, September 22nd.

Prime Gaming members will be able to claim this exclusive set for free. If you’re not a Prime member yet, you can sign up for a free trial.

A Renown Booster is currently available from Prime Gaming until September 22nd when the FrAgMenT Operator Bundle will be live, so don’t forget to claim this too!

Here’s how you can get these Prime Gaming offers:

• Link your Ubisoft and Amazon accounts here.
  
• Redeem the respective offer through Prime Gaming here.
  
• Receive the content automatically in-game within 48 hours.

Before joining the Siege community, FrAgMenT was mostly known as a community artist for For Honor, which he continues to love, especially for its setting.
In 2018, when FrAgMenT was a Ubisoft Star Player, he was contacted by Ubisoft Australia to draw Siege artwork. As this was his first time drawing tactical gear and modern elements, this was a new challenge for him. During this process, FrAgMenT gained an appreciation for this style of artwork, and along with the support of the Siege community, it led him to join the Siege Champions Program along with other talented community members!
FrAgMenT’s art is all about challenging perspectives and details while telling stories and bringing emotions into his artwork. But why Hibana? FrAgMenT wanted to introduce his passion for Japanese mythology and folklore in a well-fitting way. On top of being his favorite operator, Hibana felt like the perfect choice for his vision. The design is inspired by characters he’s created with some important elements: horns, a headband, and typical Oni colors.
Don’t forget to follow FrAgMenT on Artstation, Twitter, and Instagram to see more!




What is the Community Artist Bundle Program?
The Community Artist Bundle Program launched in Y6S1 and it brings operator bundles created by some of our most talented and dedicated Siege fan artists into the game.

I’m a Siege fan artist too – what can I do to get selected as well?
Given the length of our production cycle for in-game content, the fan artists for Year 6 have already been determined. However, we are always on the lookout for future participants. If your goal is to see your bundle in-game, continue showing us your passion and strive to be an outstanding member of the Siege community. We have multiple ways for our dedicated community artists to get more involved with the game, such as the Siege Champions Program.

How can I get the Y6S3 FrAgMenT Operator bundle?
Link your Ubisoft account with your Amazon account here and claim the Operator set through Prime Gaming starting from September 22nd. After successfully redeeming the content, it will be available in your in-game inventory within 48 hours. Players must have Hibana available as an operator.

Can I buy the FrAgMenT Operator Bundle with Renown or R6 Credits as well?
The FrAgMenT Operator Bundle is exclusive to Prime Gaming for a limited time only and can be obtained via the Prime Gaming offer as described above. Prime Gaming is included for free with Amazon Prime, and free trials are available for new users.

Will this offer be available on all platforms?
Yes, it can be redeemed on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Amazon Luna, and Google Stadia.

How long will this offer be available?
Following its release on September 22nd, you have one month to claim this offer via Prime Gaming.

I don’t see my rewards.
If you’re having trouble redeeming your FrAgMenT Operator Bundle, please contact our support.

For more information about Prime Gaming, visit the Prime Gaming FAQ.

Updates and fixes made over the course of the Y6S3 Test Server. For the full Crystal Guard Patch Notes, follow the link below.

Crystal Guard Season Patch Notes: https://rainbow6.com/crystalguard

# Y6S3 PATCH SIZE
Below you will find the download sizes for each platform.

• Ubisoft Connect: 24 GB
  
• Steam: 12 GB
  
• Xbox One: 20 GB
  
• Xbox Series X: 20 GB
  
• PS4: 20 GB
  
• PS5: 16 GB

Ranked and Unranked Earning Increased

• Increased XP and Renown gain in Ranked and Unranked by 15% to match other PVP playlists.

ZOFIA
Modified M762 recoil so it's slightly easier to control.

• Horizontal spread to the left has been reduced.

ACE & FUZE
Modified AK-12 recoil so it's slightly easier to control.

• Horizontal spread to the right has been reduced.

FLASH EFFECT UPDATE

• Decreased the duration of the flash effect based on player's orientation.
  
• Affects Stun grenades, Ying's Candela and Blitz's G52-Tactical Shield.

• FIXED – Windows cursor remains stuck on screen, blocking camera movement.
  
• FIXED – Reinforcing a partially damaged hatch does not destroy the original wooden surface.
  
• FIXED – Battle Pass reward system is not functional for all game modes and completing a match results in an infinite error message.
  
• FIXED – Revive animation isn't canceled when players fall through a hatch while reviving a teammate.
  
• FIXED – Operator first-person view shifts downwards when players lean right while rappelling.
  
• FIXED – Defenders can exit onto Skyscraper scaffolding without being detected.
  
• FIXED – Players don't receive Kill score if they are eliminated after they DBNO an opponent and a teammate finishes the opponent.
  
• FIXED – Death Replay camera is offset if player is eliminated by an electrified wall.
  
• FIXED – Health bars of spotted opponents are visible in HUD.

• FIXED – Multiple LOD and LOS issues on various maps.
  
• FIXED – Various defuser planting and retrieval issues in specific areas on maps.
  
• FIXED - Exploitable gaps on various maps.
  
• FIXED – Multiple clipping, collision, destruction, and asset issues on various maps.
  
• FIXED – Multiple lighting issues on various maps.
  
• FIXED – Environmental destruction does not occur around indestructible assets.

BANK

• FIXED – EXT location on Bank map that's normally inaccessible can be accessed by players.
  
• FIXED – Deployment animation is no longer available if the barricade animation is canceled on the door that is west of 1F Teller's Office on Bank map.
  
• FIXED – Operator floats and shakes when positioned between the trash bags and concrete ramp on Bank map.
  
• FIXED – Aruni's Surya Gate does not deploy on the door that leads to 1F Tellers' Office on Bank map.
  
• FIXED – Players can navigate onto the top of the fridge on Bank map.

BORDER

• FIXED – Hostage is located in 1F Workshop not 1F Server Room as specified by the objective location on Border map.

CLUBHOUSE

• FIXED – Multiple navigation issues where the operator is floating and shaking in specific locations on Clubhouse map.
  
• FIXED – Drone can navigate under floors on Clubhouse map.

COASTLINE

• FIXED – Echo's Yokai loses signal near 1F North Stairs and 1F Hallway on Coastline map.
  
• FIXED – During Preparation Phase, a red wall can be seen on one side of the window located at 2F Hallway on Coastline map.
  
• FIXED – Echo's Yokai loses signal if it's navigated near the wall at 1F North Stairs on Coastline map.
  
• FIXED – A gap is visible when Osa's Talon-8 Shield is attached to the door between 1F Service Entrance and 1F Kitchen on Coastline map.

• FIXED – Lion, Finka and Iana's first-person device animations are not interrupted by Oryx's Remah Dash or Nomad's Airjabs.
  
• FIXED – Operators with wearable electronic devices are not revealed after being pinged by IQ's Electronics Detector.

ACE

• FIXED – Ace's S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher destroys Osa's Talon-8 Shield when thrown.

CLASH

• FIXED – Energy bar for Clash's CCE Shield is missing.

DOKKAEBI

• FIXED – Dokkaebi's 3.0x scope reticle appears in EOR replay.

ECHO

• FIXED – Collisions involving Echo's Yokai interfere with navigation.
  
• FIXED – Echo's Yokai can be attached to any exterior doorframe.

FLORES

• FIXED – Flores' RCE-Ratero Charge gets destroyed near fences on various maps.

FUZE

• FIXED – Drill SFX for Fuze's Cluster Charge continues playing when device is destroyed.
  
• FIXED – A reinforced wall is treated as a soft wall if Fuze deploys the Cluster Charge exactly where another device is deployed on the other side.

GRIDLOCK

• FIXED – Gridlock's M249 SAW has only 60 bullets when reloading with 1 bullet in the chamber.

HIBANA

• FIXED – Occasionally, some of Hibana's X-Kairos pellets don't deploy when shot in succession.
  
• - FIXED – Reload animation for Hibana's X-Kairos experiences glitches.

IQ

• FIXED – Multiple detection and ping issues with IQ's Electronics Detector.
  
• FIXED – Camera pulses remain stuck on screen of IQ's Electronics Detector after cameras are destroyed.
  
• FIXED – Captured Mozzie drones don't appear as captured in IQ's Electronics Detector.
  
• FIXED – Regular ping appears instead of smart ping when IQ uses the Electronics Detector to ping the counter defuser in PVE.
  
• FIXED – IQ's Electronics Detector detects friendly drones that have recovered from disabled state.

KAID

• FIXED – Area of effect feedback for Kaid's Proximity Alarm remains stuck on screen in Support Mode.
  
• FIXED – Kaid's Rtila Electroclaw activates without delay when it drops from one surface to another.

LION

• FIXED – Lion doesn't get +5 pts when the EE-One-D detects an opponent.

MAESTRO

• FIXED – Maestro's Evil Eye can't destroy Gridlock's Trax Stingers when they're deployed on uneven surfaces.
  
• FIXED – Shooting the back of Maestro's Evil Eye while his shield is open, destroys the device.

MIRA

• FIXED – Mira loses points when another player breaks a Black Mirror that has a friendly gadget deployed on it.
  
• FIXED – Crash occurs if player ejects Mira's Black Mirror while a device is deployed on it.

MUTE

• FIXED – Mute's Signal Disruptor doesn't get destroyed when an opponent shoots the antennas.

NØKK

• FIXED – HEL Presence Reduction grants Nøkk immunity to slow effect produced by Melusi's Banshee Sonic Defense.

OSA

• FIXED – Osa's weapon collides with Talon-8 Shield if she picks it up while rappelling.
  
• FIXED – Handles on Osa's Talon-8 Shield are incorrectly positioned when she equips/unequips the device while rappelling.
  
• FIXED – Osa's hitbox is too small when she rappels and picks up the Talon-8 Shield.
  
• FIXED – Various Osa animation issues.
  
• FIXED – Osa does not have a Nighthaven model phone.
  
• FIXED – Player can cancel the equip animation for Osa's Talon-8 Shield.
  
• FIXED – SFX is missing when Osa picks up the Talon-8 Shield.

ROOK

• FIXED – Health bar flashes when players equip one of Rook's armor plates after being revived.

TWITCH

• FIXED – Twitch's Shock Drone lights appear detached.
  
• FIXED – Twitch's Shock Drone clips through any asset.
  
• FIXED – Twitch's Shock Drone gets destroyed near fences on various maps.
  
• FIXED – Landing SFX plays twice after player jumps Twitch's Shock Drone.
  
• FIXED – Twitch's Shock Drone does not appear during EOR replay.

ZERO

• FIXED – Total loss of functionality is encountered when swapping between Zero's Argus Camera and other Observation Tools.

• FIXED – Multiple UI and graphics issues.
  
• FIXED – Various Match Replay issues.
  
• FIXED – Various localization issues.
  
• FIXED – Various voice chat and VFX issues.
  
• FIXED – Various customization and Shop issues.
  
• FIXED – Surrender vote remains active when round ends before the vote expires.
  
• FIXED – Player usernames are sometimes replaced with random numbers and letters representing the profile ID of a linked account.
  
• FIXED – Operator icons and player usernames shake when players move around.
  
• FIXED – Tactical map was not updated after release of reworked Bank map.
  
• FIXED – UI elements present during EOR replay do not respond correctly after player modifies the HUD Display Area.
  
• FIXED – MMR Rollback popups appear after players complete a match, not when they log into the game.
  
• FIXED – Online ID on PS5 is split in Simplified Chinese.
  
• FIXED – A PC player has the communication disabled for all Stadia users if the PC user activates the Crossplay Communication option only after entering the session.

In Year 6 Season 3, the Sixth Guardian Program rolls onward! The program aims to support a charity via the sales of an in-game bundle which is available throughout the entire length of a Season, with 100% of net proceeds (with a minimum of $6 USD per bundle sold) going to the charity. Your purchases will help to directly support a charity and help a diverse range of causes. Together, we hope to unite the Rainbow Six Siege community and make a positive change outside of our game.

Since the program's launch in the past year, together with our community, we have raised well over $200,000 USD* for charity! Big thanks once again to our first two Sixth Guardian partners: AbleGamers Charity and Stack Up.

The Siege team is excited to reveal that throughout Crystal Guard, players will be able to purchase this Thunderbird SG Bundle, with all proceeds will going towards an incredible charity called Indspire. Their North Star (see what we did there) goal is to see every Indigenous student in Canada graduate school within a generation. Indspire serves First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students in remote communities, rural areas and urban centres across Canada. With the support of their funding partners, they disburse financial awards, deliver programs, and share resources with the goal of increasing graduation rates for Indigenous students. We felt this was a perfect organization to partner with on a Thunderbird-themed bundle, and we're honored to be working together on this.



This bundle features a full Thunderbird set with Indspire's signature gradient colors and Sixth Guardian branding. Specifically, the set includes:

• "Sixth Guardian Uplift" Uniform
  
• "Sixth Guardian Uplift" Headgear
  
• "Sixth Guardian Uplift" Weapon skin
  
• "Guardian Thunderbird" Charm

The bundle will be limited in time and available only for this Season. Make sure to check it out before Season 3 ends!

If you'd like to donate directly to further support Indspire, click here to go straight to their Donation page.



Learn more about Indspire - https://indspire.ca/

* Not final numbers as Year 6 Season 2 is still ongoing at the time of this writing

Each season will bring the release of new charms, as well as a return of the streamer’s charms from previous seasons!




RazaH

Heideltraut

Nesk


Ad9m Alfredoplays AnneMunition Beaulo Bighead BikiniBodhi Bnans Braction6 Drid Gabbo IceyCat25 Interro JerichoFive JessGOAT Jinu6734 Just9n Kalera KingGeorge KittyR6 Kixstar LagonisR6 Lil_Lexi Lt Custard MacieJay Matimi0 MrBboy45 Narcoleptic Nugget PaladinAmber Pengu Punjistick REMGURI / 렘쨩 Rubsarb Salty Academy SexyCake Shorty SilphTV TangyD Tatted THE_M3RY Tranth Varsity WhiteShark67 z1ronic Zander Zigueira yo_boy_roy Mag6 CCSesports


These charms are only available by subscribing to the respective streamer’s Twitch channel with a linked Uplay account. For more information on how to link your Uplay and Twitch account, as well as opt-in for Twitch Drops, please refer to this FAQ.


Given the length of our production cycle for in-game content, the participants for Y6S1 S2, S3 & S4 have already been determined. We are always on the lookout for additional content creators to add to the program and will be exploring new candidates in 2021. If your goal is to see your charm in-game, we use the following criteria to begin the selection process for potential candidates:

Requirements to be considered

• Approximately 350+ concurrent viewers – preferable.
  
• Average of 10 Rainbow Six streams per month.
  
• Average of 20 hours of Rainbow Six streamed per month.
  
• Positive standing with Ubisoft/Rainbow Six Siege.
  
• High-quality level of content.
  
• Twitch Partnered.
  
• Rainbow Six Siege reserves the right for final decision.

Consideration for Removal

• Less than 10 Rainbow Six Siege main streams over 3 months.
  
• Level of quality dropping below an acceptable level.
  
• Standing with Rainbow Six Siege/Ubisoft compromised.
  
• Any actions that may negatively affect the R6S/Ubisoft brand.
  
• Loss of Twitch Partnership.
  
• Rainbow Six Siege reserves the right for removal of any charms.

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’re happy to be bringing our new Flash Detection solution to Season 3! Our aim with this improved detection is to enable players to trust their tools by providing consistent results from their gadgets, be it from Stun Grenades, Ying's Candela or Blitz’s Flash Shield. We want players to have a better idea of how their flashes have affected the enemy so a lot of the guesswork can be taken out of these encounters. This has been achieved by simulating light bouncing off objects in the immediate environment and taking into account factors like the player's distance, location, and angle from the explosion to determine the duration of the flash effect.

This improvement to flashes is available in the Y6S3 Test Server, so don't hesitate to give it a try and let us know what you think - we'll be keeping an eye out to make sure that operators remain balanced in the wake of this change.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch!




Certain operator skins can cause players to blend into some environments. To help increase their visibility in the heat of a match, we’re adding the option to enable a rim lighting effect on operators. We feel this change adheres to our art style goals and will be a welcome change to anyone who's been fragged by a camouflaged enemy, as it should help players better separate enemies from the environment.

Even more importantly, your feedback is essential here. We want to hear what you think about the intensity and general feel of rim lighting. While we're excited to get this feature into your hands, we're open to tweaking it in order to make it the best it can be, so let us know what you think.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch!



We know that flinching and the intensity of those animations has been an ongoing topic of conversation. We’re happy to announce that we’ve found a reduced flinch level that we think players will like. Of course this is a topic that requires your input. Give this change a try on the Y6S3 Test Server and let us know what you think! We are open to making tweaks to further improve players' experiences around flinching animations.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch!



Putting in the work to get an enemy into a DBNO state but having a teammate (let's call them DeeBee) ultimately get the point for the frag can be frustrating. Beginning in Y6S3 (check it out on the Test Server), it will work as follows: Let's say you put an enemy into DBNO state and DeeBee frags them from that state. You will get the kill point. DeeBee will be awarded with an assist to reflect the difference in effort between these actions.

There is a caveat, though. In order to ensure players are receiving the clearest and more accurate intel possible, the DBNO scoring event has been removed and the player who dealt the final points of damage to the enemy (whether they were the one to put them in DBNO or not) will be the one shown in the kill feed. This is intended to prevent players from gaining unfair intel when they down an opponent who isn't in their line of sight and should better reflect their direct actions in the match, although as noted above, it will not be reflective of the points earned.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch!



Currently, causing damage to an ally with the impact of a placeable gadget (e.g. Mozzie’s Pests, Lesion’s Gu Mines) does not bring anything tangible to the gameplay experience and is instead used as a form of toxicity. As a result, we've removed this form of damage. Other gadget interactions that cause damage as an end result (for example, C4, Impact Grenades, Breaching Rounds) will still cause friendly fire damage in the same way that they had previously, triggering the Reverse Friendly Fire system.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch!



We’re aware that screen shakes can be overwhelming, uncomfortable, and can be particularly intense when the effects come from multiple sources simultaneously. In response to this, we’ve reduced the effects of screen shakes coming from explosions, while removing screen shakes from certain gadgets completely (take a look at our Y6S3 Designer's Notes for more information on the specifics). Our intention is for this to create a competitive environment where screen shakes are experienced in expected scenarios, but are not overbearing.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch!



We know that many players are excited for Elite 2.0, so that they can mix and match items that they’ve earned. We’re releasing our first iteration of Elite 2.0, in which equipping an Elite will equip all of the pieces of that set (victory pose, operator card, and gadget skin) as they do already, though players will have the ability to swap out the headgear for another in their inventory.
This is just the first step in our customization goals with Elites, and we’ll be sharing more on this in the future.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch, with additional updates over the coming seasons.



We’ve heard your feedback on the updated scoreboard that was launched in North Star, and we’ve made some tweaks. We want to ensure that the information that's most important to you stands out and is more easily readable in a pinch. Although we are happy with these new changes, we welcome your feedback on this new iteration!

You can see the incoming changes compared against Y6S2's scoreboard in the images below:



Status: Y6S3.2



We continue to actively investigate the loadout reset bug. It’s known that the issue tends to occur for some players during in-game events, though we have found that the occurrence is not unique to those events. We’re currently analyzing additional reasons for the reset, and we’re working on a solution to the issue.

Status: Ongoing




As the topics above near completion, we’re beginning to set our sights on additional changes that we believe will have a positive impact on player experience. We wanted to give you an early look at what we're beginning work on and will share more details and timing for these in subsequent Top Issues updates.



Currently if a player drops the defuser, the bomb site icons are removed from the display and will only reappear once the defuser has been picked up. We know that removing this information from the attacking team can cause confusion, and so we’re looking at how we can change this so that the bomb site icons remain visible, helping players to not lose sight of the objectives.


At the moment, players do not have tools to manage their squad as they’d like. In the future, we would like to add options that will enable players to change the leader of a squad, and easily remove players from the squad.



When a player in a squad disconnects from the game, it doesn’t always result in the player being removed from the squad as expected. We’re looking into the cause of this and are working to implement a fix to make this work as expected.




We previously mentioned that we were targeting a Y6S3 launch for this change and are happy to reveal that we're on target! We will be pushing an update to our MMR Rollback system at the launch of this season, which will ensure that fair players keep their hard-earned MMR, such as when they win against a cheater. Also, with an update to the timing window for rollbacks, players will find the system more reactive as it addresses relevant matches in a given season.

We will be sharing additional information about these changes as the season launch approaches and look forward to hearing your thoughts on this change.

Status: Available at Y6S3 launch!



We know that streamers and players need additional features to help protect them in-game, and to that end we are working on a fully featured solution. Streamer Mode brings with it some security hurdles to guaranteeing full anonymization (i.e. in-game anonymization, global account privacy) that we must solve in order to fulfill the scope of features that are expected.

We are planning to provide a server-side version (i.e. visible to both teams in-game) that will allow players to scramble some of their information. This will be delivered during Year 6 Season 4. Further updates will then follow and be released iteratively over the following seasons to continue building on the feature and offer even more protections against stream sniping.

We plan to provide a detailed roadmap for this functionality before the release of Season 4 to break down these iterative steps and make sure you know what to expect and when.

Status: Targeting Y6S4 for first iteration



In 2021 alone, we’ve banned over 69,000 cheaters as we continue to strengthen the cheat detection tools available to us. As shared in our recent Reddit AMA, we are increasing our investment in anti-cheat, adding additional layers of encryption to make cheats harder to create, and improving the threshold of our data ban system to gives a little more leniency. On this topic, we’re confident with these automated bans, as we continue to make sure that cheaters are detected and sanctioned, while being confident we’re not risking false positives.
Towards the end of August, we’ll be sharing a more detailed and data-focused update on our anti-cheat efforts to give you more information on our battle against cheaters and cheat makers.

Status: Ongoing



We’re aware that DDoS is still an issue affecting players on console. We recently pushed additional network protections for specific datacenters that have made a significant difference in the amount of attacks and the number of player disconnections resulting from these attacks. So far, we are very happy with the numbers and we will continue to roll out these protections gradually once we do our usual sanity checks that there are no unwanted side effects. We will also provide an updated analysis very shortly, detailing the recent protection improvements.

In addition, we’re actively working on an improved method of detection which will help to identify more players who are using this cheating method. Already, we can see that the improvement is providing us with promising results.
Our efforts will continue in this area, with our next steps including the implementation of automatic sanctions once we are happy with the accuracy of the detection model.

Status: Ongoing



As shared in our recent Reddit AMA, this is very much an ongoing R&D project and we do have dedicated people working on this. Our goal is to ensure that these spoofers do not provide an unfair advantage for players while ensuring that we keep accessibility for disabled players in mind. We continue to actively work on this and will be running tests over the coming months to validate our approach. We will share more information on this once we are comfortable with the results of our detections and can move on to the next phase - taking action against unfair use.

Status: Ongoing



Preventative Sanctions will continue to be a focus for us in the year ahead, but in order to prioritize the development and timely release of MMR Rollback 3.0 and Streamer Mode, we've made the decision to shift our team's focus. Priority calls like this are always difficult, but we feel the trade-off of getting these features in players' hands sooner is worth it.

We plan to redirect our priority to Preventative Sanctions for Year 7, and will provide updates as we have more to share.

Status: Ongoing


---



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.



The propagation of the gas from Smoke’s Remote Gas Grenades was often problematic, appearing on the other side of undamaged walls, floors, or ceilings. We’ve reworked the propagation system for the gas itself, meaning the toxic gas will no longer travel through unbroken, or unopen boundaries, though it will spread through walls, floors, or ceilings where gaps have been created. We also changed the sound that the Remote Gas Grenades make upon detonation, making it much more distinct.

Status: COMPLETE. Available at Y6S2 launch!



Single bullet holes are often used to gain an advantage, and we recognize that the difficulty in spotting such holes from a distance can cause frustration for some players. With the changes we’re implementing to tackle this, single bullets will no longer create an isolated hole through a wall or barricade (this does not affect weapons with more destructibility), though firing multiple bullets or meleeing a wall will cause a larger hole to appear, as is the case at the moment. This should help reduce the frustration caused by singular bullet holes while still allowing players to make use of destructible surfaces.

Please note, bullet holes in thin materials like window glass and the inner cores of props are not affected by this change.

Status: COMPLETE. Available at Y6S2 launch!



The goal here is to make flash detection more reliable and to give players confidence in this type of utility by improving its consistency. Basically, when you throw a flash, we want you to know how this will affect your opponents and the environment. The solution that we’re working on simulates the light bouncing off objects in the immediate environment, and the results we're seeing are encouraging. We’re currently evaluating the strength of flashes and are excited for players to get a chance to test this change soon!

Status: Y6S3



We know that certain operator skins are well-known for blending into some environments, and this has led to situations where players felt they were at an unfair disadvantage. Our solution is to add a rim lighting effect to operators. So far, we're quite happy with the results and feel it is cohesive with the art style of the game. We are in the process of aligning on the colour of the rim lighting, and ensuring the effect is consistent across the game's many unique cosmetics.

At the end of the day, we want players to be able to choose the cosmetics they want without gaining an unfair advantage of any kind.

Status: Y6S3



As the topics above near completion, we’re beginning to set our sights on some additional changes that we believe will have a positive impact on player experience. We wanted to give you an early look at what we're beginning work on and will share more details and timing for these in subsequent Top Issues updates.


We’re aware that loadout and customization reset issues are prevalent for some players. While we have noticed the issue occurring during in-game events, we know that the issue is not exclusive to those. We’re investigating the issue and working towards a reliable reproduction and solution for this.


The flinch hit reaction has been a prominent topic across the player base, and this an area that we feel can be improved. We're investigating this topic and and will share updates in future editions of this blog.


Getting an enemy to a DBNO state and not receiving a point for the kill has been a source of frustration for players. We’re looking at this, as we feel that the player who downed the enemy should be awarded with the kill point if the enemy is taken out. Not only would this be more rewarding for the initial player, but this could remove a cause of toxicity from the game.


We are currently looking into the impact of hitting an ally with a gadget (e.g. Lesion's Gu Mines) or a launcher's direct hit (e.g. Mozzie's Pest), so that it no longer deals direct damage or results in a points loss. We are considering this change because such interaction does not bring any additional value to the gameplay experience, while also adding a form of unnecessary toxicity.

Following this, our intended plan is to remove the various damages caused when these situations occur. However, damage related to the end result of a gadget's deployment (e.g. actual explosion of a frag grenade) or launcher's actions (e.g. explosion of Ash's Breaching Round) will still inflict damage to allies and will still be considered within the Reverse Friendly Fire system.




During Neon Dawn and Crimson Heist we have seen connection based issues having a negative impact on players, and this is an area that we continue to work on at a global level, as we aim to resolve issues at their root.

In order to improve player experience, we’ve implemented a number of changes and shared our results in connectivity updates here and here. These changes have included migrating PC and PlayStation users to better servers, relocating the data centers for Japan and Australia, and launching a Middle East data center. Looking to the future, we have set a number of next steps, including global server migration on Xbox, working with partners to improve performance of the Middle East data center, and migrating servers in the South Africa data center.



In our last Anti-Cheat DevBlog, we mentioned that we were working on building new cheat detections based on statistics to uncover our most disruptive cheat users. While this process was originally performed manually to stress test and validate its accuracy, we're excited to announce that we've updated it to be automatic. This mean that sanctions for cheaters identified through data-based detections will be delivered faster, reducing their impact on the community!

Implementing this automated process allows us to work in parallel and strengthen our collaboration with BattlEye. In the coming months, we will continue to develop new models and detection opportunities to increase our velocity on this front.


We are continuing to evolve the MMR rollback system by improving reactivity and minimizing negative impacts on honest players. The goal of MMR rollback is to help players who were in an unfair match. That being said, we know that it is frustrating for honest players to have their MMR rolled backed for matches where they won against a cheater, and we are working to address that.

We will continue to tweak the design as we work towards a clear and fair system. We are not able to share an exact timeline right now but are aiming for Season 3; stay tuned for more updates!

This past year we have been working on the implementation of preventative sanctions, one of the first visible aspects of the reputation system. In the future, by detecting patterns of griefing and harassment, we will be able to preventatively activate sanctions, allowing us to quickly deal with repeatedly disruptive players and reduce the frustration associated with them.

One of our first integrations for preventative sanctions will be oriented around Reverse Friendly Fire, and we will then expand the scope to other issues. We believe that this new way of controlling regular abuses will greatly contribute to the detection and prevention of disruptive behaviour. As with other topics above, stay tuned for more updates!

We have increased sanction penalties for abandon-related offences, which players will notice with the launch of North Star. Paired with the recent improvements to match cancellation, we expect this to help discourage players from match abandons and limit the overall impact on committed players.


Over the last two seasons, we’ve made valuable progress in our fight against DDOS attacks on console, mitigating the effects of attacks. In addition to this, players who use this method of cheating are being banned, and our detection of such actions are constantly being improved. We will continue to look for methods of continued improvement as we seek to protect players from DDoS attacks.

Status: Ongoing


This subject is still a project priority, and the team continues to make progress. We appreciate your patience and look forward to sharing more in the future as we continue to refine our approach.

Status: Ongoing


We know you're expecting an update on protections against stream sniping, and we know how important this is to you. Since our last update, we've been very actively investigating several avenues for deploying a system that would counter this situation, all while providing an acceptable layer of security, but we don't want to set inaccurate expectations.

As a six-year-old game, Siege has a lot of technical debts, some of which go against anonymization or don't take into account the problem of stream sniping. This is unlike contemporary game releases which are often built from the start with streamers in mind. This means that the process of ensuring true anonymity is complex and not limited to the Siege team, but the team remains focused on providing a solid solution.

This also means that we don't have a timeline to share at the moment. We want everything to be right to match your needs, which will continue to require validating and testing of our approaches to ensure they're viable. Of course, we will continue to communicate on our progress.

To the many great creators in our community: we understand how profoundly disruptive it is to both your gameplay and content creation experience when you are targeted by stream snipers. We agree that it’s unacceptable and we ask that you continue to bear with us as we seek actionable solutions in and outside of the game to resolve the core reasons snipers are able to do what they do.