Ubisoft has officially unveiled Year 11 Season 1 for the tactical FPS giant Rainbow Six Siege. Named Operation Silent Hunt, this new season brings one of gaming’s most iconic characters, Solid Snake, to the Team Rainbow roster.
Alongside the Metal Gear Solid legend Snake, players can expect map modernizations, significant balance changes, and quality-of-life improvements with Y11S1. Here are all the key details from the new season.
New Operator: Solid Snake
When it comes to stealth and tactical superiority, Solid Snake is among the first names that come to mind. He joins Rainbow Six Siege on the Attacker side. Thanks to his “On-Site Procurement” (OSP) training, Snake is designed as a versatile operator who can adapt to battlefield dynamics.
Special Equipment: Soliton Radar Mk. III
Snake’s primary gadget is vital for detecting enemies. The Soliton Radar Mk. III is used as a handheld device, marking present hostiles on a minimap.
- Precision Mode: Allows you to pinpoint threats precisely, but be careful—when this mode is used, enemies receive an alert that they’ve been detected by Solid Snake.
- Recon Advantage: The radar provides an instant view of the immediate surroundings, laying the groundwork for teammates to establish map control.
Passive Ability: OSP (On-Site Procurement)
One of Snake’s most notable features is resource management. Snake can collect secondary gadgets from fallen operators, refreshing his inventory based on how the battle unfolds. Additionally, his iconic weapon, the TACIT .45, is included as a secondary weapon in his loadout.
Operator Balance Changes and Meta Shifts
With Year 11, Ubisoft is changing its balancing philosophy. The development team will now target a specific meta each season, and in Y11S1, they’re focusing on “Entry-Fragging” and “Roaming” roles.
Skopós (Major Changes)
Skopós becomes much more aggressive in the new season.
- Speed/Armor: Speed rating increased from 2 to 3, Health rating decreased from 2 to 1.
- Shell Transitions: Shell swap time reduced from 3 seconds to 0.5 seconds.
- Mobility: V10 Pantheon Shells now move faster and have the same destruction power as Aruni’s melee attacks.
Shield Operators (Nerf)
A critical change has been made for Blackbeard, Blitz, Montagne, Fuze, and Clash. Shield operators can no longer dash through undamaged barricades. This change aims to limit shield operators’ aggressive “rush” capabilities and force them into more distant engagements.
Other Important Balance Changes
- Twitch (F2): Vertical, Angled, and Horizontal grips added to the F2 assault rifle. The weapon will now be easier to control.
- Flores: T-95 LSW weapon added to his arsenal to increase flexibility.
- Ela: Grzmot mine concussion duration increased from 7 seconds to 9 seconds.
- Ying: Candela flash duration increased from 1.4 seconds to 1.6 seconds.
- Amaru: Garra Hook charges increased from 4 to 5.
Map and Gameplay Updates
Modernized Maps
The season brings “modernized” touches to Coastline, Villa, and Oregon maps. Alongside graphics and lighting improvements, new destructible surfaces have been added and the maps have received an overall health pass.
Ranked Map Rotation
To provide players with a more dynamic experience, the number of maps in the Ranked pool has been reduced from 16 to 13.
- Removed: Kanal, Skyscraper, Theme Park, Outback.
- Added: Emerald Plains.
- Note: A second rotation change will occur mid-season.
1v1 Arcade Mode
Inspired by content creators’ and the community’s favorite settings, the 1v1 Arcade mode based on bomb rules will be playable for a limited time from April 16-30.
Anti-Toxicity and Quality of Life
- Reporting System: Reporting categories increased from 4 to 16. Players can now specify complaint reasons much more specifically (e.g., types of Griefing).
- Match Cancellation (Ranked): If a team causes a match to be cancelled, disconnected players will receive “Abandon” and “Queue Ban” penalties. The player who caused the cancellation and their squad mates will receive a match loss.
Farewell to Dual Front Mode and Metal Gear Solid Event
After three seasons, the Dual Front mode will be removed from the game as of Y11S2. However, before bidding farewell to the mode, a Metal Gear Solid-themed “Malware Containment” assignment will be added to the game. This game mode, which Ubisoft brought with high hopes, was never played by any players. The sad part is, according to rumors, Ubisoft worked on this mode for years. So years of effort went to waste. In the newly added assignment, players will attempt to capture Eidolon’s access key under Zero’s orders.
What are your thoughts on these changes coming with Operation Silent Hunt? We’re waiting for your comments.