For the first time in a Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six game, players will engage in sieges, a new style of assault where enemies have the means to transform their environments into modern strongholds while Rainbow Six teams lead the assault to breach the enemy’s position. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege gives players unprecedented control over their ability to fortify their position - by reinforcing walls and floors, using barbed wire, deployable shields and mines, and more - or breach the enemies’ using observation drones, sheet charges, rappelling, and more. The fast pace, lethality and uniqueness of each siege sets a new bar for intense firefights, strategic gameplay and competitive gaming.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege also features a technological breakthrough that redefines the way players interact with a game environment. Leveraging Ubisoft Montreal’s proprietary Realblast engine, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege incorporates procedural destruction that is realistic and unscripted, meaning the environment reacts authentically, distinctively and dynamically, based on variables like the caliber of bullets or the amount of explosives used. This advance allows players to leverage destruction in meaningful ways. Walls can be shattered, opening new lines of fire. Ceilings and floors can be breached to create new access points. This ability to modify the level design in real time enables players to create new gameplay opportunities directly within the game level.

Attacking Operator Thatcher gets a new device-zapping gadget remaster in Operation Tenfold Pursuit, coming on December 2 to Rainbow Six Siege. He’s also getting a powerful new weapon – the PMR90A2 designated marksman rifle – and he’s not the only one. The new season will also introduce a reworked and modernized version of the Fortress map, along with modernized versions of Skyscraper and Theme Park. A deluxe dose of Operator balancing updates is on the way as well, as is a new playlist called Testing Grounds where players can try out experimental features during specific time windows. Additions to Training Grounds, improvements to Ranked matchmaking, and an increased cadence for Player Protection updates are all coming in Operation Tenfold Pursuit.

All About the Thatcher Operator Remaster

The remaster for Thatcher replaces his EMP grenade with a new gadget: The E.G.S. Disruptor. The E.G.S. Disruptor is a large two-handed electromagnetic pulse launcher with a prominent scanner viewscreen. The scanner element can detect electronic devices through walls, marking them as blue circles if they are unknown gadgets, or with a specific icon if Thatcher or his allies have already scouted them. The circular scanner viewscreen has a smaller concentric circle, and any devices in that targeting area will be affected by the E.G.S. Disruptor’s EMP charge.

The launcher element of the gadget can fire a charge through any surface and will disable any electronic devices it hits. Disabled devices are also identified, allowing Thatcher to not only see which devices he affected, but also how long the effect will last. Whether you’re taking out Bandit or Kaid’s electrified effects to enable your teammates to breach a wall, or clearing Aruni’s Surya Gates or Denari’s laser emitters to clear a safe passage, Thatcher’s new E.G.S. Disrupter enables him to be a more versatile, precise, and reactive support for the Attackers.

The New PMR90A2 Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR)

Thatcher’s remaster also includes an addition to his arsenal: the PMR90A2 DMR. This brings his total primary weapon options up to four, expanding the ways he can make an impact on the round. Like other DMRs, the PMR90A2 excels at mid-to-long-range engagement and hits hard, downing a Defender in 2-3 shots. It also has high penetration, allowing Thatcher to punch holes for line of sight and reshape the battlefield.

Which Operators can use the new PMR90A2 DMR?

Thatcher isn’t the only Operator getting the new DMR; Hibana, Capitão, and Nøkk will also have the PMR90A2 DMR added to their loadouts. The new weapon will be accessible for Premium Battle Pass owners for the first two weeks of the Operation Tenfold Pursuit, after which it will become available to all players.

Map Rework and Modernizations in Operation Tenfold Pursuit

The Fortress map is receiving the full rework and modernization treatment for the new season. The map is now more balanced and clearly navigable for players, and adds all the modernization improvements including improved lighting and textures, plus the addition of destructible elements. The Fortress map will be added to the Ranked map pool and play host to competitive matches at season launch. The Theme Park map and Skyscraper map will also be modernized in Operation Tenfold Pursuit.

List of Major Operator Balancing Updates

Attacking hard breachers are all being rebalanced as part of Operation Tenfold Pursuit.

• Hibana: Her X-Kairos launcher will now deploy explosive pellets faster with no reload needed between shots, and the detonation timer will be shorter. She’ll also have the option to equip claymores as her secondary gadget. The Type-89 assault rifle’s recoil will be reduced, and she will receive the PMR90A2 DMR as noted above.
• Thermite: Gains one additional Exothermic Charge, as well as a secondary shotgun option.
• Maverick: His Breaching Torch will no longer pause between cycles, enabling him to breach faster. He will gain the option to bring frag grenades, as well as a new addition to his loadout: The Reaper MK2 machine pistol.
• Ace: His attributes will be adjusted to 1-speed and 3-armor, and he’ll be able to equip stun grenades.

On the Defenders’ side, Castle is receiving a small but impactful update, while a significant change is coming to the way electronic signals are disrupted.

• Castle: His Barricades can now be electrified by Bandit’s batteries or Kaid’s Electroclaws, making them more resistant to Attacker breaches.
• Mute: Mute’s jammers now function a bit differently. Rather than simply disabling any electronic gadgets in their area of effect (AOE), they will now block any electronic devices that sends or receives signals. For example, an Exothermic Charge in range of the jammer cannot receive the signal from Thermite’s trigger, and will be blocked. Similarly, if Thermite is in the jamming radius of Mute’s device, his breach trigger will be blocked (previously this was not the case). Finally, the radius of Mute’s jammers AOE will increase.
• Aruni: Her Surya Gates will no longer reactivate automatically after being hit with an EMP. Aruni or her allies will need to shoot the gate projector to reactivate it, just as if an Attacker had thrown something into the gate.

Rainbow Six Siege’s 10th Anniversary Celebration

The month of December marks the tenth anniversary of Rainbow Six Siege. To celebrate 10 years, the Wildcards event will bring a special limited-time game mode set on the House map full of easter eggs and callbacks to Siege history. Be sure to log in throughout the month for free rewards to join the celebration.

What is the new Testing Grounds mode in Rainbow Six Siege?

Testing Grounds is a new playlist that will allow players to test experimental features and offer feedback to the development team. It will run for limited periods during the season. The Operation Tenfold Pursuit Testing Grounds is scheduled for January and will test a new way of handling Operator armor and speed, allowing players to choose their armor level (lighter armor = faster speed, heavier armor = slower speed). Testing Grounds will be available to both PC and console players. 

Updates to Ranked Matchmaking, Player Protection, and more

Operation Tenfold Pursuit is also delivering updates to a variety of other modes and elements in Rainbow Six Siege.

• Training Playlists: Target Drill can now be populated with Keres Legion bots, which will move, attack, and potentially kill you, encouraging you to hone your skills even sharper. Furthermore, AI Allies will now be available in the Enlisted and Field Training modes, allowing players to practice in a full 5v5 setting. Furthermore, a mini-map feature and guidance tools have been added.
• Player Protection: The frequency of R6 ShieldGuard updates will be doubled to two updates per week. Along with improvements to data-driven bans, the devs are developing a new system to detect recoil cheats.
• Ranked Matchmaking: In addition to using a hidden MMR stat to determine match-ups, a second parameter—the player’s visible season rank—will now be added to further aid in matching players against competitors of comparable skill.
• Esports Tab addition: There is now a Prediction feature on the Esports tab, allowing players to share who their pick is to win a given match. Correct predictions can earn players rewards, including Alpha Packs and skins.

Key Features

• Counter terrorist operatives are trained to handle extreme situations, such as hostage rescue, with surgical precision. As “short range” specialists, their training is concentrated on indoor environments. Operating in tight formations, they are experts of close quarter combat, demolition, and coordinated assaults.
• For the first time in Rainbow Six, players will engage in sieges, a brand-new style of assault. Enemies now have the means to transform their environments into strongholds: they can trap, fortify, and create defensive systems to prevent breach by Rainbow teams. To face this challenge, players have a level of freedom unrivaled by any previous Rainbow Six game. Combining tactical maps, observation drones, and a new rappel system, Rainbow teams have more options than ever before to plan, attack, and diffuse these situations.
• Destruction is at the heart of the siege gameplay. Leveraging Ubisoft Montreal’s proprietary Realblast engine, players now have the unprecedented ability to destroy environments. Walls can be shattered, opening new lines of fire, and ceiling and floors can be breached, creating new access points. Everything in the environment reacts realistically, dynamically, and uniquely based on the size and caliber of bullets you are using or the amount of explosives you have set. In Rainbow Six Siege, destruction is meaningful and mastering it is often the key to victory.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.