Operation Void Edge kicks off Year 5 of Rainbow Six Siege with two new Operators, a map rework, and a host of gameplay updates. Joining the defending team is a Jordanian Operator named Oryx, who can sprint, climb, and smash his way around the map. The Attackers will be bolstered by a Dutch Operator named Iana, who can create and control her holographic clone to deceive the Defenders.
The Oregon map rework and gameplay updates (detailed below) will be free for all players when Operation Void Edge launches; the two Operators will be available at launch for Year 5 Pass holders, and will be available for all players to unlock using Renown or R6 Credits one week after launch. Check out the video below to watch Oryx smash through walls and Iana trick her opponents on the new version of the Oregon map, and read on for more details on what’s coming.
ORYX – SMASHING ONTO THE SCENE
In a game full of tough Operators, Oryx takes toughness to a new level. This Defender’s Remah Dash ability allows him to sprint short distances (handy for flanking Attackers), and to smash through wooden barricades (no sweat) and breakable walls (he’ll take a small amount of damage). If he collides with an Attacker, that Attacker is getting knocked down, even if it’s a large shield-bearing Frenchman named Montagne. These dashes can be used in quick succession, but each dash uses a charge; Oryx will need to wait for these charges to replenish if he wants to dash some more. Keep in mind that while smashing through a wall feels absolutely awesome, it will reset Oryx’s dash charges to zero, so build in some recharge time after your remodeling.
Oryx can also use his impressive athleticism to climb up through hatches, either peeking his head up to scout and then dropping back down, or pulling himself clean up through to the next floor. He can’t use this ability on roof hatches, and he’ll have to break open the hatch first, so choosing his SPAS-12 primary shotgun over his MP5 submachine gun, or his Bailiff sidearm over his USP40, isn’t a bad idea. But his climbing ability is independent of his Remah Dash charges, so you can use these two skills in tandem. This makes Oryx a dangerous new Defender who will have Attackers looking over their shoulders and wondering where he’ll show up next.
IANA – THE ART OF DUPLICITY
The new Attacker, Iana, will also keep her opponents guessing. Using her Gemini Replicator gadget, Iana creates and controls a hologram that looks like her (including her headgear, uniform, and primary weapon skin); moves like her (with the exception of rappelling or climbing ladders); and sounds like her. While it can’t shoot, melee, or use secondary gadgets, the hologram can bait Defenders into throwing their C4, or dupe Smoke or Goyo into triggering their gadgets prematurely.
Convincing as it is, the hologram is fragile. One bullet will destroy it, as will electricity or Mute Jammers. Maestro’s Evil Eye cameras can zap it as well, and detect that it’s a hologram by the telltale lack of warm-body glow. Shooting Iana’s hologram does not result in a location ping, as with Alibi’s Prisma holograms, and it can’t ping locations, scan enemies, or see Vigil when he’s using his cloaking device.
Iana also can’t move while her hologram is active, so Defenders are temporarily safe from her ARX 200 or G36C primary weapons, or her MK1 9mm sidearm. But her hologram isn’t limited to just one use — the cooldown period is longer if it’s destroyed than if she deactivates it, but her hologram will always recharge. Whether she’s using it to run solo misdirection plays or conspiring with teammates in a coordinated push, Iana’s deceptions can have deadly consequences.
OREGON MAP REWORK
Oregon is one of the original Rainbow Six Siege maps, and the rework was designed to refresh the layout and create more strategic opportunities for attacking and defending bomb sites. The small office tower has been expanded on both levels, giving Defenders more room to work with when keeping Attackers at bay. The basem*nt area has also grown, with the kids’ dorm stairs now extending down one level and connecting through a new freezer section to the old basem*nt. Operators looking to traverse the attic connector above the meeting hall will have more options, including a redesigned floorplan near the master bedroom and a new exterior second-floor window, but the ladder to the first floor has been removed. There will also be a new hallway connecting the big tower directly to the kitchen, allowing players to bypass the meeting room entirely.
GAMEPLAY UPDATES
Operation Void Edge is also bringing some impactful gameplay updates. Changes to barricade damage will make breaking boards more consistent and less obstructive. Attacker drones will now spawn on the same side of the building as the Attacker’s first spawn location choice, and the player hub will be revamped for improved navigation. There will also be balancing updates to Lesion and Twitch, as well as a limited-time event during the season.
The gameplay and balancing updates, as well as the Oregon map rework, will be free for all players when Operation Void Edge launches. PC players can check them out on the Test Server, which goes live on February 17 and allows players to test upcoming features as they are fine-tuned before being added to the game.
Rainbow Six Siege is available now on PS4, PC, and Xbox One. To keep up on the latest seasonal events and announcements, check out our Rainbow Six Siege news hub.
