Rainbow 6 Siege's Next Season Adds A New Operator, Map, Game Mode And More

Ubisoft is kicking off its support of Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6 Siege with a bang. The game's first season of the year, Demon Veil, is adding a new map and permanent game mode to the competitive shooter, along with a new Operator who can rebuild defenses.

Named Azami, Rainbow 6 Siege's first Operator of the year is a Defender. With medium speed and health, Azami is unremarkable save for her gadget, the Kiba Barrier. The Operator can throw kunai that release gas in a small circle where they land. That gas then solidifies into a bulletproof surface, providing quick cover.

Beyond creating cover for players, Azami's gadget offers players a brand-new defensive option in Rainbow 6 Siege. Using her Kiba Barrier, holes on any surface can be easily patched, including on ceilings, giving players protection against enemies attacking from both above and below. Of course, Azami can also be countered by other operators, specifically any equipped with grenade launchers. Her Kiba Barrier gadgets can be destroyed by either a single explosion or three melee attacks.

Regardless of counters, Azami is likely to be an extremely impactful character on Rainbow 6 Siege's new map, Emerald Plains. Set in Ireland, the map takes players to a manor that's been renovated into a country club, complete with a large, open first floor and compact second floor. Outside of the main building, it also seems like players will be able to fight in a small courtyard and stable.

Along with new content, Rainbow 6 Siege's upcoming season will also add some substantial gameplay changes. Along with Team Deathmatch becoming a permanent addition to the game, Attacker Repick is also coming to each game mode, both ranked and unranked. As its name implies, Attacker Repick will let Attackers change their Operator during the preparation phase of any match, letting teams change their strategy as a game goes on.

Ubisoft hasn't revealed a release date for Demon Veil yet, but players can get in on the action starting today. Test Servers for the game are currently hosting an early build of Rainbow Six Siege's next season for players to try out.