Rainbow Six Siege X announced

Publisher Ubisoft and developer Ubisoft Montreal have announced Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X, what they’re describing as a “new era” for the tactical shooter.

While details are scant, Rainbow Six Siege X was announced with a mere teaser – a full reveal is planned for the Rainbow Six Siege X showcase on March 13th.

Considering the age of the base game and the timing of the announcement, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X appears to be a new and overhauled release of the game. Rainbow Six Siege has been available since 2015 for Windows PC (via Steam), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

Here’s a rundown on the new content, plus a 10 year cinematic trailer and a teaser for the new release:

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X Announced

A new era of Rainbow Six Siege will be revealed on March 13 at the Siege X Showcase. A teaser shown during the championship weekend of the Six Invitational offered glimpses of the biggest transformation in the game’s history, including graphical and audio upgrades, deepened tactical gameplay, and new ways to play the game. Tune in live for the showcase on March 13 at 10AM PT / 7PM CET on the Rainbow Six Siege Twitch channel, and learn more about how you can attend the event in-person in Atlanta, GA.

New Operator Rauora

Year 10 of Rainbow Six Siege will also kick off soon with the launch of the first season: Operation Prep Phase. A new Operator named Rauora will join the Attackers and use her D.O.M. Launcher to deploy bulletproof panels in doorways, helping her team reshape the battlefield and dictate the flow of combat. Rauora will be available at the start of the season with the Operation Prep Phase Battle Pass, and unlockable two weeks later with Renown or R6 Credits.

Rauora’s Loadout and New Secondary Weapon

Rauora hails from New Zealand and brings a powerful pair of primary weapons into the fray: the 417 designated marksman rifle or the M249 light machinegun. As her secondary weapon, she packs the GSH-18 9mm pistol or the new Reaper MK2 machine pistol. The Reaper is equipped with a red dot sight and an extended magazine, making Rauora very dangerous indeed in close quarters combat. Smoke grenades or breach charges round out her kit.

The D.O.M. Launcher

Rauora’s gadget is the Deployable Omnilink Mesh (D.O.M.) Launcher, a bulletproof smart cover system that deploys exclusively in doorways. When Rauora takes aim at a doorway, an on-screen icon indicates when she has a valid target and can fire the gadget. Once the projectile reaches the door, it attaches and deploys a bulletproof panel that reaches all the way to the ground. This is unusual for Siege as there is usually room for drones to pass underneath barricades, but the smart cover panel can sense when a drone is nearby; it will then lift the panel slightly and allowing the drone to pass through before fully closing once more.

With her bulletproof barriers, Rauora is able to block enemy lines of sight and obstruct their movement, and she can deploy them relatively safely from range. But what if she and her allies want to get through? There’s a rectangular trigger at the top of the panel that appears on both sides of the door. The trigger remains locked unless any Operator comes near it, at which point it will unlock and open. If someone shoots the trigger, then the panel door will open. If the door is open and you shoot the trigger, it closes.

Both Attackers and Defenders can interact with the panel to open or close the barrier, but the attacking team does have a few advantages. First, when the panel is first deployed or has just closed, the trigger locks Defenders out for a short time; their presence will not open it, only the Attackers’ will. Second, the door operates significantly faster when triggered by an Attacker. These two tactical timing advantages give Attackers the power to dictate the pace around the panels, hopefully catching their enemies off-guard.

Whether you’re walling off doors for cover as your team enters the building, closing down flanking routes as you advance on site, or fortifying your post-plant defenses, Rauora’s ability to act as a one-woman renovation team can have a profound impact on the flow of combat. Team her up with Ying or Fuze, and her panels can help you pack a real punch.

Keep in mind that they are bulletproof, but not explosion-proof. Or Oryx-proof. They can’t knock a Castle barricade out of place, and they can’t work properly under the influence of Tubarão’s Zoto Canister. Even Jäger’s ADS can stop them before they get started, so be smart about how and when you deploy them.