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Rainbow Six Siege's Year 11 and Operation Silent Hunt are just around the corner. During the Six Invitational 2026, Ubisoft went through all of the changes that will be implemented in the game in the upcoming year, and the announcements have hyped the Rainbow Six Siege community.
From the addition of 1v1 playlist to the arrival of new operators, new maps, and even Black Ice variants, Rainbow Six Siege's upcoming year seems to be a promising.
However, let's keep our feet on the ground, one step at a time. Here's a look at the Designer's Notes for Operation Silent Hunt, the next season of Rainbow Six Siege!
Solid Snake
Solid Snake will be released to Rainbow Six Siege on March 3, 2026, with the launch of Operation Silent Hunt.
The Metal Gear Solid attacker will have access to an improved version of Twitch's F2 as the weapon will have access to all available grips, making recoil easier to control. Players who still don't want to use the F2 will be able to equip the PMR90A2 Marksman Rifle. Solid Snake's secondary weapon is brand-new as Ubisoft will release the TACIT .45 pistol, which has an integrated supresor and reflex sight.
Logically, what makes Solid Snake a special operator is his ability, which is divided into two. First, Solid Snake has access to the Soliton Radar MKIII, a device that allows him to see the position of enemies and gadgets located nearby. The radar gives him valuable information that he can share with his teammates.
At the same time, Solid Snake will be able to pick up secondary gadgets left on the ground by dead attackers. Whilst he can't bring gadgets from his own loadout, this ability will allow Solid Snake to create unique gadget combinations, securing important devices even when his teammates aren't alive anymore. So, if your Thermite dies earlier in the round, Solid Snake will be able to equip the two smoke grenades left by the hard breacher.
Operator balancing changes
Here's a look at all of the operator balancing changes that will be made in Operation Silent Hunt:
Flores
Flores will be able to equip Ying's T-95 LSW. This LMG is one of the strongest weapons in the game, meaning the Argentinian attacker will now be a strong option to pick and could even change the meta in some maps.
Skopós
Skopós is the operator that will change the most in Operation Silent Hunt. Ubisoft will transform Skopós into a three-speed, one-health operator, making it easier to roam with the defender.
Skopós' V10 Pantheon Shells have also been upgraded, as Ubisoft have tweaked the transfer, activation, and swap times. Here's a look at how they have changed:
- Transfer time: Reduced to 1.3 seconds (from 1.5)
- Activation time: Reduced to 1.3 seconds (from 1.5)
- Swap cooldown: Reduced to 0.5 seconds (from 3)
Additionally, Ubisoft have given Skopós the ability to open holes on soft walls with the robotic arm, similar to Aruni. Now, the Greek defender can easily open rotations, making it a good asset to bring.
F2
As mentioned above while talking about Solid Snake, Ubisoft announced that the F2 will get all of the grips available in Rainbow Six Siege, making the weapon to be easier to control for all players in the community.
Ballistic Shields
Ballistic shields are suffering another nerf in Operation Silent Hunt as shield operators won't be able to break through full health barricades. This will logically have an impact on shield plays, especially rushes into specific bomb sites.
The operators affected by this change will be Montagne, Blitz, Blackbeard, Fuze, and Clash.
Alibi
Alibi's Prismas have been improved so the tracking lasts longer, as the last ping won't be removed when the debuff finishes.
Amaru
Amaru has been given an extra Garra Hook charge, going from four to five. This is likely one of the most pointless buffs in Rainbow Six Siege's history, but we appreciate the thought, Ubisoft!
Ela
Ela's Grzmot Mines concussion time has been extended from seven to nine seconds. This will give Ela more time to capitalize and secure a takedown.
Ying
The flash duration of Ying's Candelas has been upgraded from 1.4 to 1.6 seconds. Was a Ying buff really needed?
Observation Blocker
The Observation Blocker is a gadget that barely anybody uses. It can be useful in certain operator combinations, especially when playing Maestro or Jäger, as you want their utility to be hidden from enemies as long as possible.
To encourage players to use the Observation Blocker, Ubisoft have reduced its deployment time from 2.5 to just 1 second.
For more information about Rainbow Six Siege and its esports scene, make sure to check out Siege.GG.