The final season of Rainbow Six Siege Year 9 has been revealed, giving us an early glimpse of what’s coming in the December update, including the long-awaited Shield nerf. Notable updates in Operation Collision Point include:
Cross-play between console and PC
The big notable change in this update is that cross-play compatibility between console and PC opens up the matchmaking pool even more. Players can now party up with friends on other platforms, including PC, which was previously not possible. Players also have the option to limit the playlist pool if they don’t want cross-play turned on.
When it comes to cross-play, Ubisoft also said that the update will include related anti-cheat parameters, such as detecting PC players attempting to switch from PC to console-only platform pools.
The long-awaited shield nerf
Shields have been influencing the meta all year, and Ubisoft has vowed to put an end to it with this update. Shields have been nerfed across the board, making them less useful as offensive weapons. Shield melee attacks no longer deal damage, and Blitz smoke melee attacks are completely useless. However, your opponent will go down, but the instakill will be removed from the board.
Defenders are more likely to attack shield operators head-on with melee attacks and enhanced suppression. The more you melee with a shield operator, the more exposed and unstable the shield operator becomes, making it easier to defeat.
This nerf will make the shield more useful as a support tool rather than a full offensive tool. So no longer expect Blitz smoke to rush in or Montaigne to get impatient and secure the only path to the scene.
blackbeard rework
Once the shield nerf is applied, Blackbeard will be reworked to make it a more viable option for attackers.
Blackbeard is now given a new shield, instead of the small shield he had from Year 1 to prevent headshots, giving him even more protection than before. The shield has a glass panel that lowers down, allowing you to fire while in cover. It’s basically a wall panel with a gun in front of it. The shield also allows you to penetrate soft walls, making it easier to push into sights and create rotations.
The new rework allows Blackbeard to play a bigger role in invading destruction with a new shield and the ability to create breaches through soft walls.
Considering the shield nerf, adding a rework to Blackbeard is a very interesting move, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the combination of the two brings to the gameplay. Rainbow Six Siege has more updates coming with Operation Collision Point. Check out the public livestream below.
