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After reaching a major milestone of 10 years since its launch, Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Siege isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Instead, they’re shaking things up with a surprise addition that fans weren’t expecting but will gladly welcome. Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid will officially join the team as the next operator in Operation Silent Hunt.
This isn’t the first time characters from other series have appeared in RS6, with the game having previously featured skins such as Master Chief and Lara Croft, with Sam Fisher joining as a full operator. However, this is the first time that an operator from outside the Ubisoft universe appears in the game.
Solid Snake’s abilities are very interesting and introduce a minimap for the first time in the game. This is probably the first time I’ve been interested in a new operator that shakes up the game a lot.
With 3 speeds and 1 armor, the Snake character is perfect for team information as the gadget can detect enemies within a radius and their directional view. The game also features MGS’s iconic “!” Send a ping notification when this happens and add some fan service to your character.
However, the new gadget has some drawbacks: detected enemies will know that they have been detected and will have a limited radius. Properly handled, the Solid Snake is perfect for locking down roamers such as Cavs and hard anchors in the field.
Snake’s iconic .45 is introduced as a new secondary weapon in the series. A semi-automatic pistol with a built-in suppressor is as synonymous with Solid Snake as David Hayter’s unmistakable voice, which brings the operator to life. Solid Snake can also receive utility on the map from dead operators, giving him additional options to equip Nade, Smoke or Stun to adapt – this is the characteristic trait of the Intruder himself.
Solid Snake as a fast and agile operator would be an interesting addition to the current meta as it would give buffs to operators like Skopos who try to lock down Snake – as a player who loves roaming – I actually fear Snake’s ability to shut down players like me and would like to know how to get around it. Although my time to test Snake was limited, he is the most interesting operator in recent times in my opinion, so I’m really eager to add him to the current roster.
Ubisoft doesn’t stop there, calling this update the “Metal Gear” season. Dual Front, a mode intended to give beginners a non-hardcore approach to Siege, is sadly being phased out. But before we leave the mode, we’re planning a big Metal Gear themed overhaul with characters like Meryl and Gray Fox, so expect a full lineup of skins for your favorite Metal Gear characters. Honestly, this is a nice send-off for a mode that didn’t get much attention from the community.
Starting with Y11 S1, R6 Siege will receive four updates per season focused on content balancing and drip-feeding that drives the series’ live service motif. Season 1 will offer a full Metal Gear themed drop, but will also add a limited-time 1v1 mode where players can challenge friends or random players online. This was extremely popular among the R6 Siege streamer community.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride over the many seasons of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, but the game continues to move forward with greater emphasis on community feedback. For a title that has been running this long, listening to the players is extremely important, especially when looking to the future. Collaborations like Metal Gear Solid raise interesting questions. Is a crossover event the next evolution of Siege? It certainly feels like a natural fit, but I’m curious to see what other doors this opens. Only time will tell.
The author traveled to Paris as a UBISOFT guest for the Rainbow Six Siege YEAR 11 preview event
