The Rainbow Six Siege Solar Raid update will bring many new features and several major system overhauls. And while it may not feature the most exciting new operator, quality of life changes and the advent of Ranked 2.0 could revive interest in a long-standing multiplayer game.
Join us as we talk about all the key changes, including ranking update, new operator and map, changes to operator speed rating, new elite skins, drone customization, crossplay, battle pass update and much more.
Rainbow Six Siege Solar Raid update
Operation Solar Raid release date
Rainbow Six Siege Operation Solar Raid release date - 6 декабря 2022 года. As usual, there will be a test server running for a few weeks before that.
New operator Solis
The new operator in Rainbow Six Siege is Solis. She is a two-speed defender with two armors and a gadget that allows her to detect attackers' gadgets through walls. This gadget operates in standby mode, and when you use it, you cannot shoot or perform other actions.
Solis can choose between P90 and ITA 12L as primary weapon and SMG-11 as secondary. Her secondary gadget can be chosen between impact grenades and a bulletproof camera.
When Solis activates her gadget, only she can see the opponent's gadgets, but if you hold the F key on a specific gadget, you can scan it so that it is marked for the rest of your team as well.
You can also learn more about this new operator in our overview: New operator Rainbow Six Siege Solis - IQ, but on the defensive
New Nighthaven Labs Map
A new map for Operation Solar Raid, Nighthaven Labs, will appear in all playlists. This map is located on a remote tropical island where the Nighthaven faction does all of its research and development. The exterior spaces are bright and sunny, while inside you will find state-of-the-art designs and very clear sight lines.
There is one bomb shelter in a small basement, two bomb shelters on the first floor and one on the second. The basement is described as small and compact, with few outside entrances, while the main feature of the ground floor is a podium that wraps around the ground floor storage area. There are only five stairs connecting the three floors, plus plenty of external entry points, so expect good navigation.
The new map, like all new maps in the future, will be banned during the debut season.
2.0 Rating
Rating 2.0 will finally appear in Y7S4. The new system eliminates most of the traditional components of the current ranking system, such as placement matches and the MMR lock that prevents you from queuing with friends. In the new system, each player starts at the lowest rank - Copper V - and works their way to the top by playing matches.
Rank is changed by gaining or losing ranking points, and each division requires 100 ranking points to advance. MMR is now defined as "mastery", and while it does not determine your ranking, it does affect how quickly you gain and lose ranking points. Mastery is a hidden value in all playlists and carries over to new seasons.
There are now eight ranks that can be achieved, and each of them - with the exception of Champion - has five divisions. For each new division you reach, you will unlock an additional reward that is awarded at the end of the season. These could be keychains, operator backgrounds, alpha packs or even skins.
Reputation system
Although the reputation system has been in the game for several weeks, it has been hidden from view. With the release of Operation Solar Raid, the system is moving into beta, and there are a few new features worth checking out.
Now you can find out your reputation level in the game. There are five levels of reputation, which are divided into three categories. From lowest to highest - Disgraceful, Destructive, Distinguished, Respected and Exemplary. The first two categories are negative, “Respected” is neutral, and “Respected” and “Exemplary” are positive.
Although some punishments are already in place, the full list of punishments and rewards depending on your position will appear in the 8th year.
Crossplay and cross-progression
PC players will finally be able to play with Luna players... yes. Cross-play and cross-progression will appear in Solar Raid, but their impact is very limited for PC players who will be able to play with Luna players.
For console players who can finally play with friends on all Sony and Microsoft consoles, the impact will be much greater. There is an opt-out feature in the game settings menu if you don't want to play lobbies with other consoles, but this should cut down on queue time a lot. This includes legacy consoles as well, so Xbox One and Series S and X players will be able to queue up with PS4, PS4 Pro, and PS5 players.
Cross progression also means linked accounts will now share a pool of Renown and R6 Credits.
New battle pass
Similar to the new Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 battle passes, the Solar Raid Battle Pass in Rainbow Six Siege will allow players to choose their own path, so if you want to get all the cosmetic items for your favorite operator first, you won't have to go through the entire pass.
The new system rewards you with a Battle Token for every level you complete, which you can spend on your chosen tile. It looks like you'll still have to follow some established paths, but there's a bit more freedom here.
Premium Pass holders continue to enjoy all the exclusive benefits as before, including in-store discounts, early access to new carriers, and exclusive pass rewards.
QB anti-cheat
This feature has already been launched for PC players, but it looks like Siege will finally have a new anti-cheating initiative called QB. There are no details on how this system works or if it is active at all, but it's something.
Elite skin Iana 2B
This has been known for a long time, but the elite skin Iana 2B will appear in the Rainbow Six Siege Operation Solar Raid. Another elite skin will be released this season, but it is not yet known what that skin will be.
Operator movement speed changes
ADS movement speeds will be adjusted for every Operator in the game, so if you're aiming down the scope like Ash, you'll move as fast as Rook. This change is intended to make firefights more predictable and reduce the advantage of three-speed operators in combat. This does not affect other movement speeds.
Along with this change, Dokkaebi and Sens will become three-speed operators, and Wasp will become a single-speed operator.
Drone customization
Skins for drones are already ready and will gradually begin to be distributed in the coming months. The first drone skin to appear in the new Battle Pass is a green skin dedicated to the new Ghosts faction, but other skins will appear in the store and in seasonal events.
