After initially being teased on February 12, players were treated to a first look at Rainbow Six: Siege’s new operators, Iana and Oryx, during the Operation Void Edge reveal at the Six Invitational.
Operation Void Edge is kicking off what’s set to be a massive year for Rainbow 6 in 2020, with two new operators, major gameplay changes, as well as a whole new look Oregon all going live on February 17.
Iana and Oryx were announced as the two new operators on February 12, confirming leaks in the lead-up to the game’s hallmark event, the Six Invitational, about the future of Siege.
New operator: Iana
Iana is a two-speed, two-armor attacker from the Netherlands, utilizing holograms as her gadget. Her Gemini replicator spawns a clone of herself, which can walk around the map as she would move usually.
However, there are a few drawbacks to her hologram. She can’t shoot from it, and she’s also left in a vulnerable state on the map when she’s controlling it. It will also be destroyed by a single tick of damage, including Maestro’s Evil Eyes, electrified barbed wire, and even Mute jammers block it.
It’s a good resource to use for scouting though, much like a drone. She can walk through defender gadgets without triggering them, and while she can’t ping them, she alerts teammates to what’s ahead once they start attacking the bomb site.
New operator: Oryx
Oryx is far less subtle with his movements. The two-speed, two-armor defender from Jordan is all about making a ruckus, barging through walls to open up new sightlines and surprise attackers.
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His Remah Dash gadget allows him to break soft walls and barricades, as well as knock over any enemies in his path. However, if he runs into an un-reinforced wall, he will take ten damage, and will be unable to shoot for about a second, leaving him vulnerable to enemy fire.
Oryx also has the ability to jump up through open hatches, making him the ultimate roamer to catch attackers off-guard from any angle. With a choice of shotguns in both primary (SPAS-12) and secondary (Bailiff .400), taking one is essential to getting the most use out of him.
Oregon map rework, and more
Year 5 Season 1 for Rainbow 6 isn’t all about the new operators though. The Oregon rework will be released, with a remodeled basement making way for new strategies. There will also be new rotations through the attic and office tower, with the map being more open as a whole.
Lesion and Twitch have also received slight gameplay changes. Lesion’s Gu Mines will no longer deal damage on impact, instead doing six damage for every tick.
Twitch’s drones will also do one damage instead of 10 to enemies, but she can recharge shots throughout the round, making it useful all game to clear enemy gadgets.
Barricade debris will also be a thing of the past after the Year 5 Season 1 update. Debris will no longer block line of sight, instead smashing into smaller pieces when players melee or shoot at windows.
Operation Void Edge for Rainbow 6 will be playable on February 17.
