With Operation Burnt Horizon chugging along at a steady pace, it's once again time to rigorously speculate about what’s coming next in the world of Rainbow Six Siege. Thanks to Ubisoft’s own teasers, we already know a lot about Season 2. But leaks from reputable sources reveal specifics about operator abilities, their names, and even a sneak peek at Season 3.
Ubisoft's teasers
Per the Year 4 roadmap panel from the Six Invitational, we know that Season 2 will feature a female Danish attacker and a defender from the U.S. Secret Service. Usually, that’s all the info we’d get for months, but Ubi didn’t stop there. After the release of the excellent cinematic short starring Dokkaebi and Thatcher, we were also introduced to the new “Six,” Harry. A few days later, Ubi posted a high-res render of Harry’s office from the short that clearly showcased the menagerie of information on the wall behind him. Fans quickly started picking apart the details and found a few hints at future content.
The biggest scoop was a hint at what the Danish attacker’s ability will entail. Apparently, she’s an “expert in covert reconnaissance and stealth tactics” and can “blend and adapt” to her environment. It was an exciting description, but it didn’t say much about what kind of stealth she employs.
We also got a teaser for a proximity alarm gadget. We first saw signs of this gadget in the game’s code almost a year ago, when it was called the “audio alarm.” The code showed signs that the alarm could stick to any surface, similar to Ela’s Grzmot mines. I speculated that this was a primary gadget for an operator, but the high-res render reveals that it’s actually a secondary gadget, like a claymore or deployable shield.
It’s unclear whether the alarm is meant for attackers or defenders, but my best guess is attackers. With Gridlock and Nomad, Ubi has been focused on giving attackers better tools to counter roaming. The proximity alarm would be a good way to cover your flank without picking a dedicated operator for the job.
Reputable leaks
Usually, it’s wise to take leaks with a grain of salt, but this info is looking solid. Kormora, the same ResetEra tipster who accurately called the abilities of Gridlock and Mozzie, has returned to drop info about Season 2. In two separate posts, Kormora shares the supposed abilities and operator names for our new Danish and Secret Service friends.
According to their source, the Danish attacker is named Nökk. She's invisible to cameras and has a silent step-like ability similar to Caveira. The Secret Service defender is named Warden, and his special gear “bypasses [the effects of] flashes and smokes.” Since Maestro came out last year, Siege has seen a bigger focus on camera-based intel at the highest levels of play. A direct counter to that norm is enticing, but pairing that with softer footsteps is incredibly strong.
In the same way that Nökk is combining the stealth abilities of Caveira and Vigil, Warden seems to borrow from Glaz and Ying’s immunities to smoke and flash grenades. This makes him the only defender that can counter a smoke grenade or candela with aggression instead of avoidance. There was no mention of what kinds of weapons they will carry or which speed classes they fall into.
This information is all consistent with what I’ve been told independently by a source familiar with Year 4’s operators. According to them, both Nökk and Warden’s abilities work on cooldowns, so they can’t be spammed at any time. Operator names and abilities are all subject to change before release, but this does give us a good idea of what Season 2 will look like.
Other stuff worth knowing
- Kormora’s source also shared a brief teaser for the Season 3 attacker, saying that defenders “will now have a good reason to reinforce hatches on the same floor as them.” This is consistent with how the attacker has been described to me. I’m told they carry a grapple hook that lets them quickly climb up through hatches or rappel up to windows. Sounds terrifying and fun.
- We know there won’t be any brand new maps in Year 4, but a significant rework for the Kafe Dostoyevsky map is coming in Season 2. The changes looks big enough that it could fill the map-shaped hole in our hearts.
- The much loved Pick & Ban ruleset is coming to Ranked in Season 2. A new Ranked Hub will better explain the rules of Ranked, show rank standings among the population, and rotate maps in and out of the mode.
