Ubisoft did it again. Blitz, Rainbow Six Siege’s favorite flash shield-wielding German, has a new set of eyes. This marks the second time in just three months that developers have ripped the eyeballs out of Blitz's portrait and slotted in a new pair, and it’s really starting to have a toll on the guy.
Ubi’s strange fascination with Blitz’s peepers started back in August when the test server for Operation Grim Sky began. As hardcore players swarmed the test server to check out Siege’s newest operators, they spotted this subtle change to Blitz's character art. Insignificant yet unsettling, the minor tweak became a running joke in the community.
Blitz’s neutral angry expression, one that conveyed an intensity and preparation for the operation ahead, was gone. In its place was the expressionless, empty gaze of New Blitz’s undead husk. In his transition to Grim Sky, he had succumbed to the zombie virus and was lost to us all. The alteration raised some fun discussion on Reddit, but after several months of mourning and embracing of Zombie Blitz, I like to think we had moved on.
That is, until last week. When the test server for Siege’s next season, Operation Wind Bastion, began, I almost didn’t believe it, but they had done it again.
Ubi might have cast some sort of resurrection ritual to make him appear alive again, but something isn’t quite right. This Blitz is different… like something has snapped within him. His original expression said “I’m ready for action,” but Blitz 3.0 says “I’m going to squash you like a bug and enjoy it.” If he was hiding a chilling smile beneath the mask, I wouldn’t be surprised. "This isn't even his final form," joked one Redditor. "The face when you remember the pizzas still in the oven," wrote another.
So that’s where we are now, with a new “snapped” Blitz. It’s pretty clear that his morphing appearance is linked to his new (and admittedly awesome) Panzerstärke elite skin. The first change to blue eyes was likely in preparation for the new cosmetic, but the newest change is likely a reaction to the feedback following Zombie Blitz. The elite skin released last Thursday, but had to be pulled from the store later that day due to a bug that would cause players to crash after equipping it. In a statement on the game’s subreddit, Ubi said they’ve begun issuing refunds to affected players for their $15 worth of R6 credits. The skin will appear back in their inventory once the issue is fixed, this time free of charge.
Blitz wouldn’t be the first time an operator’s appearance has been altered to match the unmasked version introduced in their premium skin. After the release of Doc’s Trench Medic skin that gave us a better look at his true face, his normal model was updated with dramatically darker skin and different eyes beneath his mask to match.
It’s a sign that Ubisoft doesn’t see their original designs as final and is more than willing to tweak them as new lore develops, especially the ones whose faces are usually hidden. If recent leaks are to be believed, Glaz is receiving a similar facelift in the near future. Just please, not in the eyes.
