Ubisoft has revealed the details for Rainbow Six Siege’s upcoming Operation Deep Freeze. The new season will introduce Portuguese operator Tubarão, a unique defender with a cryogenic gadget. It will also bring a new map, AI playlist, input customization, and a whole tons of new features.
New Defender Tubarão Disrupts Attackers with Cryogenic Canisters
The headline addition in Operation Deep Freeze is Tubarão, Rainbow Six Siege’s next defender. Hailing from Portugal, Tubarão comes equipped with the Zoto Canister, a gadget that freezes surfaces and disables enemy gadgets.
Tubarão can anchor a site or roam, using the canisters for both vertical and horizontal gameplay. The gadget releases an area of effect that slows down opponents and renders many of their devices useless.
This provides strong plant denial and disrupts coordinated attacker executes. Tubarão pairs well with Bandit, Mute, Pulse, and other trap operators. Maverick can still breach frozen reinforcements, but most other attacker gadgets are nullified.
For loadouts, Tubarão can choose between the MPX and semi-auto AR-15 DMR as primary weapons. The P226 MK25 is a reliable secondary pistol. Players can bring Nitro Cells for vertical play or Proximity Alarms to watch flanks.
New Map Lair Set in a Military Cave Facility
In addition to the new operator, Operation Deep Freeze will introduce Lair, a unique new multiplayer map. Lair is set inside a huge cave that houses a secret military base.
The sprawling natural caverns and metallic buildings make for interesting gameplay, with both tight corridors and long lines of sight. Verticality is a key factor, with multi-level buildings and light shafts throughout the cave.
As Rainbow Six Siege’s 26th multiplayer map, Lair brings a distinct new environment that’s sure to shine in competitive play.
Reputation System Launching with Grace Period
Operation Deep Freeze will also mark the full launch of Rainbow Six Siege’s Reputation System, which aims to curb toxicity in the popular tactical shooter. The system tracks player behavior and assigns reputation levels that affect matchmaking and sanctions.
Ubisoft says they will have an initial grace period to monitor the system and make adjustments based on player feedback. This smart rollout should help polish the reputation feature into an effective moderation tool.
Check out the Operation Deep Freeze reveal in the video below.
New AI Playlist for Versus Training
Players will soon be able to practice against AI enemies in a new dedicated playlist. The initial Versus AI offering will feature bomb defusal in Clubhouse versus defender bots.
The AI enemies are designed to emulate player strategies and teamwork. There will be two difficulty options to choose from. This presents a more dynamic alternative to lone training modes, helping players sharpen skills and coordination.
Input Customization for Full Controller Remapping
Operation Deep Freeze will also introduce full input customization for controllers. This includes comprehensive button remapping as well as additional options like trigger sensitivity and stick dead zones.
This change fulfills a long-requested quality of life feature. Players can truly personalize their control scheme, which is especially valuable in a competitive tac shooter like Rainbow Six Siege.
Interactive Map to Improve Battle Pass Navigation
Along with the major additions, Ubisoft has some quality of life improvements planned. The Battle Pass navigation will get an interactive map to make progression easier to parse.
Removal of Situations and T-Hunt
To focus resources on the new AI playlist, training grounds, shooting range, and map run learning tool, Ubisoft will be removing Situations and Terrorist Hunt from Siege.
These modes have waned in popularity as the competitive PvP offerings have expanded. The tradeoff bolsters new training options for dedicated players.
Grenade Changes Incoming
Operation Deep Freeze will also overhaul one of Siege’s most powerful weapons. Frag grenades will no longer be cookable, though they retain high damage for area denial. This change aims to reduce the frustration of getting killed by cooked grenade throws.
New Cosmetic Marketplace Lets You Buy and Sell Skins
Finally, for customization enthusiasts, a new cosmetic marketplace will allow players to buy and sell weapon skins, even ones no longer available in the shop. This player-driven economy creates new opportunities to collect rare skins.
Operation Deep Freeze Release Date
The season launches November 28 on the Test Server and live servers later in the year. Check out the Rainbow Six Siege website for more information.
