No longer limited to placing 1 trap per door/window frame.
MELUSI
Added Bulletproof Camera (removed Nitro Cell).
ORYX
Reduced Dash refresh time to 8 seconds (was 12 seconds).
WAMAI
Increased number of Mag-NETs to 6 (was 4).
Reduced catching area of effect to 3.5 meters (was 5 meters).
TWEAKS AND IMPROVEMENTS
PLAYER COMFORT
Performance Metrics
PC users can now display real-time performance metrics in the HUD such as FPS, latency, and NVIDIA-related metrics. This feature can be turned On in the General section of the Options menu.
BUG FIXES
GAMEPLAY
FIXED – Attacker is removed from the match if they injure a hostage that is later revived and eliminated by a Defender. FIXED – Ammo counter flashes red after switching weapons. FIXED – The G36Cs rail reduces visibility when the Red Dot is equipped. FIXED – If a player is reconnecting, round doesn’t end when the last opponent is eliminated. FIXED – "Join Party" option is not functional in the Ubisoft Connect overlay and client. FIXED – Rim lighting is applied to Operators on the victory screen. FIXED – Muffled sound is heard on some weapons. FIXED – Defenders can vault on top of an unreachable location and secure a win for their team in the Doktor’s Curse Event. FIXED – The attacker’s hammer animation freezes and loops without collision when holding down the trigger button in the Doktor’s Curse Event.
LEVEL DESIGN
FIXED – Bar shadow at 1F Bar disappears when viewed from trapdoor in 2F Library Entrance on Chalet map. FIXED – Asset and collision issues on Bank map and Kafe Dostoyevsky map. FIXED – The light of the wall cladding located at 3F Lounge disappears when LOD lowers when viewing it from 3F Casino on Yacht map. FIXED – Player is unable drop the defuser on the roof above 2F Billiards Room on Coastline map.
OPERATORS
FIXED – Kapkan is not receiving 20p for each activated trap.
USER EXPERIENCE
FIXED – Various UI issues. FIXED – Various localization issues.
In this latest edition of Designer’s Notes, we’ll go into more detail about the balancing changes that’ll come with the Y6S3.3 patch and give you an insight into the reasons behind these changes.
For more information on all the updates, changes, and content that launched as part of Crystal Guard, check out the seasonal patch notes here[www.rainbow6.com].
BALANCING MATRIX AND TOP OPERATOR BANS
WIN DELTA VS. PRESENCE
Please note that we are using presence to gauge the popularity of an Operator. This notion had to be introduced to reflect the implementation of the pick & ban.
Presence definition: pick rate of an Operator when not banned. Win Delta: The Win Delta is aggregated from Operator’s Win Deltas per Bomb Site.
OPERATOR BAN RATE
OPERATOR BALANCING
CASTLE
Increased Armor Panels to 4 (was 3).
Reduced melee hits required to destroy a Armor Panels to 9 (was 12).
Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.
At their core, Castle’s Armor Panels represent one of the most quintessentially "Siege" Operator abilities – reinforcement is in Siege’s DNA. While they’ve served him well over the years, we felt his stock was a little limiting, especially with such a clear counter in Sledge.
Starting each round with one additional Armor Panel, this is expected to change how Castle approaches each map and encourage more creativity in their placement. Now, he’ll be able to employ more complex defense setups and stand out as a more effective anchor pick, while feeling less of a sting if there’s a Sledge on his case. Of course, this increased utility can’t come without a small price – namely that it will take less melee hits to break each panel. Given the amount of time and effort required to destroy one of these with even the reduced value, we feel this is a more than fair tradeoff for the increased defense these barricades bring to the table.
CLASH
Added Super Shorty (removed P-10C).
Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.
Clash, say hello to the Super Shorty shotgun! With a pick rate of only 3%, the P-10C hasn’t been seeing much use in Clash’s loadout. Given that she already has a machine pistol at her disposal, we wanted to introduce a weapon to her kit that offers a different option from what she already has.
The Super Shorty will open up more gameplay options and utility for Clash, lending well to her up-close-and-personal style of play.
KAPKAN
Number of Entry Denial Devices per door/window frame no longer limited to 1.
Population targeted by this change: Casual.
If one Entry Denial Device on a door is a fun surprise, what would you call five EDDs? In an effort to spice up Kapkan’s gameplay, he can now place a greater number of traps on doors and window frames, both increasing their active coverage and possible damage output.
It should be noted that while he is no longer limited to one trap per door or window, the deployment space on each will still have a limit depending on their size. This means that while windows are capable of housing fewer EDDs than doors, they can still be stacked on either side of the frame, including on the inside and outside to maximize explosive impact. Triggered traps on a given frame will then explode in unison, dealing 60 damage each. For reference, depending on armor, you can expect three or more traps to be lethal (or just about).
This is expected to open up quite a few more options for creativity when locking down a site as Kapkan. Now, Attackers will have to contend with more unpredictability when facing him, as trapped doors can go from being a mild inconvenience to a full frag real quick. This should also make his ability function more logically, as given its size, it makes sense that attaching multiple traps to a single surface should be possible.
While you’ll never come across a round with this many EDDs, this should help illustrate just how stacked windows and doors can get with Kapkan’s rework
MELUSI
Added Bullet Proof Camera (removed Nitro Cell).
Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.
Even after the recent rework to her Banshee, Melusi continues to be a strong Operator. In particular, her win rate continues to trend upward. In order to tone down her fragging potential and focus in on her intel side, we’ve replaced her Nitro Cell with the Bullet Proof Camera.
This, combined with the set-it-and-forget-it intel-gathering capabilities of her Banshee will help to better define Melusi’s role in matches outside of seemingly being able to do it all. She’s an intel gatherer at heart and this should help to increase the utility value she brings to matches at the expense of some of her frag power.
ORYX
Reduced Remah Dash charge refill time to 8s (was 12s).
Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.
As some of you may remember, we tweaked Oryx’s Remah Dash in Y5S2.3, which included an increase to the time it took to refill charges. While the other aspects of the tweak have worked well since then, we’ve decided to roll back the charge refill time.
Charging around as Oryx is one of the main things that sets him apart, so we want to make sure players are able to make the most of this mobility. After all, waiting around to smash through an unsuspecting wall is no fun, so get ready for less downtime and more wanton wall destruction.
You can expect some more tweaks to Oryx in the future as well. His ability to climb through hatches is key to his gameplay identity, but it’s a little slow at the moment. We’re working on a solution to speed this up slightly, but it will take more time, so stay tuned.
WAMAI
Increased max Mag-NET System to 6 (was 4).
Reduced Mag-NET System catching area to 3.5m (was 5m).
Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.
Similar to Oryx, we’ve decided to roll back a change to Wamai from Y5S4 and tweak him slightly to account for this. We’ve heard your feedback about wanting a more viable alternative to Jäger and his ADS, and hope that by increasing Wamai’s total Mag-NETs, this will increase his map control.
To account for the 50% increase in total Mag-NETs, their catching area has been decreased, which is expected to make their placement more predictable and easier to spot for Attackers. While this will temper their effectiveness slightly in larger environments, when used in the tighter confines of many maps, players are unlikely to notice a huge difference.
WEAPON BALANCING
MX4 STORM
Increased Mx4 vertical recoil.
Population targeted by this change: Casual, Pros, and Top Ranked.
Please note that recoil simulations shown are representative of recoil on PC without attachments.
Approaching Y6S3.3, Alibi has one of the three highest K/D ratios (1.26) of all Operators when equipped with her Mx4. In an effort to give it a little more kick and require a little more finesse to effectively handle and secure frags with, we’ve increased its vertical recoil. As you can see from the above recoil comparison, the change will require some re-adjustment from players, but should still be manageable to handle.
P10 RONI
Reduced P10 Roni magazine to 15+1 (was 19+1).
Total ammo:
PVP – 181
Hardcore – 121
PVE – 196
Increased vertical recoil.
Increases first kick recoil.
Population targeted by this change: Casual, Pros, and Top Ranked.
Please note that recoil simulations shown are representative of recoil on PC without attachments.
Similar to Alibi above with the Mx4, Mozzie also has one of the highest K/D ratios (1.26) with the P10. While Aruni’s K/D isn’t quite as high, the power and precision of the P10 has helped to make her already-stacked kit – from the strong utility of her Surya Gates to her passive which allows for the creation of infinite rotation holes – a force to be reckoned with. To help bring both Operators back in line with their fellow Defenders and encourage some more experimentation with their loadouts, the P10 is getting a nerf to its recoil and magazine.
In its pre-Y6S3.3 state, the P10 had an extremely tight pattern that made it extremely effective, as proven by Mozzie’s impressive K/D. While its vertical recoil has increased, when compared to the updated Mx4 above, the updated P10’s recoil should still be slightly easier to manage. It should still represent a strong pick for both Operators, but we also hope that it will open the door to more experimentation with Aruni’s MK 14 and Mozzie’s Commando. Plus, with the P10’s magazine reduction, players will want to make sure they have a solid bead on their opponents before firing, as they’ll have less bullets to fall back on.
GADGET BALANCING
HARD BREACH CHARGE
Increased gadget amount to 2 (was 1).
Affected Operators: Montagne, Buck, Fuze, Capitao, Amaru, Nokk, Ying, Zero
Population targeted by this change: Casual and Top Ranked.
When we introduced the Hard Breach Charge a year ago, the intention was to give Attackers more versatility and approach options – something we’re happy to say it achieved, especially in lower ranks. One thing we’ve noticed, though, is that this flexibility is sometimes hindered by its single use. This can dissuade creative or risky plays in favor of choosing the safe option, so we’ve added another HBC to the applicable Operators’ loadouts.
We expect this to encourage more creative uses of the gadget, whether it’s for creating an additional rotation or tying in some more vertical play.
—
Try out the latest Rainbow Six updates on the Test Server and earn an exclusive charm through the Bug Hunter Program[rainbow6.com].
Follow us and share your feedback on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook[www.facebook.com] and on our forums[forums.ubi.com].
For additional information and further details on the changes listed below, please see our Y6S3.2 Designer’s Notes.
Y6S3.2 PATCH SIZE
Below you will find the download sizes for each platform.
Ubisoft Connect: 1.40 GB
Steam: 1.2 GB
TWEAKS AND IMPROVEMENTS
PLAYER COMFORT
Scoreboard – Visual Improvements
Reduced overall size and improved readability.
Performance Metrics
PC users can now display real-time performance metrics in the HUD such as FPS, latency, and NVIDIA-related metrics.
This feature can be turned On in the Options menu, and players can choose between Minimal and Advanced Metrics.
BUG FIXES
GAMEPLAY
FIXED – When one player downs a teammate and another player eliminates the teammate, the player who downed them will be removed from the match. FIXED – Muffled sound is heard on some automatic weapons.
LEVEL DESIGN
FIXED – The player can get stuck between the barrels and garbage bags at EXT Teacups on Theme Park map. FIXED – Multiple issues with planting or picking up the defuser in specific areas on various maps. FIXED – Rappel exploit allows players to reach location that should be inaccessible on new Coastline map. FIXED – Various LOD issues on Yacht and Tower maps.
OPERATORS
FIXED – Game crashes when Mira’s Black Mirror is ejected while an active Cluster Charge is attached to it. FIXED – Pulse’s Cardiac Sensor appears to be stuck on the "Connecting…" screen when a player views Pulse in Support Mode. FIXED – Animation is missing when player tries to exit rappel with Osa’s Talon-8 Shield equipped. FIXED – Player is able to exit rappel with Osa’s Talon-8 Shield equipped.
USER EXPERIENCE
FIXED – Various UI issues. FIXED – Shield skins are not previewed in 3D in the Weapon Skins category of the Shop. FIXED – Thumbnails for shield skins are missing from the Battle Pass purchase side-panel. FIXED – C4 turns white on the new Nitro Cell model. FIXED – Various localization issues. FIXED – Round timer shows incorrect time remaining on Stadia. (Hotfix delivered to PC and Luna last week.)
An unreleased melee weapon from 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has been revealed, and it’s far from a traditional weapon. Discovered from Twitter user ModenasHD, the melee weapon is a busted-up cinderblock that would have surely packed a punch in the game.
In the video below, you can see the cinderblock in action, as the player whacks it against a wall. There appear to be two main animations, one swinging from the side and one slamming it down from top to bottom. The inspect animation is also pretty slick and finished-looking, showing the soldier wiping it clean and peering through its two openings.
Another video shows the cinderblock in action, including its brutal finishing move. In one of the animations, the player whips the block down onto the enemy, breaking their leg and splitting the cinderblock in two. The other half is then used to finish the foe for good. You can watch both videos below.
OK, we found something big today. Unreleased and cut “melee weapon” from #ModernWarfare Let me introduce you the “Cinder Block” with attack animation and inspect! 🤯🤯 ❤️ – 🔁 pic.twitter.com/yV3PNYMcZI
It’s unclear how this melee weapon was discovered and why it was never released in Modern Warfare. As mentioned, it certainly looks to be in a polished state. There could be any number of reasons why the cinderblock was never released or if it was ever even planned for release.
Activision Blizzard is facing pressure to improve its working conditions amidst lawsuits and other probes about gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Recently, the company agreed to pay $18 million to create a fund to “compensate and make amends” to affected staffers, though the company denied any wrongdoing.
Have you ever looked at a Call of Duty map and wondered what it might look like constructed entirely out of Lego? Neither have I, but it turns out the answer is that it looks pretty cool. The folks at Diamond Lobby have designed eight epic Lego builds based on some of the most iconic Call of Duty maps, and we only wish they existed in real life.
While theoretically these Lego maps are possible to build, these ones have been constructed using the Bricklink Studio 2.0 software, with the help of designer Evghenii Loctev. In case you did want to try building one yourself, each map also includes what it would cost if you bought all the bricks in the build–though Diamond Lobby warns that some bricks used are rare and therefore pretty expensive.
The images include eight iconic maps: Crash, Castle, Terminal, Firing Range, Rust, Nuketown, Slums, and Raid. Of all the maps that have been recreated, Crash would be the cheapest to actually build at $1340 for the 2167 bricks required. The most expensive is Terminal, with the giant plane requiring 18,043 bricks at a cost of $4,726.
Terminal is made up of 18,043 bricks and costs $4,726 to build. Image: Diamond LobbySlums is made up of 3,456 bricks and costs $1,591 to build. Image: Diamond LobbyRust is made up of 1,811 bricks and costs $1,810 to build. Image: Diamond LobbyRaid is made up of 14,152 bricks and costs $2,474 to build. Image: Diamond LobbyNuketown is made up of 5,953 bricks and costs $3,033 to build. Image: Diamond LobbyFiring Range is made up of 5,133 bricks and costs $1,988 to build. Image: Diamond LobbyCrash is made up of 2,167 bricks and costs $1,340 to build. Image: Diamond LobbyCastle is made up of 12,873 bricks and costs $2,508 to build. Image: Diamond Lobby
While these images make us dream of an official Call of Duty Lego set, the franchise seems to be licensed to Lego competitor Mega Bloks–though the rival toy company has produced a nice-looking Nuketown set.
After releasing the amazing SAU_SIEGE[rainbow6.com] and Sunstark [rainbow6.com]bundles in Y6S1 and Y6S2, we are delighted to continue our collaboration with Prime Gaming for the Community Artist Bundle Program in Y6S3 Crystal Guard!
With this program, we want to celebrate our amazingly creative and dedicated community artists and give them a chance to be represented in-game. Each chosen artist will have the opportunity to design a full set for an operator of their choice and the resulting bundles will become available during Year 6 and beyond.
Today, we are proud to present our next Community Artist Bundle: A Samurai and Oni – a type of yōkai, Japanese spirit – inspired set for Hibana, designed by FrAgMenT.
This Hibana Operator Bundle includes the FrAgMenT:
Uniform
Headgear
Weapon skin
Charm
HOW TO REDEEM THE BUNDLE
The FrAgMenT Operator Bundle will be available via Prime Gaming for a limited time, starting from Wednesday, September 22nd.
Prime Gaming members will be able to claim this exclusive set for free. If you’re not a Prime member yet, you can sign up for a free trial.
A Renown Booster is currently available from Prime Gaming until September 22nd when the FrAgMenT Operator Bundle will be live, so don’t forget to claim this too!
Here’s how you can get these Prime Gaming offers:
Link your Ubisoft and Amazon accounts here[primegaming.ubisoft.com].
Redeem the respective offer through Prime Gaming here[gaming.amazon.com].
Receive the content automatically in-game within 48 hours.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Before joining the Siege community, FrAgMenT was mostly known as a community artist for For Honor, which he continues to love, especially for its setting. In 2018, when FrAgMenT was a Ubisoft Star Player, he was contacted by Ubisoft Australia to draw Siege artwork. As this was his first time drawing tactical gear and modern elements, this was a new challenge for him. During this process, FrAgMenT gained an appreciation for this style of artwork, and along with the support of the Siege community, it led him to join the Siege Champions Program[rainbow6.com] along with other talented community members! FrAgMenT’s art is all about challenging perspectives and details while telling stories and bringing emotions into his artwork. But why Hibana? FrAgMenT wanted to introduce his passion for Japanese mythology and folklore in a well-fitting way. On top of being his favorite operator, Hibana felt like the perfect choice for his vision. The design is inspired by characters he’s created with some important elements: horns, a headband, and typical Oni colors. Don’t forget to follow FrAgMenT on Artstation[www.artstation.com], Twitter, and Instagram[www.instagram.com] to see more!
FAQ
What is the Community Artist Bundle Program? The Community Artist Bundle Program launched in Y6S1 and it brings operator bundles created by some of our most talented and dedicated Siege fan artists into the game.
I’m a Siege fan artist too – what can I do to get selected as well? Given the length of our production cycle for in-game content, the fan artists for Year 6 have already been determined. However, we are always on the lookout for future participants. If your goal is to see your bundle in-game, continue showing us your passion and strive to be an outstanding member of the Siege community. We have multiple ways for our dedicated community artists to get more involved with the game, such as the Siege Champions Program[rainbow6.com].
How can I get the Y6S3 FrAgMenT Operator bundle? Link your Ubisoft account with your Amazon account here [primegaming.ubisoft.com]and claim the Operator set through Prime Gaming[gaming.amazon.com] starting from September 22nd. After successfully redeeming the content, it will be available in your in-game inventory within 48 hours. Players must have Hibana available as an operator.
Can I buy the FrAgMenT Operator Bundle with Renown or R6 Credits as well? The FrAgMenT Operator Bundle is exclusive to Prime Gaming for a limited time only and can be obtained via the Prime Gaming offer as described above. Prime Gaming is included for free with Amazon Prime, and free trials are available for new users.
Will this offer be available on all platforms? Yes, it can be redeemed on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Amazon Luna, and Google Stadia.
How long will this offer be available? Following its release on September 22nd, you have one month to claim this offer via Prime Gaming.
I don’t see my rewards. If you’re having trouble redeeming your FrAgMenT Operator Bundle, please contact our support[support.ubisoft.com].
For more information about Prime Gaming, visit the Prime Gaming FAQ[www.amazongames.com].
The NPD Group’s report for August has arrived, shining a light on which games and consoles sold the best in the US during the month. The report also provides an overall snapshot of the health of the industry.
In total, consumer spending on games in the US during August 2021–spanning hardware, software, and accessories–jumped by 7% to reach $4.4 billion, which represents a new record high for spending in any August in NPD’s history. Total spending so far in 2021 rose by 13% to $37.9 billion compared to the first eight months of 2020.
Looking at hardware specifically, the Nintendo Switch was once again the best-selling platform in terms of total units sold, for August and the entire year so far. The PlayStation 5, however, generated more money in August and the year to date thanks to its higher price point.
Spending on hardware in August 2021 reached $329 million, which is up 45% compared to August 2020, and it’s the highest for an August month since August 2008 ($395 million). Over the first eight months of 2021, spending on hardware rose 49% to $3 billion.
Shifting to games, the month’s big new release, Madden NFL 22, was unsurprisingly the best selling game of August 2021. It also became the fourth best-selling game of 2021 so far. The NPD said this represents the 22nd straight year that a Madden game has reached the top of the charts during its launch month.
Ghost of Tsushima finished August at No. 2, rising from the 110th spot in July thanks to the launch of the Director’s Cut. Also of note, The Last of Us Part II jumped up the PlayStation-specific charts to finish 10th overall thanks to price cuts in August, and Humankind was the fourth best-selling game overall and the top-seller for PC during August 2021.
In terms of accessories, the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller was the top seller during August, while the PS5’s DualSense controller continues to be the highest-selling accessory for 2021 so far. In total, spending on accessories reached $164 million, which was flat compared to last August. Year-to-date, spending on accessories jumped 12% to $1.6 billion.
Top 20 Best Selling Games Of August 2021 All Platforms
Call of Duty fans are gearing up for the launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard and the new Warzone Pacific map this year, but what’s coming next? Insider Tom Henderson reported that Call of Duty 2022 is codenamed Project Cortez, and it will be a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare. Like that game, it’ll be developed by Infinity Ward, it seems. VGC’s own sources back up Henderson’s report.
The Modern Warfare sequel’s story mode will follow US soldiers going to war against Colombian drug cartels, according to the report. The Project Cortez codename may be a reference to the villain, Felix Cortez, from the 1994 Harrison Ford film Clear and Present Danger.
It looks like Call of Duty: 2022 is codenamed Project Cortez It’s expected to be a sequel to Modern Warfare 2019.
Given the usual three-year studio rotation, 2022 would be Infinity Ward’s turn to take the reins, following Treyarch’s leading effort on Black Ops Cold War and Sledgehammer for Vanguard. Infinity Ward making a sequel to 2019’s massively successful Modern Warfare reboot would be no surprise. Not only was the game a huge commercial success, but it ended with a very blatant set-up for the next Modern Warfare story.
Both Henderson and VGC have accurately reported on unannounced Call of Duty news many times in the past. However, Activision has not made any official announcements of the next big Call of Duty game, so nothing is confirmed at this stage. We have contacted Activision in an attempt to get more details.
Call of Duty: Vanguard and the new Warzone Pacific map are scheduled for release later this year. You can try Vanguard’s multiplayer this month through its beta tests on all platforms.
