A new Rainbow Six Siege season has begun, and with it comes a dramatic change that’s set to alter your matches forever. With the news of Ubisoft’s XDefiant shutdown, eyes are now back on its most successful multiplayer FPS. As it looks to boost matchmaking pools and cut down wait times, the developer has finally introduced crossplay to R6 Siege, meaning PC and console players can team up or compete. The long-requested move comes alongside updates to anti-cheat, and a rework for operator Blackbeard.
Rainbow Six Siege Year 9 Season 4 is titled ‘Operation Collision Point,’ and has a raft of tweaks to look forward to. The tactical shooter remains a strong contender among the best FPS games on PC, blending the intensity of Counter-Strike 2’s asymmetric single-life format with a roster of definitive characters that each bring a unique dynamic to the battlefield. As Ubisoft announces that its Call of Duty contender XDefiant is shutting down, it delivers a fresh Siege patch to reaffirm that the Rainbow Six game is still alive and well.
In the new update, Blackbeard has been reworked to feel “more strategic and empowering,” using his new adaptive Breach Shield to “break soft walls while maintaining optimal cover both on foot and in rappel.” That should make him a little more versatile and a strong option to lead the charge for his team. Shields overall have been nerfed, meanwhile, with a reduced bullet count to suppress shields and a decrease to guard break intensity.
The biggest change, however, won’t be a gameplay one, but rather the introduction of crossplay. With this adjustment, PC players will be able to team up with those on consoles, and you’ll see both player types in matches, making the matchmaking pool larger and hopefully resulting in shorter wait times.
Alongside this comes a new update for Ubisoft’s MouseTrap anti-cheat measures. The focus is on targeting “cheaters using input-spoofing devices,” and Ubisoft says that matches where cheaters are detected will now be instantly canceled.
Rainbow Six Siege Year 9 Season 4 is live now. You can find the game on Steam, the Epic Games Store, the Xbox PC app, and Ubisoft Connect. It’s also available as part of Microsoft’s game library for PC Game Pass subscribers.
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