Operation Silent Hunt is Rainbow Six Siege’s Year 11 Season 1, released March 3, 2026. Its headline addition is attacker Solid Snake, alongside modernized maps, a new balance-update cadence, operator and gadget changes, and a limited-time online 1v1 Arcade mode. Dual Front was also in its final season, with removal scheduled for the start of Y11S2.
What’s in the Y11S1 patch notes?
Ubisoft’s season notes cover Solid Snake and his Metal Gear Solid-inspired event, updates to Coastline, Villa, and Oregon, changes to operators and gadgets, and adjustments to playlists and systems. The season page describes the announced Y11S1 changes and schedule; it does not establish that every listed rotation or limited-time mode remains active today.
Ubisoft’s roadmap lists Operation Silent Hunt as released on March 3, 2026. See the Rainbow Six Siege roadmap and the Operation Silent Hunt season notes.
What does Solid Snake do in Siege?
Solid Snake is an attacker with Intel and Front Line specialties. His kit centers on gathering information with the Soliton Radar Mk. III, then using equipment scavenged from fallen Operators through On-Site Procurement (OSP).
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- Soliton Radar Mk. III: Shows nearby hostile threats on a minimap. Precision mode pinpoints threats, but alerts those enemies that Snake has detected them.
- On-Site Procurement: Lets Snake collect secondary gadgets from fallen Operators.
- Primary weapons: F2 or PMR90A2.
- Secondary weapon: TACIT .45.
- Gadget choices: Frag, Stun, Impact EMP, Smoke, or Breach Charge.
That radar trade-off matters: standard use provides nearby-threat information, while precision mode offers more exact targeting at the cost of revealing the detection to the enemy. Ubisoft’s Solid Snake operator guide lists his role and equipment.
Which maps and modes changed?
Map modernization
Coastline, Villa, and Oregon received modernized versions with updated graphics and lighting, new destructible elements, and an overall health pass. The notes describe presentation and environmental updates, not a wholesale replacement of those maps.
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- Alternate between attack and defense, adapting your approach to operators and maps. Feel the thrill and intensity of the action as you leverage next-level destruction and gadgetry to outsmart your opponents in every round.
- Destruction is more than chaos: it is a key tool for your success. Use the environment to your advantage – turn walls into windows of opportunity.
- Engage in intense 6v6 battles, where attackers and defenders fight side by side and push to capture enemy sectors while defending their own.
- Access to Ranked and Siege Cup is unlocked at level 50. Dual Front mode is not supported on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Ranked map rotation
Ubisoft announced separate season-start and midseason rotations. These are the planned Y11S1 changes, not a reliable description of the live Ranked pool at a later date.
| Timing | Maps leaving | Maps joining | Announced pool detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season start | Kanal, Skyscraper, Theme Park, Outback | Emerald Plains | Ubisoft said the pool decreased from 16 maps to 13. |
| Midseason | Coastline, Villa, Oregon, Emerald Plains | Skyscraper, Theme Park, Stadium Bravo, Favela | Announced as the replacement rotation during Y11S1. |
Limited-time 1v1 Arcade
A public online 1v1 mode in Arcade was scheduled for April 16–30, 2026. It used the Bomb ruleset and settings and maps inspired by content creators and popular Custom Game presets. That date range was the announced availability window; the notes do not establish whether the mode returned afterward.
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- all 8 Operators from year 1 (Frost, Buck, Valkyrie, Blackbeard, caveira, capitao, Hibana and Echo)
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What balance changes did Silent Hunt introduce?
Ubisoft said Year 11 would use four balance updates per season, released every three weeks and alternating between major updates and smaller updates. The stated Y11S1 focus was entry-fragging and roaming. This describes the publisher’s intended cadence and design focus, not an independent assessment of the changes’ effects.
| Operator, item, or system | Y11S1 change | Practical context |
|---|---|---|
| Skopós | Shells gained Aruni-like melee destruction; speed increased from 2 to 3 and health decreased from 2 to 1. Shell idle, activation, and swap timings were reduced. | The shells became faster and quicker to operate, but less durable. |
| Flores | T-95 LSW added as a loadout option. | An additional primary weapon choice. |
| F2 | Vertical, Angled, and Horizontal grip options added. | Expanded attachment choices for the weapon. |
| Shield Operators | Can no longer dash through undamaged barricades. | Restricts one way of forcing entry through intact barricades. |
| Observation Blocker | Deployment time decreased from 2.5 seconds to 1 second. | Shorter deployment window. |
| Ying | Candela cluster-flash duration changed from 1.4 to 1.6 seconds. | Longer flash duration. |
| Ela | Grzmot concussion duration increased from 7 to 9 seconds. | Longer concussion effect. |
| Amaru | Gained a fifth Garra Hook charge. | One additional use of the gadget. |
These notes identify specific mechanics and values; whether a change is beneficial depends on the matchup and how the operator or gadget is used.
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- Switch between attack and defense and adjust your approach to operator and maps. Feel the thrill and intensity of action as you outsmart your opponents in every turn with destruction and top-class equipment.
- Transform your surroundings into impregnable fortresses in defence. Use surveillance devices to track opponents and adapt to their tactics.
- Collect information on enemy positions and bomb location when attacking with your drones. Coordinate with your team to break through defenses and attack from unexpected angles.
- Destruction is more than just chaos: it is an important tool for your success. Use the environment to your advantage - turn walls into affordable occasions.
- The Rainbow Six Siege - Elite Edition includes access to all game modes, including "Rank" and Siege Cup, as well as the instant unlock 16 additional operators
Is Dual Front being removed?
Yes. Ubisoft described Y11S1 as Dual Front’s final season and scheduled the playlist’s removal for the start of Y11S2. It also said technology developed for Dual Front would be incorporated into Siege. A final assignment and exclusive rewards were offered during the final season.
What else was updated?
The season page also listed Replay-control and free-camera updates, additional secondary gadgets for Dual Front Operators, Operator price decreases, and training and onboarding additions. These were not all universal gameplay changes: the additional secondary gadgets applied to Dual Front Operators, while training changes concerned onboarding and training playlists.
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- Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege Deluxe Edition is optimized for next gen (up to 4K and up to 120FPS).
- The Deluxe Edition includes: the full game (all maps and modes)
- All 8 Operators from year 1 (Frost, Buck, Valkyrie, Blackbeard, caveira, capitao, Hibana and Echo)
- All 8 Operators from year 2 (Jackal, Mira, lesion, ying, ela, zofia, dokkaebi and vigil)
- Dive into explosive 5v5 gameplay, High stakes competition, and thrilling PvP team battles..Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege features an ever-expanding experience with limitless opportunities to perfect your strategy and help lead your team to victory
What do the Y11S1 addendum fixes cover?
Ubisoft’s March 2026 Y11S1 Patch Notes Addendum records fixes made during the Season Test Server. Examples include corrections to Solid Snake’s OSP pouch highlighting and alliance color, his knife animation, missing enemy icons or field-of-view cones in radar precision mode, and radar floor-detection behavior. The addendum is a test-server fixes list, not a complete record of every launch or later live-game fix.
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