While Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege sits one month into its first Year 5 expansion, Operation Void Edge, preparations remain underway for what comes next. The upcoming landmark update for Ubisoft's hit tactical shooter, currently referenced by its placeholder "Year 5 Season 2" moniker, marks the final adhering to the well-established seasonal structure of two Operators and a map rework. The remainder of 2020 updates will serve just one Operator as efforts shift toward ancillary systems, spearheaded by Season 3 this summer.
Ubisoft understandably remains tight on details surrounding its second Year 5 season, confirming Norwegian and South Africa nationalities via its Year 5 roadmap. The exact implementation of the Operators and their abilities remains a mystery beyond scattered rumors, with the most reputable referencing a defender capable of slowing foes and marking gadgets.
That leads to the recent appearance of two mysterious — and currently unannounced — gadgets in the pipeline, named the "S.E.L.M.A." and "Banshee." The names come via a JSON file hosted on the Rainbow Six Siege website, handling translations for player statistics. It's not the first instance of leaks via this data set either, previously the source of early Year 4 details.
The file features two newly added strings, "S.E.L.M.A. Detonations" and "Attackers slowed by Banshee." It suggests the former as an explosive attacker gadget, and referencing detonations over kills, appears to act as utility focused on breaching over lethality. The "Banshee" also ties into former talk of a gadget capable of halting attackers, seemingly operating as a barbed-wire alternative.
Ubisoft has previously discussed efforts to introduce alternate roles within the Rainbow Six Siege meta, best exemplified by Operation Shifting Tides, marking the arrival of Kali and Wamai. The duo provided alternatives to Thatcher and Jager, and while their impact on the meta fell short of expectations, further tuning will hopefully position both as valuable diversification of crucial roles.
Other circulating rumors have discussed what may line up with leaks, naming the new Operators as Philisiwe and Odin. While discussed ideas surrounding spider drones and "smart wire," we're yet to see further evidence backing up these initial claims, as Year 5 Season 2 approaches.
Year 5 Season 2 is on track for a May 17 unveiling, alongside the Pro League Season XI Finals headed to São Paulo, Brazil. It marks the last of updates featuring the usual Operator pairings, shifting to a single Operator, and exploring core features like the Tachanka rework and Replay Mode. Expect additional details over the coming weeks, with public availability slated for early June.
The Year 5 Pass unlocks the game's next six Operators, alongside exclusive in-game gear, progression boosters, and much more. With Rainbow Six Siege's Operation Void Edge update here, it provides all you need for 2020.
