Rainbow Six Operation Demon Veil patch notes: All Y7S1 changes

The Rainbow Six Operation Demon Veil patch notes have been revealed, with more changes coming in Y7S1 including Azami, the Goyo rework, and attacker repick. Nerfs to Melusi and Thunderbird are also on the cards among other changes: here’s the full list.

Rainbow Six Year 7 is kicking off with a bang in Operation Demon Veil. The first patch right out of the gate introduces a bunch of long-awaited changes, including the Goyo rework and attacker repick.

There’s a host of new content too with defender Azami coming on launch as well as the Emerald Plains map coming mid-season.

Ubisoft has dropped the patch notes for Operation Demon Veil with the full list of changes coming in the first Y7S1 update, and we’ve compiled them below.

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Contents

• New defender Azami
• Attacker repick details
• Goyo rework goes live
• Thunderbird & Melusi nerfs
• Camera rework hits Valkyrie, more
• Full patch notes

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What’s new in Operation Demon Veil?

New defender Azami

As per usual with every new season release in Rainbow Six, there’s a new Operator joining the roster. It’s back-to-back defenders for Team Rainbow as Azami brings her Kiba Barriers to help patch up attacker breaches from all angles in Siege.

• Read More: What’s included in Rainbow Six’s Year 7 Pass?

The Japanese Operator, inspired by bodyguards and private security, brings elegance to the battlefield. Plus, her Kiba Barriers are the first form of vertical denial in Siege, helping defenders stop attackers from getting free reign on top-down takes. Find out more about Azami in our guide.

Attacker repick added to all game modes

It’s been months in the making, but Ubisoft is finally pulling the trigger on attacker repick in Operation Demon Veil. Attackers will be able to change their Operators during the prep phase right up until the final three seconds.

“Attacker Repick is meant to help emphasize the importance of intel-gathering for Attackers, and ultimately broaden the selection of viable operators and strategic choices available when on the offensive,” Ubisoft said.

It will be available in all game modes, from Quick Match to Ranked and even Pro League. However, the developers are monitoring whether it tips the scales too heavily into the attacker’s favor given defenders can’t change their Operators and don’t have the Six Pick anymore.

Goyo rework removes his Volcan Shields

Goyo’s long-awaited rework is coming to Rainbow Six in Y7S1. The Mexican defender has fallen out of favor for some, with his Volcan Shields sometimes proving to be more of a curse than a blessing for defenders.

• Read More: When is crossplay coming to Rainbow Six?

Instead of making yourself vulnerable to blowing yourself up behind cover, Goyo will now have more flexibility in where he can place his gadget. The Volcan Shields are no more, instead getting four individual canisters to place on surfaces.

The new canisters have bulletproof casing that prevents it from being shot from some angles. It will also be more focused on area denial with the flame duration increased to 20 seconds, but will deal less damage.

Thunderbird & Melusi nerfs hit top players

Balancing-wise, two Operators are getting hit with nerfs in Operation Demon Veil. Melusi and Thunderbird have both become staple picks, and despite plenty of nerfs to the former she’s still the second-most popular defender behind Valkyrie (also getting nerfed, more on that later).

Melusi’s Banshee gadget will now open more quickly ⁠— within 0.75 seconds ⁠— making it easier to shoot and destroy. Thunderbird’s Kona Stations will also no longer heal full-health allies, reducing their ability to “overheal” then swing into a fight.

Both of these changes are designed to hurt top players without affecting the majority too much.

Camera rework finally goes live

After going live then being disabled very quickly in Operation High Calibre, Ubisoft has ironed out the kinks with the defender camera rework and will be shipping the changes in Operation Demon Veil.

• Read More: How to claim Rainbow Six Prime Gaming rewards

Mozzie, Echo, Valkyrie, and Maestro cameras will automatically disable after being outside for 10 seconds, meaning they won’t be feeding info back to the defenders. This especially hurts Valkyrie players, who have been throwing Black Eyes outside for extra intel for years.

You can still gather intel quickly with those 10 seconds, but no longer will you have to hunt for defender cameras pinging you outside in the final moments of a round.

Operation Demon Veil went live on March 15, 2022. You can find the full patch notes below.

Rainbow Six Operation Demon Veil patch notes

Operator Balancing

Goyo

• Changed Volcán Shield to Volcán Canister, which no longer has a deployable shield.
• Volcán Canister can now be used as a deployable gadget on grounds and walls.
• Volcán Canister has a bulletproof casing, protecting it from certain angles.
• Reduced Volcán Canister explosion damage and destruction.
• Increased Volcán Canister fire duration to 20s (from 10).
• Increased number of Volcán Canister charges to 4 (from 2).

Kali

• Removed movement speed penalty from the CSRX 300.

Melusi

• Reduced opening & closing time to 0.75s (from 2).

Thunderbird

• Kona Stations only heal if the player is below 100% health.

Valkyrie

• Black Eye cameras can be accessed while they are still in the air — however the video feed does not begin until they attach to a surface.

Zero

• ARGUS cameras can be accessed while they are still in the air — however the video feed does not begin until they attach to a surface.

Gameplay reworks

Attacker repick

• All Attackers can change their Operator and loadout in addition to spawn location during Preparation Phase.
• Attacker Repick is available in all modes.
• Sixth-Pick and Reveal Phase are removed from Custom Match settings options.

Outdoor cameras and drones

• Defenders’ cameras (from Valkyrie, Maestro, and Bulletproof cams) and Defenders’ drones (from Echo and Mozzie) placed outside disconnect 10 seconds after being placed.

Sights and scopes

• All weapon sights have been renamed and reorganized.
• All weapons get all sights of their given optical levels (weapons previously without 2.5x do not receive 2.5x sights).
• Replaced all instances of Low Red Dot with High Red Dot to minimize vision obstruction.

Tweaks and improvements

Elite customization

Customizable Ability Skins

• Players are now able to choose between different ability skins that they own as long as they are both owned and belong to the same Operator.

Game health

Griefing and Players Disconnecting

• Harmful gadgets no longer damage players if the player who threw them disconnects, preventing toxic players from exploiting disconnections to grief and avoid sanctions.

Map Rotations

• Added Chalet map and removed Bank map from the Newcomer playlist.

Match Replay

Replay compatibility

• Replays are now compatible through the entire season and will not be deleted when patches or hotfixes are released.
• Replays will be available to play back until the final day of the season.

Player comfort

Melee Animation

• Knife melee animation changed from a slash to a stab motion to match in-game hit detection.

Gadget and Ability Models

• Updated the model of Ela’s Grzmot Mine to display an LED when armed that matches the player’s Team Colors choice.
• Changed the model of the Breach Charge to display an LED that matches the player’s Team Colors choice.
• Updated the model of the Bulletproof Camera to better support last season’s gameplay rework of Bulletproof Cameras (camera rotation and EMP burst).

Speech to Text

• New option to enable Speech to Text functionality added to the Options menu.

Operator Models

• Improved the facial animation rigs, shaders and meshes used on current and future Operators.

Match Timer

• Match timer will now display times with milliseconds included during the last 10 seconds of the Action Phase.

HUD Adjustment in Support Mode

• Added ability/gadget status to player portrait when spectating in Support Mode and removed KDA.

Bug fixes

Gameplay

• FIXED – Camera is zoomed out while aiming down sights with the Reflex B sight equipped.
• FIXED – Entering Observation Tools will default to security cameras if one of a player’s Observation Tools was picked up or destroyed.
• FIXED – Unable to pick up some devices that are deployed into small spaces.
• FIXED – Camera goes out of bounds if watching a kill cam when the end of round replay begins.
• FIXED – Windows don’t break when deploying a device on a barricade.
• FIXED – After spawning, crosshairs can sometimes remain visible while aiming down sights.
• FIXED – Camera goes out of bounds for Attackers in support mode when the last Attacker is eliminated and there are no Observation Tools on their team.
• FIXED – Bulletproof Camera EMP burst disables electronic map objects for 15 seconds instead of 6 seconds.
• FIXED – Bulletproof Camera EMP burst can destroy fragile map objects.
• FIXED – Crosshairs of the Reflex B sight are obstructed by the iron sights of various weapons.
• FIXED – Defuser disappears if an Attacker picks up the defuser and disconnects between Attacker lock and the start of the Action Phase.
• FIXED – SPAS-15 shotgun has no reticle for some non-magnifying sights.

Level design

Bank

• FIXED – Valkyrie’s Black Eye doesn’t lose signal when thrown onto the garage door outside at EXT Garage Ramp on Bank map.

Coastline

• FIXED – Ceiling decals in 1F Blue Bar aren’t destroyed when destroying the floor in 2F Billiard floor on Coastline map.
• FIXED – Valkyrie’s Black Eye loses signal on the ceilings of various second floor rooms on Coastline map.

Favela

• FIXED – Players can defuse the same bomb site twice to win a Training Grounds match on Favela map.

Kanal

• FIXED – Valkyrie’s Black Eye doesn’t lose signal when thrown outside onto the bottom of 2F Upper Bridge on Kanal map.

Outback

• FIXED – Azami’s Kiba Barrier can allow players to get inside the shark on Outback map.

Theme Park

• FIXED – Valkyrie’s Black Eye loses signal at 1F Yellow Corridor drone vent on Theme Park map.

Tower

• FIXED – Ace’s S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher activates when deployed on the indestructible floor in 1F Lounge on Tower map.

Operators

• FIXED – Ace’s S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher has no SFX when equipped and held.
• FIXED – Aruni’s MK14 EBR is missing Muzzle Brake from weapon barrels.
• FIXED – Bandit’s Shock Wire can’t be deployed on a reinforced hatch when another device is in the center of it.
• FIXED – Incendiary bolts from Capitão’s Tactical Crossbow don’t disappear when Capitão disconnects.
• FIXED – Caveira’s SPAS-15 Reflex C sight is incorrectly attached to the weapon.
• FIXED – Flores’ RCE-Ratero Charge floats midair when affected by Mute’s Signal Disruptor while jumping.
• FIXED – Activating Flores’ RCE-Ratero Charge changes the Observation Tool that an Operator was viewing.
• FIXED – Fuze’s AK12 is missing Scope 2.0x from weapon sights.
• FIXED – Fuze’s Cluster Charge can be deployed on an angle where a reinforced and indestructible wall meet.
• FIXED – Defenders lose the round and Goyo gets a Friendly Fire penalty if an Attacker moves the hostage near a Volcán Canister and disconnects after deploying a device to destroy the canister.
• FIXED – IQ’s Electronics Detector can detect Azami’s Kiba Barrier when the kunai is the environment but undeployed.
• FIXED – Bullet impact visuals appear on both of Maestro’s Evil Eyes when only one is shot.
• FIXED – Maverick’s Breaching Torch is unable to breach a reinforced wall when an Operator’s shield is pressed against the other side.
• FIXED – Melusi’s Banshee detects Operators through Azami’s Kiba Barrier.
• FIXED – Osa’s Talon-8 Shield remains visible if it’s destroyed by Maverick’s Breaching Torch during deployment.
• FIXED – Pulse’s Cardiac Sensor can’t be unequipped after a player equips it and immediately swaps to a gadget.
• FIXED – Tachanka’s DP27 has no reticle when aiming down some non-magnifying sights.
• FIXED – Defenders lose the round and Wamai gets a Friendly Fire penalty if an Attacker moves the hostage near Wamai’s MAG-Net and disconnects after deploying a device to destroy the MAG-Net.
• FIXED – Ying is unable to vault while holding a Candela.
• FIXED – Zero’s SC3000K has access to Scope 2.5x A in weapon sights.

User experience

• FIXED – Some unique ability previews are missing during the Preparation Phase.
• FIXED – Privacy Options can be reset to default while the player is in the middle of a match.
• FIXED – “View Fullscreen” button doesn’t work for unique abilities and victory celebrations when selected using a mouse.
• FIXED – Duplicated pop-ups for Team Deathmatch can appear on game launch.
• FIXED – The Home section background is sometimes replaced by a black screen after exiting the Notifications section.
• FIXED – The last Operator eliminated at the end of a match doesn’t appear eliminated on the scoreboard.
• FIXED – Team Deathmatch playlist pop-up appears before the intro cinematic finishes.
• FIXED – Players can join an in-progress Team Deathmatch match when there is less than 2 minutes left in the round or when 3/4 of the total eliminations has been reached.
• FIXED – Long delay between the end of a Custom Local Team Deathmatch match and when the MVP starts.
• FIXED – Player usernames aren’t display during the MVP of a Team Deathmatch match.
• FIXED – Screen resolution slider for Display options can become unresponsive.
• FIXED – Crash occurs when multiple players repeatedly switch Operators while the lobby is paused by the host.
• FIXED – Various UI issues.
• FIXED – Various localization issues.
• FIXED – Various customization issues.
• FIXED – Various VFX and SFX issues.
• FIXED – Overall game performance.

Match replay

• FIXED – Gunshot audio replays every time a Match Replay is rewound.
• FIXED – Player isn’t returned to the Watch section at the end of a match replay.
• FIXED – Match Replay experiences long loading times when transitioning between rounds if the rewind and pause buttons are pressed repeatedly as the round ends.
• FIXED – Match Replay recordings aren’t created for Testing Grounds matches on the Test Server.
• FIXED – Various Match Replay camera issues.