BLOOD ORCHID PATCH NOTES

✦AI summary1mo

The Blood Orchid update focuses on massive technical infrastructure improvements, lighting overhauls, weapon damage standardization, and significant gameplay quality-of-life changes for both Attackers and Defenders.

Images © Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege via Steam

▲Buffs4

HibanaX-KAIROS:Streamlined net object handling to reduce desync between Host and Local authority, fixing pellet placement and visual errors.→Improved
Smoke GrenadesSmoke Grenade:Smokes are now completely opaque and replicated identically across all clients for maximum reliability.Translucent→Opaque
WeaponsVarious:Increased magazine counts for a wide variety of weapons, including AR33, 417, and P90.→+1 to +4 mags
AttackersDrones:Attackers can now deploy a second drone without destroying the first, allowing for better scouting and intel retention.1→2

▼Nerfs7

General
- Crosshairs no longer turn red when hovering over enemies, requiring players to visually spot them.Red on enemy→No color
- Enemy ID now only triggers via successful scans (drones, cameras, etc.) rather than just looking at them.Visual trigger→Scan trigger
JägerRemoved ACOG sight to prevent high-speed defenders from challenging attackers at long ranges too effectively.Available→Removed
BanditRemoved ACOG sight to prevent high-speed defenders from challenging attackers at long ranges too effectively.Available→Removed
Smoke GrenadesSmoke Grenade:Reduced smoke grenade count to 2 per operator due to the increased strength of the new opaque smokes.Default→2
Barbed Wire
- Made barbed wire easier to walk through to reduce its dominance in the defensive meta.→Faster
- Reduced the number of hits taken when crossing barbed wire.→-1 hit

✚Bug fixes2

GeneralAligned first-person camera position with third-person eyes to prevent being killed by unseen opponents.
Kafe DostoyevskyFixed shield vault exploit allowing defenders to spawn kill at Control Room and Server Room windows.Active→Fixed

◆Other changes13

General
- Deployed new servers to improve stability, connectivity, FPS, and reduce rubberbanding.→Upgraded
- Reworked exposure handling on all maps to reduce bloom and improve visibility when looking inside/outside.→Reworked
- Implemented image-based HDR skies for better ambient lighting and overall quality.→HDR
- Updated the shading model to improve reflection quality and glossiness of materials.→Updated
- Bullet tracers and hit indicators now follow the actual bullet trajectory from the camera rather than the muzzle.Muzzle-based→Camera-based
Weapons
- Assault Rifles:Standardized damage fall-off for Assault Rifles to start at 25m and end at 35m.Variable→25m-35m m
- DMRs / LMGs:Standardized damage fall-off for DMRs and LMGs to start at 25m and end at 40m.Variable→25m-40m m
- SMGs / Machine Pistols:Standardized damage fall-off for SMGs and Machine Pistols to start at 18m and end at 28m.Variable→18m-28m m
- Pistols:Standardized damage fall-off for Pistols to start at 12m and end at 22m.Variable→12m-22m m
Kafe DostoyevskyReworked textures and meshes to optimize memory usage and streamline performance.→Reduced
Ranked / Casual
- Reduced Ranked map rotation to 9 maps matching the Pro League selection for a more competitive environment.Full→9 Maps
- Reduced Casual map pool to 15 maps to lower the learning curve for new players.Full→15 Maps
- Deactivated the Map Preference system for all PvP multiplayer.Active→Disabled