Shield operator interactions are about to get some important improvements in Year 8 of Siege

Shield operators have long been a source of frustration in Rainbow Six Siege, a tactical shooter where one-shot headshot is considered a great equaliser between the various attackers and defenders.

Thanks to tactical shields in front of operators like Montagne, Blitz, Fuze, and Clash, these operators can often make engagements very frustrating for defenders. What’s worse, shield operators can also absorb 66% (or two-thirds) of damage dealt by a C4 if it detonates right in front of them. Impact grenades are often also not enough to bring a hero shield operator down to zero.

Fortunately for Rainbow Six Siege players, Ubisoft is well aware of these frustrations and is actively working on changes to improve the player experience when it comes to shield operators.

Slated to arrive in the final in-game season of the year sometime in December, Year 8 Season 4, the changes are slated to make playing against and with shield operators more fun.

Soon, shield operator players will now be able to look to the side while still being able to keep their shields pointed ahead of them.

Additionally, your gun will stay behind the shield -- so hipfiring while having your shield up is gone. Additionally, you will reload your weapon behind the shield, too.

Not only that, you can deploy your secondary gadgets like smoke grenades behind the shield.

Recent balancing decisions by Ubisoft have led to a strong improvement in the player experience, which was a deliberate move according to Ubisoft creative director Alexander Karpazis. The shield operator changes will thus be more of the same in a Year 8 which is aimed at improving the tactical feel of Rainbow Six Siege, so stay tuned for more information as it comes.