‘Rainbow Six Siege’ reveals Azami, a new map and the return of Team Deathmatch

Ubisoft has revealed what’s coming in Year 7 Season 1 (Y7S1) of Rainbow Six Siege, including a new operator called Azami, a defender who can fix damage to map environments.

Announced today (February 19), Azami’s gadget is a throwable device that applies circular bulletproof cover wherever it hits. As demonstrated by Ubisoft, this allows her to patch up damage to walls, hatches and doorways that have been breached by attackers.

Players can choose either a 9x19VSN submachine gun or ACS12 shotgun when playing Azami, and her loadout also includes a D-50 handgun. In terms of extra equipment, Azami can use barbed wire and an impact grenade.

According to creative director Alex Karpazis, Azami took the team at Ubisoft over a year to create. Elaborating, Karpazis said this is because she is “one of the most complex operators we’ve ever had to make.”

Azami is an anchor that will perform best when positioned close to the objective, and will work well with other operators – such as Mira and Bandit – who also have gadgets that influence a map’s environment.

On the other hand, her bulletproof barriers can be destroyed by explosives – meaning operators like Zofia, Ashe and Flores are all solid counter-picks.

Outside of the new operator, Ubisoft has also confirmed that Team Deathmatch (TDM) and Attacker Repick are both returning in YS71. Specifically, TDM will launch as a permanent game mode this season and will receive more maps further down the line.

Rainbow Six Siege is also getting a new map this season, which will be set in Ireland. A older manor that’s been converted into a country club, the ground floor has a more modern aesthetic while the upstairs has kept the building’s more rustic elements.

In other news, Rainbow Six Extraction has revealed its first new Crisis Event, a challenging wave-based mode called Spillover.