When is Rainbow Six Siege Steel Wave's release date?

Rainbow Six Siege Steel Wave makes its arrival this June, featuring new Operators Ace and Melusi.

Best answer: Rainbow Six Siege Operation Steel Wave is expected to see a June 16, 2020 release on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. While Ubisoft is yet to provide a formal launch window, the update is scheduled to release one week late, amid a shift to working from home. However, for access to new Operators Ace and Melusi at launch, you'll need the latest Year 5 Pass.

• Early Operator access: Rainbow Six Siege Year 5 Pass ($25 at Amazon)

Operation Steel Wave soon hits Rainbow Six Siege

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege receives Operation Steel Wave this June, the next milestone update headed to Ubisoft's hit tactical shooter. The latest multiplayer refresh melds alloy with water, introducing two recruits, diversifying the Operator roster through hard-breaching and trap abilities. That comes alongside the House map rework, the first of Ubisoft's casual-oriented map revisions, improved with new visuals and balancing adjustments.

New Operators Ace and Melusi headline the forthcoming additions, as the latest duo enlisting alongside the counterterrorism elites, with new abilities in tow. The update makes the final to include two specialists, with remaining Year 5 plans (and beyond) committing to just one Operator, as focus shifts to additional features.

Ace brings the hydraulic SELMA charge, the Norwegian search and rescue veteran turned hard breacher, as the latest to accompany Thermite, Hibana, and Maverick. South African defender Melusi boasts a new proximity-based gadget, slowing enemies by emitting a soundwave and offering a bulletproof alternative to barbed wire.

Steel Wave also marks the House rework's arrival, bringing sizeable renovations to the beloved multiplayer map. While a Rainbow Six Siege staple, first featured during the game's E3 2014 reveal, its small floorplan and restricted movement saw the locale side-lined for most Year 4. The House rework tackles these complaints through a new visual palette, expanded layout, and other changes. However, unlike past reworks, Ubisoft tailors House to the casual audience, with no plans for an Unranked and Ranked arrival.

New balancing changes also debut with Steel Wave, making adjustments to Amaru and her grappling hook ability. The update reduces her recovery time upon landing, now raising her weapons faster, with greater aim control mid-flight. The Garra Hook breaks barricades as Amaru enters them, while capable of climbing hatches without shooting them out beforehand. An extensive list of Operators also sees loadout changes, including the new Proximity Alarm, as outlined in the full patch notes.

Operation Steel Wave saw its unveiling on May 18, 2020, followed by an early access trial via the Test Server (TS) on PC. The period enables Ubisoft to wrangle remaining bugs and balancing issues, ahead of live server deployment. And with Steel Wave nearly ready to launch, the developer is applying the final batch of fixes.

Rainbow Six Siege Operation Steel Wave release date and time

As the norm with Rainbow Six updates, Ubisoft isn't talking firm dates or times for the deployment of Operation Steel Wave. The team rarely discusses its rollout until 24 hours before deployment, at which point we receive a finalized release schedule, with planned downtime per platform.

Past Ubisoft release schedules make it easy to gauge an estimated release date for Steel Wave on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC live servers. While the TS usually spans three weeks after the reveal, Ubisoft has announced a one-week extension, amid challenges faced by working from home. That indicates Steel Wave debuts seven days later than initially expected, likely targeting June 16, given the usual Tuesday availability. However, additional variables could push the launch further beyond that date.

Assuming the usual deployment times, too, Ubisoft will deliver a staged, per-platform rollout, spanning 9 AM ET to 12 PM ET. PC often gains priority, followed by Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 to wrap.

While Operation Steel Wave likely targets June 16, 2020, new Operators Ace and Melusi will be exclusive to Year 5 Pass or Uplay+ subscribers for the opening week.

The Year 5 Pass provides access to all new 2020 Operators, alongside a ton of exclusive cosmetics and bonuses, while also clocking in cheaper than past versions. The Rainbow Six Siege Year 5 Pass is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, priced at $25 via Amazon.

All Access Pass

Rainbow Six Siege Year 5 Pass

$25 at Amazon (PlayStation 4) $25 at Amazon (Xbox One) $25 at Amazon (PC)

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 just weeks away, it provides all you need for 2020.