Ubisoft announced on the 15th (local time) that Solid Snake, the iconic protagonist of the Metal Gear Solid series, is joining the roster of Rainbow Six Siege as a new operator.

Solid Snake arrives as a permanent playable operator alongside Operation Silent Hunt, launching on March 3rd. Equipped with the Soliton Radar MKIII gadget and an On-site Procurement ability, he excels at tracking defender locations and scavenging supplies to adapt to the chaos of the battlefield.

This collaboration between Rainbow Six Siege and Metal Gear Solid goes well beyond just a new character. The Operation Silent Hunt Battle Pass allows for an instant unlock of Solid Snake at the season's start, while also offering Metal Gear Solid cosmetic items, including a Psycho Mantis outfit for Smoke. Later in the season, a limited-time [REDACTED] event will introduce a fresh gameplay mode, additional Metal Gear Solid skins, and a narrative showcase featuring Solid Snake teaming up with the legendary infiltrator Zero.

The Soliton Radar MKIII is a portable device designed to map the environment and detect foes. It specifically tracks stairs connected to the floor Snake currently occupies, with green lines indicating navigable terrain. Dotted walls or striped floors highlight soft surfaces, offering players a tactical advantage. The radar flashes in three colours: green for 'clear'—though stay sharp, as enemies have ways to spoof this—yellow for active CCTV cameras, which appear as small yellow rectangles, and a red 'warning' signal when hostiles are detected within the scan area.

Snake can push his Soliton Radar MKIII to its limit by toggling Precision Mode. Once active, the radar provides real-time intel, complete with enemy icons and field-of-view indicators. While this mode is gated by usage limits and cooldowns, it cements Solid Snake as a formidable intel-gathering powerhouse.

Defenders caught by the radar will receive a notification, giving them a chance to reposition or counter-attack. Deception is also a viable play; Alibi's Prisma holograms can trick the radar into flagging them as standard operators, leaving Snake guessing which one is the real McCoy. Vigil’s Electronic Rendering Cloak allows him to vanish from the radar, and Mute’s jammers can effectively create a dead zone. Note that the radar only picks up default cameras, meaning gadgets like those from Valkyrie, Maestro, Echo, Mozzie, or Skopós will keep defenders lurking in the shadows, blissfully undetected.

Channeling his battlefield adaptability from the Metal Gear Solid series, Solid Snake introduces 'On-site Procurement' (OSP) to Siege. Unlike other operators, Snake can carry up to five secondary gadgets—frag grenades, stun grenades, smoke grenades, impact EMPs, or breach charges—simultaneously. He starts with only one item in his five-slot loadout, requiring him to scavenge 'Utility Pouches' dropped by eliminated operators (excluding team kills) to fill his inventory. Using the 'Ability Swap' key, players can select an empty slot and pick up the desired gear, allowing for a dynamic playstyle that evolves throughout the round.

Snake brings a choice of two primary weapons: the hard-hitting PMR90A2 designated marksman rifle or the nimble F2 assault rifle. The F2, infamous for its kick, receives a buff in Operation Silent Hunt, now allowing for grip attachments including horizontal, angled, and vertical recoil-reduction grips. He also introduces a new sidearm inspired by stealth missions: the TACIT .45 pistol, featuring an integrated suppressor and reflex sight for those who prefer to clear utility and targets in total silence.

Launching weeks after the start of Operation Silent Hunt, the limited-time [REDACTED] event sees Solid Snake and Zero (Sam Fisher) team up in a new 4v4 infiltration-themed mode set in a reimagined Nighthaven Labs. The collection includes iconic character skins, such as Jackal as Gray Fox and Ash as Meryl, letting you deck out your favourite operators in classic Metal Gear style.

Operation Silent Hunt lands on March 3rd with modernised layouts for Villa, Coastline, and Oregon. This season also marks the finale for the 6v6 Dual Front mode. Be sure to tackle the new Metal Gear-inspired challenges to unlock exclusive cosmetics before it's gone. Plus, expect a series of operator balancing updates focused on entry and roaming.

Skopós gets a speed boost to 3-speed, faster shell switching, and shorter cooldowns; her shells now possess soft-destruction capabilities similar to an Aruni punch. Ela’s Grzmot mines stun victims longer, Amaru gains an extra charge for her Garra Hook, and Alibi’s Prisma decoys now ping an extra time with the final ping lasting longer. Observation Blockers deploy faster, and Flores can now equip the T-95 LSW LMG. Finally, shield users can no longer break through full-health barricades (with the exception of Blackbeard’s breaching ability). Rainbow Six Siege is available for free via Ubisoft+, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and on PC via the Ubisoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store.