Rainbow Six Siege rampant shield glitch 'top priority' for Ubisoft

Rainbow Six Siege Clash
Rainbow Six Siege Clash (Image credit: Ubisoft)

What you need to know

  • A trio of nasty glitches has surfaced in tactical shooter, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege.
  • One deployable shield bug has resurfaced from 2018, alongside two further setbacks.
  • Ubisoft is investigating the issues, currently framed as a "top priority."

Ubisoft has stated it's "top priority" to address an epidemic of game-breaking glitches affecting its hit tactical shooter, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. With the cryptic Operation Phantom Sight update on the horizon, players have surfaced an assortment of in-game glitches exploiting its shield-bearing Operators.

Updated May 17, 2019: Ubisoft has removed Clash, deployable shields, and claymores while developing a fix for these issues. An official patch is slated for next week.

The exploit affects defensive Operators equipped with a deployable shield, binding the stationary cover to the head while retaining full visibility and mobility. It makes offending players immune to upper-body damage while dropping into the prone position only amplifies this effect.

Requiring only a short sequence of steps (undisclosed for obvious reasons) and frustrating to counter, the glitch is now a hot topic of the Rainbow Six community. Rainbow Six Siege veterans may recognize this issue, returning after two instances in 2018.

However, its 2019 revival has surfaced alongside an accompanying snag, causing some Operators to shoot through shields too. Enabling Clash, Rook, and Mira to gun down players behind the safety of a bulletproof shelter, the implications are potentially even more detrimental to competitive play. Clash has been the front-runner, with her glass shield and machine pistol primed for exploitation.

We're also seeing reports of a third bug gaining traction, allowing IQ to appear fully invisible upon performing a separate sequence of moves.

Related: Rainbow Six Siege Operation Phantom Sight: Everything We Know

Ubisoft has addressed concerns, assuring players it remains a "top priority" going forward. Work is underway on fixes, although it's unclear whether these will be ready for the imminent Operation Phantom Sight update.

We understand the frustration and apologize for the inconvenience these glitches have brought. These issues are top priority for us at the moment, and we will provide updates as we continue our investigation.

Now its third time in the Rainbow Six arena, it's clear Ubisoft has been wrangling its shield implementation for some time. Here's hoping the upcoming deployable shield rework slated for 2019 will play a role in amending these developments.

In the meantime, Ubisoft is preparing to unveil its next Rainbow Six Siege expansion on May 19, dubbed Operation Phantom Sight.

Rainbow Six Siege accessories you'll love

HyperX Alloy FPS Pro Keyboard ($70 at Amazon)

The HyperX Alloy FPS Pro is a reliable mechanical companion, primed for responsive FPS gaming. It boasts strong build quality, the Cherry MX Red switches are snappy, and textured WASD keycaps accommodate shooter fans. It's an essential and affordable piece for any setup.

SteelSeries Rival 310 Gaming Mouse ($44 at Amazon)

This budget gaming mouse excels in performance, packing SteelSeries' leading TrueMove 3 sensor and comfortable in-hand feel.

AmazonBasics Xbox One Wired Controller ($25 at Amazon)

While Amazon isn't famed for Xbox One accessories, the mega-retailer's spin on Microsoft's own is ideal for budget gamers. It stows a lengthy cable, headset support, and strong grippy build quality ideal for everyday gaming.

Matt Brown

Matt Brown was formerly a Windows Central's Senior Editor, Xbox & PC, at Future. Following over seven years of professional consumer technology and gaming coverage, he’s focused on the world of Microsoft's gaming efforts. You can follow him on Twitter @mattjbrown.