Rainbow Six Siege’s new operator Zero could become one of the game’s most popular operators, but for some fans, his arrival will be a little bittersweet. People have long requested the opportunity to play as Zero, though this probably isn’t quite what they imagined.
Zero is the code name of Sam Fisher, the hero of the Splinter Cell series. The last time we got a Splinter Cell game was back in 2013, and there has been a growing sense of frustration that the series is stagnating. Since then, Fisher has made a few similar spin off appearances, with his arrival in Rainbow Six Siege Operation Shadow Legacy a continuation of that.
On one hand, it proves that Ubisoft has not forgotten about Fisher, and by extension, has not forgotten about Splinter Cell. But on the other, it could be further indication that Ubi is trying to airlift Fisher out of his own franchise, using his popularity as a jumping off point without needing to put the work in to revive Splinter Cell as a whole.
rainbow six siege: who is Zero?
As stated above, Zero is Sam Fisher, and while some fans might have been hoping for a full blown Splinter Cell release, it’s clear there’s been a real attempt to incorporate the feeling of Splinter Cell into the way he approaches Rainbow Six.
Below, we dig into how Rainbow Six brings Sam Fisher and his Splinter Cell mentality into the game, but if you’ve never played a Splinter Cell game and want to know a bit more about him in general, we’ll get into that right now.
Zero works for a splinter cell squad in the NSA, and reports directly to the President on matters of counter terrorism. Legally, he does not exist. He’s generally very dry and sarcastic, and loathes bureaucracy and red tape. However, he also only kills when necessary, adheres to the rules rather than risking civilian casualties, and, most weirdly, is able to fall asleep on command.
Luckily, killing is definitely necessary in Rainbow Six Siege, so he should be a valuable asset to your team.
RAINBOW SIX SIEGE: WHat type of operator is Zero?
Zero is a medium speed, medium armour attacker in Rainbow Six Siege. This means his basic mechanics are the same as Thatcher, Finka, Amaru, Iana, Sledge, and many more. This is one of the most common builds in the game, so it shouldn’t take you very long to get to grips with Zero.
RAINBOW SIX SIEGE: WHat is Zero’s loadout?
As well as his unique gadget we get into below, Zero’s loadout has some clear Splinter Cell inspiration, bringing in the SC3000K assault rifle. Zero also comes armed with the MP7 machine gun, the 57USG handgun, claymores, and frag grenades.
The really interesting part of his loadout though is his nifty spy camera.
RAINBOW SIX SIEGE: WHat Is Zero’s unique Ability?
Calling on his Splinter Cell experience, Zero’s unique ability is the Argus Launcher. This allows him to fire a camera into a wall, floor, or ceiling which will travel through any penetrable surface. This gives Zero the views on two camera feeds; one on each side of the wall. However, he will only be able to view one feed at any given time. When firing into impenetrable surfaces, the camera can still stick to the wall, offering a single camera feed. They will not work on electrified surfaces.
Anyone on the team can access the camera feeds and can rotate them around. However, the cameras can be used for more than just basic surveillance. They can also fire a laser (limited to one per camera), which can either destroy enemy gadgets or deal minor damage to the enemies themselves.
The key thing with the Argus Launcher is that it’s supposed to be stealthy, so you have to be careful when using it. There’s a clear, distinctive sound the camera makes when it burrows into surfaces and it can be destroyed by a single bullet, so you’ll need to make sure no one is around before setting yours up.
And that’s everything we know about the arrival of Zero in Rainbow Six Siege. It’s not a new Splinter Cell, but it’s probably the best we could have hoped for after that.
