Rainbow Six Siege Drops Vulkan Support with Operation Twin Shells Update

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege will discontinue support for the Vulkan graphics API with the release of its latest major update, Operation Twin Shells. Vulkan, which was introduced in January 2020 to improve performance, especially for players with lower-end hardware, is being phased out in favor of newer technologies.

Operation Twin Shells (Y9S3), set to launch on September 10, brings fresh content to Ubisoft’s tactical FPS, including Skopos, a new defending operator with remote-controlled robots. In addition to content, the update introduces changes to the game’s graphics settings. According to the official patch notes, Rainbow Six Siege will now support DirectX 12, although players will still have the option to run the game using the older DX11 API. Ubisoft explained that these graphical changes are intended to future-proof the game, aligning its technology with other Ubisoft titles and modern industry standards, as noted by community manager Ubi-Zurik in a Reddit post.

Many players expressed frustration over the removal of Vulkan support, as it helped solve technical issues like crashes and provided smoother performance for some. Concerns have also been raised about the efficiency of DX12, with some community members claiming it causes more stuttering than Vulkan. Ubisoft's support page previously acknowledged that Vulkan improved graphical performance in Rainbow Six Siege.

This isn't the first time Ubisoft has faced community backlash. Earlier this year, the company drew criticism for introducing a paid subscription service, R6 Membership, which offers exclusive cosmetics, premium battle pass access, and faster level progression—though many players felt it lacked value for its price.

Aside from the removal of Vulkan, Operation Twin Shells will add anti-cheat improvements, a new competitive playlist called Siege Cup, and a range of gameplay tweaks and bug fixes to enhance the overall experience.