Rainbow Six Siege Villa Rework Guide: What Changed, New Basement Site & Best Attack/Defense Strategies
Updated September 2, 2026
Rainbow Six Siege's Villa rework changes much more than a few walls.
The biggest change is the removal of the old Living Room/Library bomb site from the first floor and its move to a redesigned basement objective. At the same time, the garage has been brought indoors, while the surrounding basement layout has been adjusted to create new routes, angles, rotations and defensive setups. Ubisoft describes this as a targeted map update designed to improve flow, droning lanes and gameplay rather than a complete remake of Villa.
The result isn't a completely rebuilt Villa. Instead, the lower portion of the map now plays very differently.
For attackers, the biggest questions are how to approach the new basement site, when to open the basement-access hatch from above, and how to deal with defenders holding the garage and side entrances.
For defenders, the challenge is building a layered setup without giving attackers easy access to the hatches or allowing the entire basement to be cut apart from above.
This Villa rework guide explains what changed, how the new basement site works, the most important entry and rotation points, and how both sides can approach the new layout.
📋 Table of Contents
- Villa Rework at a Glance
- What Changed in the Villa Rework?
- Old Villa vs New Villa
- The New Villa Basement Bomb Site
- Why the Basement Hatch Matters
- How to Attack the New Villa Basement
- How to Defend the New Villa Basement
- Best Operator Types for the New Site
- Important Villa Power Positions
- New Villa Entry Routes and Rotations
- Push Points, Pinch Points and Power Positions
- Is the New Basement Site Better Than Living Room/Library?
- Villa Rework Tips for Attackers
- Villa Rework Tips for Defenders
- FAQ
Villa Rework at a Glance
The most important Villa changes are easy to remember:
- The Living Room/Library bomb site has moved downstairs.
- The new basement objective uses Art Storage and Old Office.
- The basement has been redesigned around the new objective.
- The garage is now an interior area instead of an exterior space.
- The garage approach has new doors, walls and fighting angles.
- Basement routes and surrounding rooms have been adjusted.
- New entry points and rotations change how attackers reach the site.
- The hatch connection into the basement becomes an important source of vertical pressure.
- Defenders have more opportunities to build layered positions around the basement.
- Garage becomes a much more important fighting area.
The key thing to understand is that this is a targeted Villa update, not a complete remake of the entire map. Ubisoft specifically describes the changes as a redesign of the basement and garage, with supporting layout updates around them.
Most of the familiar Villa structure remains. What changes is how the basement and garage connect to everything around them.
What Changed in the Villa Rework?
Living Room/Library Is No Longer a First-Floor Bomb Site
The old Living Room/Library objective has been removed from its original first-floor position. Instead, that objective has effectively been moved downstairs into the redesigned basement, where Art Storage and Old Office now form the bomb site.
The change matters because the basement previously had far less importance during a normal Villa round. Now, defenders have a reason to build an entire defensive setup around it. Attackers also need to approach Villa differently. Previously, the basement was often something attackers passed through or used as a route toward other parts of Villa. Now, the basement itself can be the destination.
The New Basement Objective
The new basement site is built around: Art Storage and Old Office. The two rooms form a considerably more compact objective area than many players will be used to on Villa.
That changes the defensive philosophy. Instead of simply sitting on site and waiting for attackers to enter, defenders can establish multiple layers around the entrances, stairs, hatch connections and surrounding rooms. Attackers, meanwhile, need to avoid treating the site as a simple doorway execute. There are multiple ways to pressure it.
Garage Is Now Indoors
The garage is one of the most noticeable changes. The garage has been converted from an exterior area into an interior space, changing how attackers approach Villa from the east side. Supporting changes include new wall and doorway arrangements around the former garage openings.
That matters because attackers approaching from the east side no longer interact with the garage in exactly the same way. The garage can now become a genuine fighting zone. Instead of simply using it as a route toward the building, attackers may have to fight defenders holding long angles from inside the map. For defenders, that creates another position from which to contest the approach.
Basement Flow Has Changed
The basement itself has also been adjusted. Several routes and connections around the objective are different, meaning old Villa muscle memory can work against you. A player who knows the old basement perfectly may still find themselves taking the wrong route simply because the geometry and purpose of the area have changed.
The best way to learn the new Villa is therefore to stop thinking about the basement as the old basement. Treat it as a new objective area.
Old Villa vs New Villa
The easiest way to understand the update is to compare the important areas individually.
Basement
Old Villa: Primarily a route through the map. Attackers often used it to move toward other objectives. Less reason for defenders to dedicate the entire defensive setup to it.
New Villa: Contains a bomb site. Has more important defensive positions. Creates new rotation possibilities. Makes hatch control much more important. Gives attackers another major route to pressure the objective.
The basement has gone from an area that could often be ignored to one of the most important parts of the round.
Garage
Old Villa: Exterior area. Attackers could approach from outside. Primarily functioned as an access route.
New Villa: Interior area. Creates new gunfights. Gives defenders additional space to contest attackers. Changes the east-side attack. Creates longer and more meaningful angles toward the approach.
The important takeaway is simple: Don't approach the new garage using your old Villa muscle memory.
Living Room
Living Room is no longer the same kind of objective space. Instead, its importance comes partly from its relationship with the basement. The hatch connection from the upper level can create significant vertical pressure. That means attackers may still want to control the area above the basement even though the bomb site itself has moved downstairs.
Art Storage
Art Storage is now part of the basement objective. The room is relatively compact, which makes close defensive positioning and utility particularly valuable. Defenders can use the surrounding structure to create layered positions rather than committing everyone directly to the objective. Attackers should therefore avoid assuming that killing one defender inside Art Storage means the site is completely open. There can be another defender waiting behind the next layer.
Old Office
Old Office forms the other half of the new basement objective. Its relationship with Art Storage creates the core of the defensive area. Attackers need to be careful about entering one room while leaving the other completely uncontrolled. A successful push should create pressure from multiple directions rather than sending players through a single doorway.
Piano
There is also a small environmental change around the piano area that can affect visibility. A storage-like structure now provides additional obstruction around part of the piano. That means players familiar with the old sightline should not automatically assume that they can see someone hiding behind the piano in exactly the same way. The piano itself also has an interactive audio element, so don't be surprised if you hear it during a round.
The New Villa Basement Bomb Site
The most important lesson for the reworked Villa is simple: The basement is now an objective, not just a route.
That changes everything.
Defenders have to consider:
- Where attackers can enter.
- Which hatches can be opened.
- Which rooms can be pressured vertically.
- Where shields can be placed.
- Where attackers can establish long angles.
- Where defenders can retreat.
- Which areas can be sacrificed without losing the round.
Attackers need to think about the same questions from the opposite direction.
Art Storage
Art Storage is one of the two bomb rooms. Its compact shape makes close-range fights particularly important. Defenders can use the surrounding structure to create layered positions rather than committing everyone directly to the objective. Attackers should therefore avoid assuming that killing one defender inside Art Storage means the site is open. There can be another defender waiting behind the next layer.
Old Office
Old Office forms the second bomb room. The two-room configuration means defenders need to maintain control of the connections between them. Attackers should try to split the defensive setup rather than allowing defenders to support each other freely. This is where coordinated pressure becomes much stronger than individual entries.
Why the Basement Hatch Matters
One of the most important attacking tools around the new basement site is the hatch connection from the floor above.
Opening it does more than create a hole in the floor. It changes where defenders can safely stand. Once attackers gain control of the hatch, they can create vertical pressure into the basement. That can force defenders away from positions that would otherwise be relatively comfortable.
The result is effectively a shrinking defensive area.
The basic attacking sequence
- Take control of the area above.
- Open the hatch.
- Apply vertical pressure.
- Force defenders away from exposed positions.
- Use teammates to cover the resulting movement.
- Push the basement once the defensive setup begins to collapse.
This is particularly powerful when the hatch player and basement players communicate. The hatch player doesn't necessarily need to get kills. Simply forcing a defender to move can be enough.
How to Attack the New Villa Basement
There isn't one guaranteed attack because the defensive setup will change from round to round. However, several principles should remain useful.
1. Don't Rush the First Door
The new basement is compact. That can make rushing directly through an entrance extremely dangerous. A defender holding a shield, tight angle or utility setup may only need one attacker to walk into the wrong position. Clear the first layer before committing.
2. Pressure the Hatch
Vertical pressure should be one of the first things attackers consider. The hatch can force defenders away from areas that would otherwise be safe. More importantly, it makes the defenders react. Once defenders start moving, your teammates can punish those rotations.
3. Contest Garage
The garage is now an interior fighting area. Expect defenders to use it as a power position rather than treating it as an empty transition zone. If you are attacking from the east, be prepared for a gunfight before you reach the basement. Don't assume that reaching the garage means you have already won the approach.
4. Clear Defensive Shields
A compact basement site is naturally suited to shield-based defensive setups. If a defender establishes a strong shield position, don't repeatedly challenge it with raw gunfire. Use utility and coordinated pressure. The goal is to remove the position and then exploit the space that opens behind it.
5. Attack in Layers
The same principle that helps defenders also helps attackers. Instead of: Door → Site → Plant think: Entry → Utility → Position → Defender displacement → Site
The new basement rewards coordinated progression much more than isolated pushes.
How to Defend the New Villa Basement
The best defensive mindset for the new site is: Don't defend everything at once. Defend in layers.
Trying to hold every doorway directly can leave defenders exposed. A better setup gives the attacking team something to clear before they ever reach the final defensive line.
Layer 1: Stop the Initial Push
Start by making the first entry uncomfortable. Use: Barricades, Utility, Information, Traps, Shields, Crossfires. The objective is not necessarily to get an early kill. The objective is to make attackers spend time and utility.
Layer 2: Force Utility Usage
Once attackers begin clearing the first layer, defenders should still have something behind it. If attackers have to use explosives, flashes, drones or other utility before reaching the site, that is already a defensive victory. The more utility they spend early, the less they have available for the final execute.
Layer 3: Fall Back
Do not fight until death simply because you have established a good position. The basement gives defenders multiple areas from which to continue fighting. A strong defender can force attackers to clear one position and then retreat to another. That is much more valuable than giving away an unnecessary early death.
Layer 4: Protect the Objective
Once attackers have cleared the outer layers, defenders should still have enough utility and positioning to contest the final push. This is where information becomes extremely important.
You want to know:
- Which entrance they are using.
- Whether the hatch is open.
- Which players are still outside.
- Where the planter is.
- Whether garage is controlled.
- Whether the attackers have cleared the final defensive position.
Best Operator Types for the New Site
Rather than treating the new basement as a place for one mandatory lineup, think about what each operator needs to contribute.
Fenrir
Fenrir can be particularly useful in a compact environment with predictable doorways. A good setup can work like this: Trap → activation → information → swing
If an attacker walks through a doorway and triggers the device, defenders immediately gain information that someone is there. That can create an opportunity for a coordinated swing. The smaller defensive area also makes forced movement more valuable.
Melusi
Melusi fits the same general idea. The goal is not simply to slow attackers. The real value comes from making attackers easier to predict. If an attacker is slowed at a doorway, defenders have more time to: Swing, Reposition, Call the location, Coordinate utility, Prepare for the next player.
Castle
Castle can be useful when the defensive strategy is based around creating layers. The idea is to decide which routes attackers are allowed to use and which routes require them to spend utility. This works particularly well when the team has already decided where its fallback positions are. Don't block every possible route blindly. Create a defensive structure that supports the team's rotations.
Smoke
Smoke is naturally valuable when attackers have to enter a compact objective area. The new basement gives defenders opportunities to delay the final push rather than taking every fight immediately. Smoke's value becomes particularly noticeable late in the round when attackers have little time remaining.
Shield-Based Anchoring
The new basement also appears well suited to Deployable Shield setups. A strong shield can turn an ordinary doorway into a much more complicated problem.
Attackers may have to:
- Locate the shield.
- Clear supporting utility.
- Force the defender away.
- Win the resulting gunfight.
- Continue toward the objective.
That is exactly what a layered defense wants.
Important Villa Power Positions
Garage Long Angle
One of the notable positions around the new garage allows defenders to hold a long angle toward the garage approach. This becomes especially valuable when the area is reinforced appropriately. The strength of the position comes from how much of the garage approach can be covered from a distance. Attackers should therefore avoid assuming that the garage is a free entry.
Art Storage
Art Storage is compact enough that defenders can create strong close-range positions. The key is to avoid stacking everyone in one location. Use the room as part of a larger defensive network.
Hatch Area
The hatch is important for both sides. Attackers want it open so they can apply vertical pressure. Defenders need to know when it has been opened and how much of the basement it exposes. If attackers gain uncontested hatch control, defenders may be forced away from otherwise useful positions.
Hatch-Based Defensive Play
Defenders can also consider using the hatch itself as part of the defensive setup. Depending on the lineup and round situation, a defender may be able to play around the hatch and use the vertical connection to challenge attackers. However, this should not become an isolated solo position. A hatch position is only useful if teammates can support it.
New Villa Entry Routes and Rotations
The rework changes the way players should think about movement through the lower floor.
Attacker Entry
Important approaches include:
- Garage
- Side-door pressure
- Hatch access
- Basement approaches
- Vertical pressure from above
The important point is that these routes should work together. A garage push becomes stronger when defenders are simultaneously dealing with vertical pressure. A hatch attack becomes stronger when teammates are ready to punish the resulting defender rotation.
Defender Rotations
Defenders should avoid creating a setup where every player becomes trapped in one room. A good setup should allow players to:
- Fall back.
- Rotate between defensive layers.
- Support another bomb room.
- Reposition after utility is used.
- Contest a different entry.
The new basement rewards movement more than simply sitting in the bomb rooms.
Push Points, Pinch Points and Power Positions
A useful way to learn the new Villa is to divide the map into three concepts.
Push Points
These are the areas attackers use to make their initial progress. Examples include: Garage, Side entrances, Hatch access.
Pinch Points
These are areas where defenders can become vulnerable to pressure from two directions. The basement hatch is especially important here. An attacker above can pressure the defender vertically while teammates approach from the basement.
Power Positions
These are locations where one defender can control a disproportionate amount of space. Garage angles and shield positions are especially important examples.
The best teams will use all three concepts together. Attackers create a push point. They turn it into a pinch. Then they force the defender out of the power position.
Is the New Basement Site Better Than Living Room/Library?
For most players, the answer is likely yes.
The old Living Room/Library site had a reputation for being one of the weaker options on Villa, while the new basement objective gives the lower floor an actual purpose. The new site also creates a substantially different defensive and attacking problem instead of simply preserving the old objective in another location.
Why the New Site Is More Interesting
The new objective:
- Gives defenders more setup possibilities.
- Makes basement control meaningful.
- Creates new vertical interactions.
- Makes garage strategically relevant.
- Gives attackers multiple ways to pressure the site.
- Creates more opportunities for layered defense.
The site also gives Villa more strategic variety. Instead of every round revolving around the same familiar upper-floor patterns, defenders now have a reason to invest heavily in the lower floor.
But It Isn't Automatically Easy to Defend
The basement also has weaknesses. Attackers can pressure it vertically. The hatch can force defenders out of comfortable positions. Garage can become a major attacker entry point. And once the defensive layers are removed, the compact objective can become difficult to hold. That should make the site much more interesting to learn.
Villa Rework Tips for Attackers
- Learn the Basement Hatch First — If you only learn one new feature, learn this. Know: Where the hatch leads. What it exposes. Which defender positions it can force. How teammates can capitalize on it.
- Don't Treat Garage Like Old Villa Garage — The old mental map is no longer reliable. Garage is now an interior fighting area. Expect defenders to contest it.
- Drone Before You Enter — The new basement has enough angles and defensive layers that blind entries are dangerous. Use drones to identify: Shields, Anchors, Traps, Rotations, Defender positions, Available entry routes.
- Force Defenders to Move — Kills are not the only objective. If opening a hatch forces a defender out of position, you have already gained something. If a defender abandons a power position because your team is attacking from two directions, that is also a win.
- Don't Enter One at a Time — This is especially important on the compact basement objective. A single attacker entering a defended doorway is easy to isolate. A coordinated two- or three-player push is much harder to stop.
Villa Rework Tips for Defenders
- Build in Layers — Don't make your entire setup depend on one room. Create an outer layer, a middle layer and a final site layer.
- Use Information — The compact layout makes information extremely valuable. If you know exactly when an attacker enters a doorway, your team can prepare a swing.
- Don't Overextend — The new basement gives defenders plenty of opportunities to fight. That doesn't mean every fight needs to be taken. Fall back when the attackers have spent the utility required to remove your position.
- Protect the Hatches — An opened hatch can change the entire defensive setup. Know which players are responsible for watching the vertical threat.
- Keep a Final Defensive Position — Always know where the team falls back to. A defense with no fallback becomes predictable. A defense with several layers forces attackers to repeatedly solve the same problem.
FAQ
What changed in the Rainbow Six Siege Villa rework?
The biggest changes are the Living Room/Library bomb site moving to the basement, the redesigned basement, the conversion of garage into an interior area, and supporting layout changes around the lower floor.
Where is the new Villa bomb site?
The new basement objective uses Art Storage and Old Office.
What happened to the Living Room/Library bomb site?
The Living Room/Library bomb site has been moved from the first floor to the redesigned basement.
Is Villa completely reworked?
No. The update is a targeted map update focused primarily on the basement, garage and surrounding gameplay flow rather than rebuilding the entire map.
Is the garage still outside?
No. The garage is now an interior area, changing how attackers approach the lower floor from the east.
Why is the basement hatch important?
Opening the hatch creates vertical pressure into the basement and can force defenders away from positions that were previously safer.
What operators are good for the new Villa basement?
Operators that provide information, slowing effects, layered defenses, shields or area denial can all be useful. Fenrir, Melusi, Castle and Smoke are examples of operators whose abilities can fit the new defensive structure.
How should attackers approach the new basement?
Avoid a single doorway rush. Use drones and utility, pressure the hatch, contest garage, remove defensive layers and coordinate the final push.
How should defenders play the new basement?
Use layered positions rather than defending every entrance directly. Make attackers spend utility, fall back when necessary, protect the hatches and preserve a final defensive setup for the execute.
Related Rainbow Six Siege Guides
If you're learning the new Operation Split Fire changes, these DTGre guides are useful alongside the Villa rework:
- Rainbow Six Siege Noor Guide: Horus Lance Damage, Interactions & Best Uses — Learn how Noor's Horus Lance works, including shield interactions, fire damage and practical defensive setups.
- Rainbow Six Siege Noor Plant Denial Guide: How to Stop Defuser Plants — Useful if you're building a Villa defense around plant denial and vertical information.
If you're playing the new Villa site for the first time, start with the map changes here, then use the Noor guides to build more specialized defensive setups.
Final Verdict
The Villa rework doesn't need to rebuild the entire map to change how Villa feels.
Moving the objective downstairs gives the basement a completely new purpose. Turning garage into an interior area changes the eastern approach. And the new relationship between the basement, hatch access and surrounding routes creates a different tactical problem for both teams.
For attackers, the biggest lesson is to use vertical pressure and coordinated entries instead of repeatedly challenging the same defensive position. For defenders, the answer is to build in layers, use information and force attackers to spend utility before they reach the final defensive line.
Most importantly, don't try to play the new basement like the old Villa.
Learn the new Art Storage/Old Office objective, basement hatch, garage approach and defensive power positions first. Once those four pieces become familiar, the rest of the reworked Villa starts to make much more sense.
Villa is still Villa—but the basement finally matters.
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