Actually, only a small playlist update for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was expected. However, alongside the new game modes, significant changes in weapon balancing were also introduced. The top weapons MP5 and M4 have been revised. Find out here what changes were made and how powerful the weapons still are after the nerf.
What is going on with CoD? Normally, players of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare receive a playlist update every Tuesday, bringing new game modes for a week. However, last night’s update on January 29 held a few surprises.
Overall, there were 4 weapon adjustments, and 2 of the most popular weapons were nerfed. The assault rifle M4A1 and the SMG MP5. Both are considered the strongest weapons in their class in the game and are therefore very popular.
MP5 and M4 now weaker, but not excessively
How strong were the nerfs? Fans of the MP5 will probably have quite a bit to chew on, but overall, the changes sound reasonable. Infinity Ward writes in the patch notes:
- MP5: Reduced headshot multiplier, slight reduction of 10mm range
- M4: Slight reduction in damage to decrease headshot effectiveness, slight reduction of range
MP5 significantly weaker, but not broken
How much will the range of the 10mm rounds be weakened? With these rounds, you now have a few meters less in which you can kill an opponent with 3 shots and, in general, less range.
The 10mm rounds give you more damage and increase the range of the MP5. With the nerf, the ranges for 3- and 4-shot kills decrease, making the rounds less worthwhile. Consequently, the crucial 3-shot range falls below that of the 9mm bullets.
The nerf makes the decision to choose between the ammunition types harder now. Less range for 3-shot kills (from about 13 to 10/11 meters) with 10mm or less damage at longer ranges with 9mm.
The information about the changes comes from an English video by the YouTuber JGOD and a Reddit post by the user “darkrangeresp”.
How does the new headshot multiplier affect the weapon? With the new modifier, you now need one more headshot to land your kill with one less bullet at all ranges. Additionally, you can no longer achieve 2-shot kills with headshots at short distances.
Before the nerf, you could reduce the required shots for a kill directly by 1 with just one headshot. At the usual 4-shot range, 2 torso hits and one headshot hit were enough for a kill. Now you need 1 torso hit and 2 headshot hits at this distance.
This makes the weapon significantly weaker now, but the MP5 can still keep up with the other weapons. Alternatives like the Bizon, with its huge magazine, or the MP7, with its high mobility, become more interesting.
Should I still play the MP5? If you aimed for the 2-shot kill, it might be time to try a new SMG. Otherwise, the MP5 still does a good job.
The weapon combines good range with the capability for 3-shot kills and feels nice to play. However, it also brings it closer to the AUG, which already knocked on the door to being the strongest MP.
M4 will not be dethroned, but faces competition
How much did the range of the M4 go down? The change particularly affects the area of 4-shot kills. According to “darkrangeresp”, the weapon now has 3 meters less range at which it can take down opponents with 4 bullets.
Previously, the range was about 27 meters, and now it’s about 24 meters, where you can land kills with torso hits and without attachments.
What does the new headshot multiplier do? With the new values, you now need 2 headshots to save one bullet in the 4- and 5-shot range, instead of just one.
For distances over 50 meters, one headshot is still enough, but this range often plays a secondary role.
Should I still use the M4? You can still use the popular assault rifle. The M4 does not suffer too much from the nerfs and continues to play well. However, with these small adjustments, other assault rifles are dangerously close.
Due to the changes, it now falls behind the RAM-7 in the 4-shot range, which offers about 26 meters here. However, with attachments, this disadvantage can still be compensated well.
Another option is now likely the M13. With the patch, the assault rifle received a decent recoil buff and may now compete with the big players.
Were the nerfs sensible or just annoying? What do you think needs a nerf or buff?
