Since its release in March, Call of Duty: Warzone has become a hit with players around the world as the newest battle royale game, and while several improvements have been made since launch, the shotgun weapon type could really use a buff to be more competitive.

When the game first launched, shotguns were extremely powerful and capable of dropping an opponent at close range, but now in order to achieve the same result, players need to land two shots, which is a lot to ask in close quarters and with so many other weapons to choose from, all of which are more powerful, and more forgiving.

By comparison, players will always be better off taking virtually any weapons from the Assault Rifle or Sub-Machine Gun types, both of which offer greater viability at longer range, and are more forgiving for casual or less skilled players who pray and spray. The problem with a shotgun is that it requires precision and timing to receive the same payoff as either an AR or SMG, so why bother taking the increased risk?

The result is that, given an option, the shotgun hardly sees plays and the reasoning is purely strategic. The problem, however, is that there is no real elegant solution for shotguns at all. Being killed with a single shot, even up close, never feels good for players of all skill levels. At least when dying to an AR or SMG, it feels as though there might have been some counter play, even if for a moment, to move or get off a shot of one’s own. With shotguns buffed to kill in one hit, that feeling is absent.

Of course, this ignores the obvious counter play, which is playing slowly, deliberately, and checking corners by peeking. The argument that shotguns are not fun to play against is mostly true for those who run’n’gun their way through a Warzone match, and while we should not reward that kind of behavior, this game is just like other battle royale titles, which is to say, it needs to appeal to a casual user base.

Unfortunately, this leaves shotguns in a bad spot from a design and balancing perspective. Right now, shotguns may be balanced according to Infinity Ward, but they are neither fun to use nor efficient, and players who want to win are better off with other options.

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