As Warzone’s Season 4 draws nearer, fans are starting to predict the latest patches and fixes Activision and Infinity Ward will implement into the successful Battle Royale mode.
One of the most prominent fixes that some players are clamouring for is a nerf to the popular assault rifle, the Grau 5.56, added into Warzone in the Season 3 update.
Does the Grau 5.56 Deserve a Nerf?
The most winningest player to ever play Call of Duty has weighed in with his thought in a very colourful way.
How to judge whether something should be nerfed or not.@Maven w/ Grauvs. @OctaneSam w/ GrauResult: Toss up. Both can shoot it equally as well. This gun is skillless and doesn’t feel rewarding at all.
— Empire C6 (@Crimsix)
June 7, 2020
Octane being a decorated pro player and Maven being one of the CDL's finest casters. While this may seem like a funny dig at Maven, the point is that the skill gap between two players has been drastically reduced thanks to this weapon.
Prominent Call of Duty player and streamer, Tyler “FeLo” Johnson, is one of those players advocating for the Grau to be adjusted.
So... should they nerf the grau or should they nerf the grau?
— Tyler (@FeLo)
May 28, 2020
The Grau’s popularity stems from its low recoil and high damage output, meaning it outclasses most other automatic weapons and even some sniper rifles in medium-to-long-range gunfights. It is commonly used by top YouTubers and streamers in a class setup alongside the MP5.
The Grau’s unique archangel barrel attachment also adds an easy-to-use iron sight alongside improving the range and recoil stability, freeing up an extra attachment slot for other modifications.
Players also point out that the conditions to unlock the Grau are particularly hard to do in Warzone, putting the gun behind a paywall that gives an advantage to those who own the full version of Modern Warfare.
Activision is expected to make various adjustments to weapons through the delayed Season 4 update, similar to the RPG and Snake Shot nerfs that have been implemented across Season 3.
Players on Warzone's subreddit have called for an increase to the Grau’s recoil and damage output, with u/bhz33 arguing that Activision should “lower the damage so it feels a *little* more like a pea shooter”.
Others in the community have defended the Grau 5.56, dismissing claims it needs to be nerfed.
SMGs such as the MP5 and the MP7 are seen as counters to the Grau as it has a significantly longer TTK compared to these weapons and can be easily beaten in close range encounters.
Players also point out the strength of the M13 and the M4A1 at the same range as the Grau, and fear that any nerfs to the weapon would only solidify the position of these guns as the best weapons to use.
Activision and developers Infinity Ward have not yet given any indication of what will be patched in the Season 4 update, but it is likely they have plenty of fixes in store.