Hi Survivors! 

Hope you guys have already had a go at our new content in the new version! Today, let’s talk about shotguns and sub-machine guns (SMGs).

As two of our most popular weapon types, shotguns and SMGs were originally designed to have unique advantages: shotguns are perfect for super close-range combat and SMGs are made for medium-close-range brawls. Yet, looking at the numbers, we learned that shotguns are much more powerful than SMGs both at close-range and medium-close-range, making the former more effective in most scenarios. This has resulted in a stronger preference for shotguns over SMGs, and we are here to change that.

In essence, we have adjusted the advantageous distances of the two weapon types to ensure that shotguns are still the king of super close-range battles and SMGs have a better and unique edge at medium-close-range. Read on to find out more!

Changes to Shotguns

In this patch, we reduced the effective range of shotguns (M1887/Charge Buster/M1014) that can reach unusually far. We enhanced their other attributes to up their ease of use.

• Adjustment details: 

1. M1887: Range -15%, reload speed +10%. 
   1. The M1887 was capable of eliminating a player within 2 shots at medium-close-range, rendering it much stronger than many other gun types. Our numbers do show that the M1887 is widely used at close range, which is the ideal setting for the weapon. Therefore, in this patch, we ensured that the M1887 is still strong at close range but is less ideal at a farther distance. The reload speed enhancement, however, will make it faster for the weapon’s user more room to get back into the fight.
2. Charge Buster: Range -15%, magazine +1. 
   1. Previously, the Charge Buster could reach farther distances than many SMGs, so, with its charging ability, it was the perfect gun when waiting around the corner for a surprise attack from medium-close-range. This strategy was hard to counter, negatively impacting match experiences. Therefore, we lowered its effective range and damage during medium-close-range combat. However, the increased magazine capacity will raise error tolerance, giving the wielder higher chances of eliminating enemies. 
3. M1014-I, M1014-II, and M1014-III: Range -12%, accuracy +20%. 
   1. The upgraded versions of the M1014 have high effective range and damage, making them the optimal choices among almost all shotguns and SMGs. While we reduced their range in this version, the M1014-III is still one of the shotguns with the farthest range. With an enhancement in accuracy, the M1014 is expected to maintain its competitive advantage despite the range reduction. 

 As for the Trogon and MAG-7, we tweaked their ease of use by enhancing their accuracy to make them more reliable when firing at moving enemies.\n 

Changes to SMGs 

While the SMGs have a high rate of fire, they have relatively low damage against armored opponents compared to shotguns. The following SMGs are enhanced in the new patch, mainly focusing on damage to stabilize their impact when facing different types of enemies:

1. MP40: Damage +8%. 
2. Bizon: Damage +10% and optimized ease of use.
3. Thompson: Damage +4%.

What’s Next?

We will constantly monitor the performances of shotguns and SMGs as our goal is to ensure all the weapons have their own range to shine. In the foreseeable future, we plan to adjust the range of certain rifles to carve out their individual differences. We encourage you guys to test different weapons at different distances on the Training Grounds, as understanding which gun to use in a scenario will surely give you an edge on the fighting pit.

Stay tuned and see you in the game!

GM Andrew