In the identical approach that I assume the solar will rise within the morning, CS:GO gamers load into matches assuming the AWP, the long-lasting sniper rifle that has damaged hearts and wrought legends for the final 20 years, would be the similar 1-shot-kill god gun it all the time has been. Properly it nonetheless type of is at the moment, however the AWP simply acquired significantly nerfed. I hope the solar is OK.
Particularly, the AWP’s journal dimension has been minimize in half, from 10 to five. Valve introduced the information alongside the discharge of CS:GO’s newest patch (opens in new tab) that additionally lowers the M4A1-S’s effectiveness at vary and removes Mud 2 from the present Lively Responsibility map pool.
“The AWP has had its journal dimension diminished to 5 bullets (so make them rely!),” the publish reads.
“Make them rely” certainly—that is a full 50% discount in ammo on the prepared, and it is positive to have a big effect on what number of gamers (and possibly some execs) deploy this highly effective $4,750 weapon. An AWP in the proper fingers can utterly change the course of a match, and most professional groups area a number of designated AWPers. It isn’t unusual for an skilled AWPer to chain collectively two, three, or 4 kills in a row, win the spherical, and use the exact same AWP within the subsequent spherical to do it once more. There is a purpose it is the most costly gun in CS:GO’s arsenal however, with a slimmer journal, gamers should think about if the AWP funding continues to be price it.
Typically? Most likely. The AWP is already a dangerous gun as is. You solely need to miss as soon as to provide enemies a gap to spray you down. That is nonetheless the case with a 5-round magazine, however having to reload extra usually will certainly restrict a single participant’s potential to spam, noscope into small areas, and probably shut down a full workforce of 5 even when they miss a number of pictures. CS:GO’s group is reacting to the AWP nerf with a mixture of panic, confusion, and cautious optimism.
“Folks will truly reload now,” wrote Redditor Sosen (opens in new tab).
“Additionally those that aren’t sick AWP gamers must be extra passive now. Cannot simply hold peeking eternally,” added consumer mcucsgo.
Some commenters additionally laughed at the truth that simply three days after famed French AWPer kennyS (opens in new tab) returned to the sport after an 18-month absence, Valve has curtailed his favourite gun.
It is true that Valve hardly ever makes dramatic tweaks to CS:GO’s gun meta, and when it does difficulty a change to a core weapon, it tends to stay. The final main change to the AWP was a whopping seven years in the past. That 2015 patch brought about an enormous stir (opens in new tab) with AWPers, who found a nerf to scoped-in motion pace meant they might now not quick-peek angles for immediate kills the way in which that they had been for years. The AWP additionally acquired a minor nerf to its motion acceleration in February 2020, however that tweak was so small it did not even make it into the weblog publish.
Curiously, the 5-round magazine change brings the AWP extra consistent with its counterpart in CS:GO’s largest competitor, Valorant. Riot’s model of the AWP rifle, the cutely named Operator (opens in new tab) (“Op” for brief) additionally has a 5-round magazine. Earlier than at the moment, journal dimension was one of many primary differentiators between these two dominant rifles—in each different approach that issues, the weapons are principally an identical.
Possibly Valve is taking some notes from Riot’s tactical shooter, which might solely be honest after the League of Legends studio did one huge Ctrl+C+V on Counter-Strike’s whole deal.