Unexpected Updates in Warzone Include Nerfs for Cronen Squall and RPK
On September 6, Warzone developers released unexpected updates that included nerfs for the Cronen Squall and RPK. However, game tester JGOD maintains that these updates are not as significant as they may seem.
The Cronen Squall's Reign
The Cronen Squall, introduced in Season 3, has dominated Warzone’s long range meta for quite some time. Despite attempts to curb its power through nerfs in Season 3 Reloaded, Season 5, and the most recent mid-season update, the battle rifle has proved to be a challenging adversary.
Popularity Despite Nerfs
According to data from WZ Ranked, the Cronen Squall is currently the ninth most popular weapon in the game, with a 5.1% pick rate. Even after the nerfs in Season 5 Reloaded, a significant number of professional players continued to use the easy-to-handle battle rifle in tournaments and Ranked Play.
The Impact of the Latest Updates
In an attempt to further balance the field, Warzone developers introduced additional nerfs to the Cronen Squall and RPK as part of a minor update. JGOD conducted several tests to determine the impact of these changes.
Post-update, the Cronen Squall's close damage and damage multipliers to the neck and upper torso were found to be decreased. On the other hand, the RPK’s head damage multiplier increased while other body multipliers decreased. The Light Machine Gun also saw an increase in close damage range and a decrease in close damage.
Cronen Squall and RPK Post-Update Performance
According to JGOD, players are unlikely to notice any significant change when using the Cronen Squall. He explained that the furthest range damage of 22 did not change, and only impacted damage values within 31 meters in Warzone.
The game tester also examined the RPK post-nerf and found that all its damage profiles were altered. "They do more headshot damage, but everywhere else does less. This essentially makes it a 1100 TTK weapon, whereas before, it was mostly going to be 1000," JGOD added.
Players will now likely need to land an extra headshot for a kill. JGOD believes that the performance of the RPK will be closer to the Kastov 762 but with worse mobility.
Seeking a Replacement
Game players looking for a replacement weapon may want to consider the best Warzone loadouts.
