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MW3 developer Sledgehammer Games has just released the launch patch notes for the latest CoD installment, and, unsurprisingly, one particular SMG has taken a heavy hit following its reign of terror during the game’s open beta period.
If you joined in on the fun during the open beta period ahead of the Modern Warfare 3 release date, you’d know that the Striker SMG was one of the most popular weapons during that time. The diminutive yet highly powerful gun was a part of every player’s favorite loadout due to its high rate of fire and respectable stopping power, which even prompted the developers to nerf it during the second beta weekend.
Unfortunately, it seems the nerfs that Sledgehammer Games introduced then still haven’t been enough, as the Striker SMG will take even more hits with this latest patch. According to the update the MW3 developer is set to introduce at launch, this gun will see its maximum damage, near-medium damage, far-medium damage, minimum damage, and aim-down sights time decrease. Though it should still be viable in certain scenarios, players may start using other stronger weapons instead on opening day.
On the other hand, most ARs received plenty of buffs, as the SVA-545, MTZ-556, and the MCW all saw an increase in bullet velocity. Now, these balance changes won’t be the end of the world for those who prefer the mobility and rate of fire that an SMG provides. However, it does seem like Sledgehammer Games is pushing MW3’s opening meta to be more assault rifle-centric based purely on this latest patch.
It remains to be seen whether this will be the case moving forward, as the game has yet to be released. So, while you wait, check out our guides on the best SVA-545 loadout in MW3, the best MCW 6.8 loadout in MW3, and the best Striker loadout in MW3 in the meantime. If you want to learn the exact changes, you can check them out below.
MW3 launch day buffs and nerfs
Here are all of the buffs and nerfs you can expect during the MW3 opening day:
WEAPONS & ATTACHMENTS
- SVA 545 (Assault Rifle)
- Increased bullet velocity by 19%.
- Increased rate of fire from 632 RPM to 682 RPM (+8%).
- Increased lower-torso damage multiplier from 1x to 1.1x.
- Decreased recoil to veer less to the right.
- MTZ-556 (Assault Rifle)
- Increased bullet velocity by 18%.
- Increased maximum damage range from 23m to 27m (+17%).
- MCW (Assault Rifle)
- Increased bullet velocity by 18%.
- Increased recoil during sustained fire.
- Decreased minimum damage from 24 to 21 (-13%).
- Striker (Submachine Gun)
- Decreased maximum damage from 42 to 36 (-14%).
- Decreased near-medium damage from 33 to 27 (-18%).
- Decreased fear-medium damage from 27 to 25 (-7%).
- Decreased minimum damage from 21 to 20 (-5%).
- Decreased aim down sights time from 250ms to 240ms (-4%).
- Holger 26 (Light Machine Gun)
- Increased bullet velocity by 13%.
- Pulemyot 762 (Light Machine Gun)
- Increased bullet velocity by 16%.
- Decreased maximum damage from 47 to 45 (-4%).
- JAK Annihilator Bullpup Kit (Conversion Kit)
- Increased bullet velocity by 29%.
- Decreased rate of fire from 666 RPM to 571 RPM (-14%).
- MTZ Interceptor (Marksman Rifle)
- Increased bullet velocity by 15%.
- Increased hipfire spread during sustained fire.
- Decreased aim down sights time from 330ms to 265ms (-20%).
- MCW 6.8 (Marksman Rifle)
- Increased bullet velocity by 12%.
- Increased hipfire spread during sustained fire.
- Decreased aim down sights time from 260ms to 245ms (-6%).
- Longbow (Sniper Rifle)
- Increased bullet velocity by 13%.
- Swapped full-auto crosshair for expected semi-auto crosshair.
- Increased flinch when shot by an enemy player to align with other Sniper Rifles.
- Increased hipfire spread while moving and during sustained fire.
- KV Inhibitor (Sniper Rifle)
- Increased bullet velocity by 5%.
- Increased hipfire spread while moving.
- Increased flinch when shot by an enemy player by 18%.
- WSP Stinger (Handgun)
- Swapped semi-auto crosshair for expected full-auto crosshair.
- Decreased maximum damage from 25 to 24 (-4%).
- Decreased maximum damage from 27 to 25 (-7%).
- Decreased maximum damage range from 12m to 6m (-50%).
- Decreased upper-torso damage multiplier from 1.1x to 1x.
- Decreased hipfire spread during sustained fire.
- Renetti (Handgun)
- Swapped semi-auto crosshair for expected burst-fire crosshair.
- Slightly increased recoil during sustained fire.
- Decreased minimum damage.
- JAK Ferocity Carbine Kit (Conversion Kit)
- Swapped semi-auto crosshair for expected full-auto crosshair.
- Increased aim down sight time 200ms.
- Increased sprint to fire time from 80ms to 100ms (+25%).
- COR-45 (Handgun)
- Decreased maximum damage range from 9m to 6m (-33%).
- Decreased near-medium damage range from 20m to 10m (-50%).
- High Velocity (Ammunition)
- Decreased bullet velocity multiplier from 1.2x to 1.15x.
- Decreased Sniper Rifle bullet velocity multiplier from 1.3x to 1.17x.
- Low Grain Rounds (Ammunition)
- Decreased damage range penalty.
- Decreased bullet velocity penalty.
- Decreased recoil control advantage.
- High Grain Rounds (Ammunition)
- Decreased recoil control penalty.
- Decreased bullet velocity advantage.
- Decreased damage range advantage.
- Optics (Attachment)
- Decreased aim down sights time penalty across multiple Optic types.
- Dots & Holographics: 30ms to 0ms (-100%).
- 2.5x: 70ms to 15ms (-79%).
- 4x & Hybrids: 40ms to 20ms (-50%).
- Scopes: 100ms to 50ms (-50%).
- Decreased aim down sights time penalty across multiple Optic types.
- Muzzles (Attachment)
- Slightly increased aim down sight penalty for Flash Hider, Compensator, and Muzzle Break types.
