Key Takeaways
- Activision nerfed AEK-973 in Black Ops 6 Season 1 due to its overpowered Rapid Fire attachment.
- Changes include increased Sprint to Fire time, halved Rate of Fire, double recoil, and tripled Burst Fire Delay.
- Community reactions are mixed, with some feeling the nerf was heavy-handed while others believe the weapon is still strong.
We’re on the precipice of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Season 1. The first major update since the game’s launch is set to bring new maps, weapons, score streaks, and more.
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To this point, the details of Season 1 have been so well received by fans that the community has been quick to declare that Activision is “cooking.”
However, yesterday, the official patch notes for Black Ops 6’s first season were released, with Activision confirming that it is nerfing one of the game’s most popular weapons—the AEK-973—which has disappointed the community.
“RIP To The AEK-973”
On its own, the AEK-973 is a pretty powerful semi-automatic marksman rifle. Its three-burst round can one-shot kill an enemy from a pretty significant distance. However, that’s not what makes it special.
When combined with the Rapid Fire mod, the weapon becomes a meta-breaking powerhouse. In a one-on-one engagement, it’s almost too quick for an enemy to respond, and with its semi-limited recoil, the weapon is pretty busted. Activision, who admits the mod is “too strong not to take,” is changing that.
In Season 1, the AEK’s Sprint to Fire time and Tactical Sprint to Fire time will increase, and the Rapid Fire attachment mod’s Rate of Fire will be halved, its Burst Fire Delay will more than double, and its recoil will double—some pretty significant changes.
Of the changes, one player said, “It definitely needed a nerf for Rapid Fire, but halving the RPM boost, doubling the recoil penalty, AND almost tripling the Burst Fire Delay is a bit heavy-handed.” A second added that “The nerf here basically says ‘never pick this attachment at all’ as opposed to a more nuanced approach to the balance.”
It definitely needed a nerf for Rapid Fire, but halving the RPM boost, doubling the recoil penalty, AND almost tripling the Burst Fire Delay is a bit heavy-handed.
Although a third player suggested, “That’s ONLY to the Rapid Fire attachment, though. It’s easily still one of the best guns in the game, even without Rapid Fire,” the debate on Reddit raged on, with players sharing very different opinions.
Naturally, as the first major nerf of Black Ops 6’s life-cycle, it’s split the community, but with Black Ops 6 hitting record player numbers, it’s likely only a small divot in what will be one of the most successful Call of Duty games ever.
Forced to go rogue. Hunted from within. This is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Developed by Treyarch and Raven, Black Ops 6 is a spy action thriller set in the early 90s, a period of transition and upheaval in global politics, characterized by the end of the Cold War and the rise of the United States as a single superpower. With a mind-bending narrative, and unbound by the rules of engagement, this is signature Black Ops.
The Black Ops 6 Campaign provides dynamic moment-to-moment gameplay that includes a variety of play spaces with blockbuster set pieces and action-packed moments, high-stakes heists, and cloak-and-dagger spy activity.
In a best-in-class Multiplayer experience, players will test their skills across 16 new maps at launch, including 12 core 6v6 maps and 4 Strike maps that can be played 2v2 or 6v6.
Black Ops 6 also marks the epic return of Round-Based Zombies, the fan-favorite mode where players will take down hordes of the undead in two brand-new maps at launch. Post-launch, players can look forward to even more exciting maps and groundbreaking experiences dropping into both Multiplayer and Zombies.