Fortnite nerfs SMG and MK7, players say buff them instead

Fortnite Chapter 3 has been great so far in almost every aspect, whether it be the map, content, lore, or other things. The developers have been very generous this Season, showering players with new weapons and Mythics every other day. Chapter 3 Season 1 has already witnessed an influx of new and old weaponry and with the new update around the corner, players can expect more to come.

However, Epic has made some weapon balancing updates nerfing and buffing a few. In a recent hotfix update, the developers have adjusted the Stinger SMG, MK-Seven Assault Rifle, and Auto Shotgun, but players think otherwise.

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Fortnite developers nerf Stinger SMG while players want otherwise

Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 has had many weapons and gameplay balancing updates. Last month, Epic Games had buffed the Striker Pump Shotgun while nerfing the newly added MK-7 Assault Rifle. The developers have made more adjustments to how Stinger SMG works in Chapter 3.

As per a recent tweet by Fortnite status, the developers have "made several balance changes" to the Stinger SMG, MK-Seven Assault, and the Auto Shotgun. You can check out the tweet below.

As per the tweet, Epic has slightly reduced the damage done by Stinger SMG. Here are the before and after damage numbers for the Stinger SMG, courtesy of HYPEX:

• Stinger SMG (up to Mythic) damage nerfed from 18/19/20/21/22/24 to 16/17/18/19/20/22

While it's unclear why the developers did this, many players want Epic to nerf the weapon instead of buffing it. The Stinger SMG is a powerful weapon and has a fast firing rate, high damage numbers, with a small amount of spread. The weapon is best for medium to close range encounters.

The community seems to be unhappy to lose a great weapon like this. However, Epic has said they will "continue to evaluate this as the season evolves" and appreciate our continued support and feedback. So, we might get to see some tweaks based on player feedback as the season progresses.

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What's more in the latest Fortnite Hotfix

The recent Fortnite Hotfix Update has also seen the nerfing of the MK-7 AR. This isn't the first time the assault rifle has been nerfed this season. With the January 13 hotfix, the MK-Seven damage has been lowered slightly.

While the developers didn’t mention the new damage values, thanks to HYPEX, we have a clear idea of the new damage numbers of the MK-7 AR.

• MK7 damage (up to Mythic) nerfed from 21/22/23/24/25/26 to 20/21/22/23/24/25

Other than that, the Auto shotgun has now been buffed. The reload speed of the weapon has been improved. Here are the previous and new reload speeds for the auto shotgun in Fortnite Chapter 3:

• Auto Shotgun reload time buffed from 8.8/8.4/8/7.6/7.2/6.8 to 6.2/6/5.7/5.4/5.1/4.8

The community has been asking Epic to bring the pump shotgun back, but it seems very far-fetched. The Auto Shotgun has not been well received by the players and it's good to see Epic making changes to the weapon.