Overpowered akimbo shotguns nerfed in latest update for MW3, Warzone

This definitely needed to happen.

Akimbo Lockwood Mk2 shotguns in MW3 and Warzone
Screenshot by Dot Esports

Eyes up, gamers, there’s another new patch to download for Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone today.

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MW3‘s second patch in as many days has targeted one of the game’s newest Aftermarket Parts that transforms the Lockwood Mk2 marksman rifle into dual-wielded shotguns reminiscent of the akimbo Model 1887 shotguns from Modern Warfare 2 in 2009.

But apparently, they were overperforming, as anyone who’s played public matches in MW3 over the past couple of weeks can attest to after getting one-tapped from ridiculous ranges across a variety of game modes and playlists. And so Sledgehammer Games and Raven Software have brought them down multiple notches in both MW3 multiplayer and Warzone today.

Read on below for the information on what changed on the JAK Wardens in MW3 and Warzone.

MW3 patch notes today: May 9 JAK Wardens nerf

JAK Wardens MW3 shotguns
Akimbo shotties. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The JAK Wardens Conversion Kit itself was hit with an increase in hipfire spread, in both its minimum and maximum values, but two specific ammunition attachments have also been nerfed in response to the akimbo shotguns’ prevalence.

Both the .410 Gauge Slug Shells and .410 Gauge Ball attachments were nerfed in a big way. The Slug Shells had an increase in hipfire spread, as well as multiple tweaks to damage ranges and damage multipliers.

“Our goal for the .410 Gauge Slug Shells is to increase damage consistency in close-range engagements while simultaneously limiting the likelihood of kills at extreme distances by reducing damage range and increasing hipfire spread,” Activision said in the patch notes.

Elsewhere in the update, there was a fix for weapons and powerups from the Arcade playlist accidentally appearing in other game modes, and weapon prestige camos can now be earned on MW2 guns as well.

MW3’s season three continues for another few weeks, and season four will likely begin on Wednesday, May 29.

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Scott Duwe
Senior Staff Writer & Call of Duty lead. Professional writer for over 10 years. Lover of all things Marvel, Destiny 2, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, and more. Previous bylines include PC Gamer, Red Bull Esports, Fanbyte, and Esports Nation. DogDad to corgis Yogi and Mickey, sports fan (NY Yankees, NY Jets, NY Rangers, NY Knicks), Paramore fanatic, cardio enthusiast.