Vanguard players delighted as Raven nerfs end “toxic” Double Barrel meta

Shay Robson
Warzone chartacter pointing MP40 at enemy

Call of Duty: Vanguard’s infamous Double Barrel shotgun meta is over, and fans couldn’t be more delighted seeing players who relied on the weapons struggling in the nerf’s aftermath. 

Since release, the Vanguard Double Barrel shotgun meta was all the fuss in the newest Call of Duty title. With the right loadout, players could decimate others at an absurd range, provoking the community to demand changes.

After months of patiently waiting, the demands were met and the Double Barrel received significant nerfs from the devs in Vanguard’s January 20 patch.

Now, players are delighted to see others who relied on the overpowered shotgun struggle to perform well after the latest shift in the meta.

CoD Vanguard Shotgun gameplay

After the Vanguard Double Barrel nerf, players took to Reddit a day later to celebrate and make fun of players that relied on the shotguns. A post from CoD player Kalashcocknov highlighted how “hilarious” it truly is to see the bad players struggle.

“Seeing all the bad players that relied on combat shotties/double barrels and a riot shield is just hilarious,” said Kalashcocknov. “They’re crying on Twitter, they’re crying on Reddit, and they’re especially crying in-game.

“You can tell because they’re trying to use an MP40 or STG and going like 2-11 in a Search and Destroy game,” the player added. “It brings me great joy to see such bad and toxic players finally get shut down.”

“I love it! I think most of them uninstalled. But I see level 300s that don’t know how to aim,” commented one Vanguard player.

One former shotgunner added that the meta was fun, but they won’t miss it if it improves Vanguard as a whole: “I’ll confess that I had fun with how easy it was to just run around and get kills. But I won’t miss it if it improves the overall game.”

For now, Vanguard players won’t be decimated by the overpowered shotguns. However, only time will tell what the next infuriating meta will be, and it likely won’t be long until the community is demanding more changes.

About The Author

Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, Shay Robson is a Journalist for Dexerto. Typically, you'll see Shay tackling the entertainment news, writing about your favorite Twitch streamers and influencers. But, as a passionate esports fan, you'll also catch him covering League of Legends and Valorant when he gets the chance. Contact: shay.robson@dexerto.com