Warzone 2 one-shot snipers secretly nerfed after dominating meta

Ryan Lemay
Warzone 2 Operator with a sniper

Warzone 2 players finally got their wishes fulfilled of one-shot sniping returning, but the dream only lasted one week.

Warzone 2’s meta received a much-needed shakeup in the Season 2 update. The RPK, Fennec, akimbo pistols, and Signal 50 all took warranted hits in their ability. As WZ2 players searched for the next best thing, the Lachmann Sub and TAQ-56 emerged as early candidates to take over the battle royale’s meta.

However, everything changed when players discovered snipers could finally one-shot kill once again after the seasonal update. Snipers took down enemies in one hit from most ranges by equipping incendiary ammunition.

Players prayed that the feature wasn’t a mistake, but the sniper rifle classes’ time in the sun didn’t last long, as a stealth update reverted snipers back.

Warzone 2 snipers nerfed in secret update

Warzone 2.o logo with sniper
Sniper rifles have failed to find a place in Warzone 2’s meta.

On February 24, just seven days after players discovered snipers could one-hit kill again, the feature was reportedly removed.

ModernWarzone reported, “Incendiary rounds seem to have been nerfed in Warzone as snipers can no longer down a fully armored enemy in 1 hit, even with the fire rounds equipped.”

Incendiary rounds have the distinct disadvantage of reducing damage range, bullet velocity, and bullet penetration, but it wasn’t enough to convince the developers.

One player responded, “I noticed this last night. It makes no sense. This was a pretty balanced way of sniping, I thought.”

A second user added, “well, it sure was nice while it lasted.”

Not all community members were on the same page about the nerf. “With the game’s lack of movement and ability to dodge effectively like in warzone 1, it’s insanely hard to dodge one-shot snipers.”

Other players argued that snipers became too powerful on Ashika Island, as you would die without knowing what happened.

Sniper rifles’ return to dominance didn’t last long, but it was a memorable experience for the community.

About The Author

Ryan is a former games writer for Dexerto. Ryan graduated from Ithaca College in 2021 with a sports media degree and a journalism minor. He gained experience as a writer for the Morning Times newspaper before joining Dexerto as a games writer. He mainly writes about first-person shooters, including Call of Duty and Battlefield, but he is also a big FIFA fan.