Warzone 2 players abandon nerfed ISO 45 for surprising close-range option

The Warzone 2 Season 4 Reloaded update brought a long-awaited nerf to the popular ISO 45, and players have begun flocking to an unexpected close-range weapon to replace it.

Just like Season 4 before it, Warzone 2 Season 4 Reloaded shook up the meta in a number of interesting ways. Not only did it throw the new MX Guardian Shotgun into the mix, but it also brought a ton of buffs and nerfs to the existing lineup of guns.

The weapon that was arguably hit the hardest was the ISO 45, which received a close-range and headshot damage nerf. After the SMG dominated matches throughout Season 4, this change left players looking for a new option to cover them in close-quarters fights.

Now, in the days since Warzone 2 Season 4 Reloaded live, a surprising new face has emerged as the most popular weapon in the game.

According to WZ Ranked, the X13 Auto is currently the number one most-used gun in Warzone 2, beating out the TAQ-V to claim the top spot. At the time of writing, it has a pick rate of 12.9%, 0.7% more than its closest rival.

This is likely due to the fact that subtle TTK changes in the mid-season update, as outlined by JGOD, mean that Akimbo Pistols are the fastest-killing weapons in the game. When you combine this with the fact that Handguns don’t require the Overkill Perk to run, it’s no surprise that the X13 Auto has become the go-to.

Meanwhile, the ISO 45 is sat as the third most-used gun in Warzone 2, with a pick rate of around 10%. This is a far cry from the beginning of Season 4 when the new SMG was comfortably the top weapon in the game and had a pick rate of over 25%.

Only time will tell how the close-range meta will evolve throughout the rest of the season, as players get to grips with the new Shotgun as well as all of the balancing changes.

Warzone 2 Season 5 is set to bring even changes, but in the meantime check out the best Ranked Play loadouts for Season 4 Reloaded.