Warzone expert claims “easy-to-use” rifle is new meta after surprise buff

The Warzone February 21 update rolled out a handful of weapon balancing changes, and CoD stats expert TrueGameData believes that a surprise buff to one Assault Rifle has made it the meta long-range weapon in the game.

With so many weapons to choose from in Warzone since integrating with Modern Warfare 3, it’s no easy task keeping the meta balanced. That’s why the devs release updates regularly to tune the arsenal of guns and give different options time in the spotlight.

In Season 2, the SVA 545 and TAQ Evolvere have been the dominant long-range picks, despite the latter catching a substantial nerf. Now, after another update was rolled out, there’s a new Assault Rifle that could take over Urzikstan.

The Warzone February 21 update came with major buffs to the MTZ-556, a rifle that hasn’t made much of an impression in the battle royale since arriving. Its recoil was reduced drastically, while its damage ranges and maximum damage were also increased.

In a video covering the changes, TrueGameData found that the MTZ-556 now kills faster than many meta options, with only the RAM-7 outgunning it. However, he added that the buffed AR is so “easy to use” compared to its rivals, that it will probably become the new meta pick for long-range fights.

The only other Warzone weapon that TGD felt was comparable to the MTZ-556 was the SVA 545, another extremely low recoil Assault Rifle that has been a popular choice during Season 2.

When breaking down the pairs TTK, he found that while the SVA kills faster up to around 37 meters, the two are very evenly matched in the mid-range. Then, from around 52 meters onwards, the MTZ has the edge.

According to WZ Ranked, the MTZ-556 has a pick rate of just 0.33% at the time of writing, making it one of the least-used MW3 guns in its class. But after this “huge” buff, don’t be surprised to see it dominating matches going forward.

For more on Warzone, be sure to check out all of the Weekly Challenges, as well as the other best weapons to use.