If there is anything people inextricably link to theGears of Warfranchise, it’s likely the Lancer: One part assault rifle, one part chainsaw, 100 percent awesome. However another weapon frequently cited amongGears' greatest, most iconic weaponsdating back to the original game is the Gnasher Shotgun — which The Coalition just nerfed inGears 5.
The change was announced yesterday on theGears 5website as part of the developer’s “on-going mechanical updates” meant to “improve [the game’s] combat experience.” The Gnasher nerf amounts to a one-foot decrease in the range where instant kills are possible, a reduction of point-blank damage dealt by a full spread of shotgun pellets, and an increase in the range at which pellets will still accrue chip damage on opposing players.
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Throughout the post, it’s said the Gnasher changes are meant to help shotgun combat be more skillful by reducing the likelihood of players “thoughtlessly” charging an opponent and instead encourage them to fight with mid-range combat and chasing tactics in mind.Gears 5already had one of the mostwell-regarded multiplayer scenes in 2019, and it’s clear The Coalition is very committed to keeping things fresh if it’s willing to ding such an iconic weapon.
The Gnasher is one of many tools including the previouslyoverpowered flashbang grenades to be nerfedsinceGears 5launched, and because the change is so recent it’s hard to tell whether there will be wide-reaching ramifications. But the r/GearsOfWar subreddit is already seeing comments from players discussing their good and bad experiences with the new mechanic.
The future of theGears of Warfranchise has been in question following the announced departure ofThe Coalition’s head Rod Fergusson. But it’s safe to say that a development team still focused on rebalancing its game at least seven months after launch will carry good practices into upcoming entries.
That shake-up in the series' management has also brought new potential opportunities to the forefront, like whenGear’s original designer Cliff Bleszinskiextended an offer to consult on Twitter. Fans of the popular third-person shooters will just have to wait and see how things turn out, and luckily the Gnasher changes give them something to try out in the meantime.
Gears 5is available now on PC and Xbox One.
