The Battlefield 6 beta was a wild ride, but one thing stood out: shotguns, especially the M87A1, were way too powerful. DICE caught wind of the issue and decided to nerf them. This change, driven by player feedback, is all about making the game fair and fun for everyone. Let’s break down why this nerf is a smart move.
The Problem in the Beta
During the beta, the M87A1 shotgun was a total game-changer—and not in a good way. It could drop players with a single shot from distances that felt unfair, making it the go-to weapon for close-quarters fights and even some longer-range engagements. This made other weapons, like assault rifles or SMGs, feel like they couldn’t keep up. Matches started turning into shotgun fests, where whoever pulled out the M87A1 had a huge edge. Players flooded forums, Reddit, and social media with complaints, pointing out how the shotgun’s dominance was throwing off the game’s balance and making fights less about skill and more about who had the better boomstick.
Developer Response and Changes
DICE didn’t just sit back—they jumped in and made changes based on what players were saying. The nerf to the M87A1 means it now takes more pellets to score a kill, so you can’t just spray and pray from across the map. They also cut down its effective range, so it’s only deadly up close, where shotguns are supposed to shine. On top of that, they tweaked the recoil to make it harder to control and slowed the rate of fire, so you can’t just spam shots. Ammo counts got a look too, limiting how many rounds you can fire before reloading. Beyond the shotgun fixes, DICE is also tweaking movement mechanics, like jumping and sliding, to stop players from exploiting them in ways that felt broken during the beta. These changes show DICE is serious about fixing bugs and balancing the game for launch.
Benefits of the Nerf
This nerf does more than just weaken shotguns—it makes the whole game better. By forcing players to aim carefully and think about their weapon choices, it rewards skill over just picking the strongest gun. Now, shotguns won’t dominate every match, which gives other weapons like rifles, snipers, and LMGs a chance to shine. This opens up more playstyles, so you can run a sneaky flank with an SMG or hold a sniper perch without worrying about a shotgun guy ruining your day from 20 meters away. It also fits Battlefield’s core focus of teamwork and strategy, where coordinating with your squad and picking the right tools for the job matter more than leaning on one overpowered weapon. The result? Matches that feel varied, intense, and rewarding.