Stinger to be nerfed in patch 6.02

Days go by, and we see how the VALORANT competitive scene is already underway in all regions of the world. Many third-party tournaments have been taking place during these weeks in different regions, and there is no doubt that this is just a taste of what we expect to be spectacular in 2023.

With the introduction of the franchise system in the VCT, the creation of different Challenger leagues, and some third-party tournaments and competitive modes, VALORANT is grabbing the attention of many at the start of 2023.

Complaints regarding the meta weapon in the latest patch

Many professional or casual players have voiced their complaints regarding the significant buff of a certain SMG that has wreaked havoc in VALORANT’s ECO rounds. It is none other than the Stinger.

In patch 5.06, the Stinger regained a significant value in every way and is now considered the meta weapon of the game. This is because the developers improved it to lower the error rate on its primary and secondary fire. There is no doubt that this helps those Stinger lovers to control the weapon’s recoil much easier than before. Also, it is still one of the cheapest weapons you can buy, so, they are ideal for ECO rounds.

Riot announces changes for the Stinger

After complaints from the community and players, Riot Games will implement changes, echoing its commitment to listening to users. In a post on Twitter, Riot highlights that there will be a significant change in the price of the weapon, in addition to reduced damage at certain distances. Riot said:

“We feel the Stinger is over-performing at its price point, especially in the early rounds, and lacks the right economic tradeoffs”

The Twitter thread continues with Riot Games explaining what changes there will be for the Stinger in patch 6.02

• The price of the Stinger increases from 950 to 1100 credits.
• Weapon damage decreases. From now on, from a distance between 0-15 meters, the weapon will inflict 27 points of damage per bullet. On the other hand, from 15 meters, it will be 23 points of damage per bullet.

In conclusion, the Stinger will be much less effective when used at multiple distances. This will decrease its use in the professional scene and competitive tails. The Stinger is the third most used weapon in VCT NA Challengers 23, behind the Vandal and Phantom.

In addition, all these changes will hit the servers within a few days, as it will be alongside patch 6.02 next Tuesday, February 7.

Despite many complaints, other community members are unhappy with this news, as many points out that they found their favorite weapon in the Stinger in recent months.

When nerfing a weapon, this always happens. Some people are in favor, and others are against it. What is certain is that Riot does this to balance the games and prevent many from losing interest in the game.

Header: Riot Games