Call of Duty: Warzone Adjusts the Lockwood 300 to Address Balance Concerns

The Call of Duty: Warzone gaming community breathed a collective sigh of relief following a playlist update that specifically targeted the Maelstrom Dual Trigger attachment of the Lockwood 300 shotgun. This notable modification had been giving players a disproportionate edge in the game by significantly increasing the weapon's damage output to the extent that it could neutralize enemies with a single shot by piercing through their armor.

While Warzone's Season 1 Reloaded was rolling out with an array of fresh experiences, including the new Gulag Public Event and Champion's Quest, plus the introduction of two novel weapons, its January 17 launch was far from smooth. Players encountered a series of technical glitches and bugs, prompting developers to act swiftly in an attempt to rectify the disruptions plaguing both Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. As a gesture of goodwill, they offered double XP tokens to players of both titles.

Some issues, however, were more stubborn and persisted beyond the initial fixes. Among these was the continued dominance of the Lockwood 300 shotgun, bolstered by the troublesome Maelstrom Dual Trigger attachment in Warzone. In an effort to stabilize gameplay, the Call of Duty Updates Twitter account revealed that a minor playlist adjustment has been applied, with the intent of taking the goncerning attachment offline. Although the attachment can still be selected, its performance has been downgraded to match that of the standard trigger option for the weapon, while a more permanent solution is pending. The exact timing of a hotfix remains unknown, but the Twitter communiqué indicates that the change should be in place until further notice.

This isn't the first occasion on which the problematic attachment has been sidelined; it was similarly deactivated following the December 19 update before making a brief reappearance. This recent measure is intended to give Warzone combatants a respite from the shotgun's formerly overpowering capabilities, and while players are momentarily pleased, they are eager for an explanation and a lasting fix to avoid a repeat issue.

As Call of Duty gears up for Season 2, anticipated to kick off in early February, developers appear to be doubling down on efforts to iron out lingering issues. Further announcements and details about the upcoming season are expected soon, and fans are hopeful that the next chapter will bring a smoother and more balanced gameplay experience.