Respawn Reverts Unintentional Nerfs to SMGs in Apex Season 12 Launch

Respawn Entertainment had players worried when they logged on and saw their favorite SMGs handle differently. Developers including Respawn have a bad habit of adding "secret" nerfs or buffs, not mentioned in the patch notes. It can infuriate players to find out their favorite weapon is acting differently without knowing why.

Luckily, it was a mistake by Respawn Entertainment, not a secret nerf to SMGs. It's understandable for Apex Legends players to wonder since Season 12 just launched and there was no mention of it in the patch notes.

Once players started posting about the weapons acting differently, known Apex Legends dataminer shrugtal found the shadow nerf.

Increased hipfire spread for Alternator, Prowler and R99.

* Standing: 1.0 -> 1.2 (+20%)
* Running: 1.5 -> 1.7 (+13%)
* Sprinting: 2.5 -> 2.7 (+8%)
* Airborne: 3.5 -> 4.0 (+14%)

The one thing to worry about is the probability of Respawn thinking of nerfing SMGs. While this may have been a mistake, it's a very specific change that seems planned. I wouldn't be surprised if Respawn implements some level of this nerf later down the line. SMGs have been a staple of the weapon meta for some time, so maybe they want to change things up. However, based on the reaction to this shadow nerf, Respawn could change their minds.