Balance Change For Jackal PDW Confirmed For Black Ops 6 Open Beta

It’s no secret that the Jackal PDW SMG has dominated as the top weapon during the first early access beta for Black Ops 6. While many players were concerned it would overpower the game, it seems the developers have other plans. Treyarch recently confirmed that the Jackal PDW will be receiving some "tweaks" ahead of the second open beta, which starts this weekend.

Let’s dive into the details we know so far about the expected changes to the Jackal PDW in the second week of the Black Ops 6 open beta and discuss what adjustments we might see for this powerful weapon.

Jackal PDW Will Get Some Changes For Black Ops 6 Open Beta

If you played through the early access for the Black Ops 6 beta last weekend, you’re likely aware that the Jackal PDW SMG quickly became the go-to weapon in the game’s meta. With the right attachments, the Jackal’s lightning-fast time-to-kill (TTK), combined with BO6’s new Omnimovement feature, made it a dominant force.

And finally, take a break from the Jackal PDW for a minute (it's been tuned for Weekend 2 btw) and equip the all-new Tanto .22 full-auto SMG at Level 30: pic.twitter.com/1O8OB7GaVM

— Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) September 5, 2024

However, this didn’t sit well with many players who were hoping for a more balanced meta in their first experience with Black Ops 6, and it seems the developers have taken notice. Treyarch has confirmed that when the Open Beta launches on September 6 at 10 AM PT, the Jackal will be adjusted from its previous performance in the first weekend.

In a statement, Treyarch hinted at these changes by encouraging players to "take a break" from using the SMG, saying, "It's been tuned for Weekend 2." While specific details about the balance adjustments weren’t provided, there are a few likely changes we can anticipate.

The developers may focus on reducing the Jackal’s TTK, which is a significant factor in its current lethality. Alternatively, they might tweak the available attachments, either adding or removing options to make the weapon more balanced and less overpowered, especially for more competitive players. This would encourage players jumping into the Open Beta to explore a wider range of weapons, as no single gun should have overwhelming strengths without weaknesses. 

Interestingly, the C9 SMG has been close on the heels of the Jackal, even slightly outperforming it in terms of TTK. Plus, new weapons like the Tanto .22 will be introduced in the Closed Beta. So, the Jackal will face some stiff competition when the Open Beta kicks off, and it will be exciting to see how the meta evolves in Black Ops 6.