Why LMGs Usually Suck In COD & FPS Games

Light machine guns are a weapon category that constantly struggles for identity in multiplayer shooters like Call Of Duty, Battlefield, and standalone battle royale titles. We look at the iconic weapon type’s struggle with nerfs, buffs, and finding a purpose.  

Multiplayer shooters like Call Of Duty and Battlefield have a large number of weapon classes including assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and even rocket launchers. In-game weapons often channel the spirit of their real-world counterparts, such as SMGs being high rate-of-fire weapons that are great at close range but weak at a distance. One gun in particular has a lot of challenges translating to video games. The light machine gun is a weapon primarily designed to keep opponents’ heads down and instill fear. With the ability to respawn and try again, players in multiplayer shooters are generally not afraid to stick their head out, leading developers to explore creative solutions for what role the LMG should serve.

In this video, we’re going to look at what a light machine gun is, why they often don’t translate to games, types of suppression developers have tried, what happens when LMGs stray into other classes and get nerfed, how they fare in battle royale modes, and some creative implementations of the weapon. We’ll show off some of your favorites such as the M60 from Battlefield Bad Company and the RPD from Modern Warfare 2. We’re also going to explore why Lord Tachanka was the absolute worst character in Rainbow Six Siege until he was reworked recently.

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