The Apex Legends Season 14 changes to the gun known as Wingman seemed strange at first but turned out to be exactly what the gun needed.

The Wingman has seen a lot of nerfs and buffs throughout its time in Apex Legends. The decision by Respawn Entertainment to move it from heavy rounds to sniper in Season 14 seemed like a strange move. However, upon closer inspection, it makes perfect sense.

The ammo stacks may be smaller, but the Boosted Loader coupled with the Skull Piercer hop-up still makes the gun a force to be reckoned with. This balance fits within the context of the Season 14 meta, and Respawn may have finally found the Wingman's sweet spot. It isn't as overpowered as its previous iteration, but it can still wipe out half a lobby in the right hands.

Related: How Apex Legends: Hunted Will Change Up the Game

The Wingman goes all the way back to the game Titanfall, in which it could kill an enemy pilot with a single headshot. Fortunately, Respawn toned it down for Apex Legends. While it can no longer one-shot an enemy, the Wingman is still a very powerful revolver. It is a damage dealer with considerable stopping power at any range, making it the most versatile weapon in the game. It requires precision aiming, practice, and patience. Relative to other guns in Apex Legends, it is difficult to use, but once mastered, the Wingman is one of the most satisfying guns to wield in video game history.

When it was announced at the beginning of Season 14 that the Wingman was shifting from heavy ammo to sniper, a lot of eyebrows were raised. Now that the season is well underway and there has been time for the dust to settle, the early skepticism over this decision has mellowed. Moving the Wingman to the sniper category means smaller ammo stacks, which is its most significant change. As a heavy weapon, players could stack 60 bullets per inventory slot. Now as a sniper, that number is reduced to 28. The reasoning behind this decision was not to hobble the Wingman but to tone it down.

Before the change, players could spam Wingman shots to devastating effect. This was especially true if it was wielded by a highly skilled player. With a wealth of bullets at their disposal, they could pin down opponents with a relentless barrage of high-damaging rounds. They could deplete the enemy's supply of healing items such as shield batteries and med kits, and with a few well-placed headshots, they could wipe out an entire squad with a single magazine.

Related: Battle Passes Are Terrible - And Gaming's Best Option

Now, with fewer bullets in their inventory, players must be much more conservative with how they use the Wingman. They can no longer fire with reckless abandon as each shot reduces the limited ammo reserve. While the Wingman is still a high-powered and effective weapon, its use in Season 14 must be more deliberate and cautious.

Shifting the Wingman to sniper rounds also makes the 30-30 Repeater more useful. Before the change, both guns used heavy ammo and played similar roles, which essentially rendered the Repeater redundant, as most players preferred the Wingman. In Season 14, the Repeater is the only medium to long-range heavy weapon. Additionally, its built-in Shatter Caps hop-up allows the Repeater to be used much like a shotgun at close range, making it an incredibly powerful and versatile rifle.

Related: Marvel Confirms EA Is Working on Several Unannounced Superhero Games

The changes made to the Wingman are significant, but not game-breaking. The 30-30 Repeater benefits from the change, and now that the Wingman directly competes with sniper rifles, weapon load-out decisions are more interesting. Players that enjoyed the Wingman in the past continue to do so in its current form. It still hits like a truck and deals a lot of damage when used effectively. The only real difference is that players will need to keep a closer eye on their ammunition reserves.

Love it or hate it, the Wingman is still one of the most powerful guns in Apex Legends. The changes made to it in Season 14 seemed odd at first, but now that players have had time to adapt, they can appreciate that the Wingman has finally found a perfect balance.

Subscribe to the CBR newsletter for exclusive comics, TV & movie news, reviews, interviews & much more!