Destiny is nerfing shotguns, again

Destiny's overpowered shotguns are getting a second nerf in as many months.

The close-up powerhouses are again getting a debuff to their long-range balance - this time, to remove their range-giving Shot Package perk completely. Any gun with the perk will be changed to have another instead.

Last month, Bungie reduced the lethality of shotguns by nerfing their range and damage as part of the game's huge 2.0 update. Prior to that, shotgun range was also nerfed in patch 1.1.1.

"One piece of community feedback that has been unanimous is that the changes to shotgun perks were not enough to curb their lethality at extreme ranges in the Crucible," Bungie designer Tyson Green explained in the developer's latest weekly blog.

"The prevalence of Shot Package on almost every long-range Shotgun has effectively redefined the close-quarters combat experience. Going forward, we'll continue to dial in shotgun range."

In other news, Bungie said that it had noted the fan reaction to this week's sudden reveal of the exotic Sleeper Simulant quest.

Fans rejoiced at finally being able to obtain one of the game's most elusive weapons and quickly banded together to riddle out the puzzle new Bungie had set. But others were disappointed that the event had only begun after Bungie flipped a switch.

Destiny's hardcore fans had been scouring the game for clues as to the weapon's location - needlessly, it turned out.

"The response to Sleeper Simulant was humbling because we did not predict the community reaction," Green continued. "When we try new things, players often teach us a lesson about how to do it better, and this one has us thinking hard about how Quests communicate their availability.

"Our challenge is balancing between the secrecy that makes these hunts exciting, and transparency that could spoil the fun for the hunters. As long as the community is giving us feedback, we'll keep seeking the ideal balance."