When it comes to traditional FPS mechanics, most players can agree on a few traits that define a shotgun.

A shotgun...

1. Has a wide spread at long distances.
2. Does incredible damage to opponents who are close.
3. Has above average delay between shots.
4. Is the polar opposite of a Sniper Rifle.

But, in the massively popular Apex Legends, the shotgun dubbed "Peacekeeper" doesn't seem to follow those rules. In fact, the Peacekeepers non-standard shotgun qualities have many calling it the most overpowered weapon in the game.

Animation canceling and more.

To understand just how powerful the Peacekeeper can be, consider the following tweets by Overwatch League player, Mendo.

Mendo makes a strong case for how powerful the weapon is, especially showing off how the weapons only real drawback (a slow rate of fire) can be alleviated consistently via animation canceling. The result is a wickedly powerful weapon that can deal upwards of 100 damage per shot from a long distance and from close up.

Celebrity streamer and Battle Royale competitor Ninja certainly finds success pairing the Peacekeepers innate power with his signature aggression and highly mobile gameplay. Our gameplay looks much less lethal when using Peacekeeper  but the power of the weapon shines in the hands of a pro:

Not everyone loves the Peacekeeper, however. DrDisrespect, the infamous streamer who's on-stream persona launched him to gaming fame, had a rather unfortunate outburst regarding the Peacekeeper when it seemed like, despite hitting his target multiple times at a close range, his shots were ineffective.

Does The Doc really think the Peacekeeper is "the worst shotgun in the history of video games"? We don't think so. After all, it is more than likely that DrDisrespect knows exactly how powerful the Peacekeeper is and, for the sake of entertaining his stream (and keeping in character) is ironically lamenting on how weak it is.

Nerfs on the Horizon?

In the most recent patch released just a day before Valentine's day, the Peacekeeper wasn't mentioned or changed. However, due to Respawns publically voiced commitment to use community feedback as inspiration for their balance changes, many believe the Peacekeeper's power will be lessened in the future.

But, for now, the Peacekeeper is still as strong as ever. The next time you play Apex Legends, try taking full advantage of it's defensive, long-range capabilities and enjoy the advantage while it lasts.