In the twelvemonth since it’s been publically playable, the multiplayer shooter Halo Infinite hasn’t received a azygous caller weapon. But if caller leaks are to beryllium believed, a caller gun—the alleged bandit rifle, which looks a batch similar the DMR from anterior Halo games—could articulation Infinite’s armory soon. Naturally, players are already up successful arms implicit it.

Halo Infinite’s free-to-play multiplayer mode, archetypal launched with a bid of betas and aboriginal successful the autumn arsenic a afloat release, is based connected a seasonal model, with caller maps, modes, and cosmetics (some free, immoderate paid) rotated successful each fewer months. The crippled came retired of the gross with 21 weapons. Some of these, similar the battle firearm and the conflict rifle, were updated versions of bid staples. Others, similar the divisive mangler sidearm, were wholly new.

Over the past fewer weeks, pursuing investigating for Halo Infinite’s online co-op campaign, quality astir forthcoming additions to the crippled person been leaking similar the h2o hydrant connected my block. Some players person obtained entree to the game’s Forge mode, which allows players to marque customized maps and modes. But 1 of the astir enticing discoveries among this caller question of leaks was grounds of a afloat functional bandit rifle, leaked footage of which has made the rounds this week. (Dataminers dug up imagery of the bandit firearm months ago, but this is the archetypal clip players are seeing it successful action.)

Clips frankincense acold person shown a semi-automatic firearm that strikes a near-identical silhouette arsenic the Halo 4 and Halo 5 mentation of the DMR. Unlike those erstwhile iterations, however, the bandit firearm does not person a scope. You tin purpose down the sights utilizing your visor’s built-in zoom function, which means you can’t get “descoped” (Halo terminology: When you get changeable portion looking down a scope, you’ll spell backmost to ironsights). According to investigating conducted by immoderate leakers, it takes 4 shots to interruption an enemy’s shields; you tin past decorativeness them disconnected with a azygous headshot oregon 3 assemblage shots. And the bandit firearm fires fast (think: the pistol from Halo 5).

For immoderate players, similar myself, this heralds the long-awaited instrumentality of a instrumentality favourite gun. But others person immoderate concerns. Halo Infinite pro subordinate Tyler “Spartan” Ganza—who is present affiliated with Faze Clan’s pro squad following a divided earlier this summer from his erstwhile org, eUnited—said it’s adjacent to a “god tier” gun, but needs to “slow down [the] occurrence rate, region bloom, [and] adhd descope.” This would, successful theory, marque the weapon a spot much balanced. The DMR is historically a devastating limb astatine agelong range; if you’re incapable to descope a distant opponent, they automatically person a important advantage.

Yes, but: It’s hard to gauge however a limb feels earlier you really play it.

“My member successful christ, nary 1 has adjacent utilized this limb yet,” the anonymous Twitter relationship Shitty Halo Takes said. “Esports ruined gaming, and I volition dice connected that hill,” different anonymous relationship added in a tweet that has since racked up 50,000 likes.

Folks connected some sides of the statement support blasting the aforesaid talking points successful yet different lawsuit of the rift that’s defined Halo Infinite. On 1 hand, you person apical players, citing their expertise and thousands upon thousands of hours of playtime, suggesting infinitesimal tweaks connected the beatified quest for balance. On the different hand, you person casual players who conscionable privation the crippled to beryllium fun.

We’ve seen this play retired previously. During the motorboat model of Halo Infinite, the mangler sidearm was perfectly dominant. You could instrumentality retired an hostile successful 2 moves: 1 shot, 1 melee attack. It was adjacent unofficially agreed upon that it would not beryllium utilized successful Halo Infinite’s nonrecreational circuit. In response, 343 Industries toned down its efficacy earlier this year. Now, nary 1 uses the happening successful casual play—it’s mostly useless these days—and the pros inactive frown upon its usage successful authoritative games, efficaciously removing 1 of Halo Infinite’s 21 weapons from the pool. There’s immoderate interest among casual players that the bandit firearm could get defanged earlier it adjacent gets a accidental to bite.

But each this is purely hypothetical, since, to beryllium crystal wide here, nary 1 knows for definite erstwhile the bandit firearm is coming to Halo Infinite—or if it adjacent is astatine all. Representatives for 343 Industries did not respond to a petition for comment.