Game Balance after Oct Update 2024

#1

I know this topic has been brought up many, many times even in the past, but I just want to give my perspective/feedback on the current game status, at least from the experience I had these couple of weeks.

First of, just a few, hopefully honest words about what kind of a player I am. If it matters, I’m currently level 292 and have roughly 250 hours of play. I play both Predator & Fireteam, I really like both sides. As for my ‘skill’, I consider myself average Fireteam player as I’ve seen much better players, though I do get around to down a Predator from time to time, maybe disable the bomb, sometimes inflict solid damage as I main Sniper. As for the Predator side, premade Fireteam who play their mains usually get the upper hand but I manage to put up a decent fight even to them, though they are not the ones I’m concerned, I’m okay with that part being unbalanced, it is what it is.

Being an average Fireteam player, from my PoV, I should be seeing roughly half wins half loses while playing Fireteam. Maybe not dead 50% but you get the idea (speaking more practically, not mathematically precise). However, especially after Oct update, when I play Fireteam, I’m seeing like 95% wins on Fireteam. And I’m a solo player, I don’t have any friends who play this game so I never go premade. Sometimes it is me who downs a Pred, sometimes I don’t even try to fight the Pred, I focus on the mission and the rest of the team gets the Pred. Not so rarely I see just one person easily down a Pred (ok, argument here that maybe it is not a skilled Pred but a skilled Fireteam player is sound, I accept that). But still, only a very good Pred lately seems to be able to take us down, as in, my last 40-50 games as Fireteam, maybe I lost 2-3 times, and almost every single time we won, it was by downing the Pred and defusing the bomb or the bomb exploded. So I’m not even talking about Fireteam completing their missions/escaping wins. I’d expect much more wins to be from completing the mission/escaping than downing the Pred, and hell, even when we focus on the mission, we get to down the Pred (ok some were unskilled, but still, it wasn’t that hard). In other words, if I see like 95% wins on FT side, but actually by completing the mission and escaping and not downing the Pred, that would still be ok. This just doesn’t feel right.

Yes, I agree, Pred takes more skill to be played as a formidable opponent, but still, it more feels like a bit below average Pred players don’t even stand any chance which in my opinion is a game/mood killer even when playing on Fireteam side. Seeing this many Preds get easily downed (honors to those who don’t) while playing on Fireteam side just doesn’t feel like a good win at least to me. I know a lot of people probably won’t agree with me but that is just my opinion.

Again, I really don’t consider myself as very good FT player as 1v1 I’ve seen Preds take me down without me putting up a decent fight, as while I was playing on Pred side, going against some FT players 1v1 proved to be a bit more challenging before I down them, hence knowing there definitely are better FT players than me.

I still adore the game, as I am a major AvP fan. But I think making the Predator a bit stronger would make the game experience much better. This isn’t an easy game to make so hat down to the company making it.

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#2

this game is mainly spoiled by arrogant arrogant demented people who have been playing it for 4 years and think they are in the olympics

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#3

such individuals spoil the game more than some Nerf or buff

#4

they have broken mental health and need to show their ego

#5

You’re not wrong. Doubt illfonic does anything about it.
As a pred player you should be winning a majority of your matches vs non-premades. And by majority I mean 90%+ in quickplay vs potatoes/randoms

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#6

There may be a lot of newbies as Preds now

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#7

True. I was - or maybe still am - one of them. Bought the game shortly after PS5 release. Had my fair share of abysmal games as predator before I learned the most important rule. Frontal assault is insta death, wear your targets down from different angles at range. Separate the team before you strike.

Since I am sticking to that my success rate increased to the point where I get the occasional team wipe on PC players. (Yes, I got to admit they are better on average). But there is a group of French guys on PS that I was never able to win against. One of the names I remember is Nicolas200fr, his mate is Cyril-something
-YT. Think the other two guys vary but when I see the former two I know that I’ll be the prey. Didn’t stop me from trying.

These matches are probably what I profit most from. To ‘git gud’ you need to get a bloody nose a couple of times I guess. 😁

#8

Playing against pubs, you’ll never fully “git gud”. You will get better, you will learn the mechanics more and what works and what doesn’t, and you’ll start to solo Preds or wipe out teams in minutes as a Pred…but you’re playing against varying levels of skill, most of them very low. Like that french team? I bet you I could wipe them with little difficulty, maybe some sweat. But Sam’s team? Lol I’m better off splashing in the mud somewhere while they do the mission and exfil. If you can find your way into having private games with exceptionally good players, that will test your skills the most on both sides.

Honestly though, playing as Pred is hard no matter what, currently. Even decent potato with a minigun will tear you apart, and that’s frustrating, especially given the nerfs to Pred’s long range gameplay.

#9

Of course, don’t get me wrong. There are surely plenty of guys who’ll beat me. But in pub matches I’m having fun. The problem is balancing the game in such a way that the pub FT has a fighting chance and the seasoned players are not OP.