For a long time, Apex Legends has been dominated by a specific type of weapon. When fights get up close and personal, the R99 SMG is still the best choice. However, for battles happening at a distance, the G7 Scout and 30-30 Repeater have been the top picks for most players.

We can see this clearly by looking at the numbers from the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Championship. While the team Oblivion managed to win the tournament in a surprising turn of events, the weapons used by the players were very predictable. The data shows a clear pattern of what works best in high-level play.

R99 and Marksman Rifles Rule the Stats

Information gathered by the Apex Legends Status website shows that the R99 was the most lethal weapon in the tournament. Over the four days of competition, it secured 153 kills. The weapon that came in second place was the G7 Scout, but it had significantly fewer kills, totaling only 71.

However, the story changes when we look at total damage dealt instead of just kills. The G7 Scout takes the lead here, dealing 77,364 damage over the weekend. The R99 falls behind in this category. Another marksman weapon, the Triple Take, came in third for damage with 39,941 points.

This data tells us that marksman weapons are the kings of medium to long-range combat. They are perfect for poking at enemies from a distance and forcing them to use up their healing items. If an enemy gets too close, players simply switch to an SMG like the R99.

Assault Rifle Buffs Could Change Ranked Play

But will the recent buffs to assault rifles change this established order? As part of the Winter Wipeout update, both the R301 and the VK47 Flatline received improvements. The damage for every bullet from both guns was increased by one. The big question is whether this is enough to make assault rifles better than marksman rifles in ranked matches and professional competitions.

The biggest challenge for assault rifles at the pro level is the incredible accuracy players have with SMGs. Even at medium ranges, a skilled player can beam an opponent with an R99 or Alternator. Since those SMGs are also excellent in close-quarters fights, there is little reason to choose an assault rifle instead.

Because of this, professional players prefer marksman rifles for their primary weapons. They are much more effective than sniper rifles, which performed very poorly in the championship. Aside from the powerful Kraber, the other sniper rifles combined for only six kills total.

Based on this information, the buffs to assault rifles likely won’t remove marksman rifles from the top spot in the ALGS. They also probably won’t be strong enough to beat SMGs in close-range fights. However, the situation might be different in ranked matches.

From my own experience, I see far fewer marksman rifles in ranked games compared to what is used in professional tournaments. Assault rifles might find a better place in ranked play. Players in ranked matches are usually less cautious. They push fights more aggressively because they are playing for points, not for large cash prizes.

In these faster-paced ranked games, assault rifles can really shine. I personally look forward to picking up a Flatline again. It has been my go-to weapon for years, and seeing more players use it would make finding heavy ammo easier when looting enemy death boxes.

Assault rifles will likely never fully replace SMGs unless those SMGs get a significant nerf. Even then, players might just switch to shotguns for close-range combat. Still, it will be nice to have a reliable option for breaking enemy shields without having to rely on the G7 Scout this season.