I think you need to work on your graph reading skills. The light blue line in the middle of that big white gap and way below primaries is sniper rifles at 6.59%. This stat has been progressively getting lower. Shotguns however are sitting at nearly 3 times that number hovering around the 17% mark which it has maintained for a very very long time. With the most recent stats, Shotguns are currently sitting above Hand Cannons at 12.22%, Scout Rifles at 12.32% and Pulse Rifles at 14.18%. There have only been 3 months in the last year where snipers were on a level footing with shotguns. Snipers hit a high of 16% in February but as Bungie have basically obliterated them with the heaviest nerfs they have put on any weapon class, their number has dropped drastically. This means they have effectively killed a weapon class and whole element of the game if that many people stop using them that quickly. They never needed even half the nerfs they got when you consider that shotguns have always been outperforming the majority of primary weapons and been a real tough balance issue which causes the most debate about Destiny on a competitive level. That shotguns are performing at a much higher rate than the largest majority of primaries and that much higher than all other special weapons shows a severe balance issue within the game which is pushing people away from playing Destiny. It is actually that bad because when it gets like that, the game is no longer fun for many people as it becomes far too one track.

Too much text. Read the percentage. Just shows people's choice of special is heavily geared towards shotguns. What's the point you are trying to make anyway? There is always a meta and populate choice of weapon across all types. It's shotguns right now for special, it'll change again later on etc.

Are you really asking what point I'm trying to make? I've made that pretty clear a few times. Dont join a discussion if you arent going to read graphs properly or read just a couple of paragraphs. The stats clearly show that shotguns have always been up there above primaries and they have nerfed everything else til it basically flatlines in usage. It shows shotguns have always performed above and beyond their means and now more than ever they are just being used instead of primaries while weapons which actually required a bit of skill to aim have been nerfed into oblivion. You say the meta right now is shotguns for special. Its not. Its clearly shotguns for everything and it shouldn't be because that is a major imbalance that it is even beating out primaries even with limited ammo. They went too hard on other weapons and the "nerfs" they put on shotguns clearly have never really impacted them. They reach just as far as they ever did which is too far for the map designs and mobility mechanics in Destiny. The nerfs to other weapons is essentially a buff to shotguns because the other weapons to counter them are that much lower on the scale now.

Shotguns have been nerfed to the ground since year 1. People are just jumping on the bandwagon again. The logic is: Get killed be 'X' weapon, complain, use 'X' weapon, don't complain. Everyone complains, except those that aren't affected.

No. They barely ever changed anything about shotguns which has caused the issues. You cannot seriously say they have been nerfed to the ground. They slightly but barely toned down a few things and changed the handling a bit so sliding in was apparently less easy even though it really would never be difficult with a giant white circle to aim with and range that can 1 shot from far too far away for the maps and mobility. If shotguns had been nerfed to the ground then there wouldnt be a bandwagon to jump on. Also, as I said before, the shotguns have sustained their level of useage after "nerfs" but all the weapons which actually got over nerfed dropped far below primaries to almost being non existent.

In comparison to Year 1 and all the changes they've been through, they have. At the moment, it's like how Shoulder Charge was a few months ago. People think it's OP, it's overused, so the complaints roll in. Same thing now. Don't hear much of snipers anymore? Due to the nerfs and people finding shotguns more effective now. It's just how it is until Bungie either buffs or nerfs certain weapons to bring the usage down for shotguns. Then, something else will come out of the shadows and the cycle repeats.

So your saying 11 nerfs to shotguns isn't nerfing the into the ground? Wake up mate.