Are players still using the FAMAS after the January buff?

Even though Valve significantly buffed the FAMAS back in January, the French rifle is still not as popular as the MP9, according to data compiled by Leetify.

The FAMAS had fewer than a quarter of kills compared to the MP9 before the update. The split nearly reached 50/50 shortly after the changes, but has steadily fallen since the first day post-buff.

After the FAMAS received a buff to its accuracy and a $100 decrease in price from $2050 to $1950, there was an expectation that the rifle would become more popular, especially in force-buys where players don't have the economy to afford an M4A1-S/M4A4, or when CTs want to spend money on utility.

The FAMAS changes were paired with a crouching accuracy nerf to the super-strong MP9, FAMAS usage was almost matching that of the SMG on the first day post-update.

While Leetify can't provide why players still don't use the FAMAS as the MP9, it's likely tied to the fact that players find the SMG much more viable than the French rifle, unless they're planning on taking very long-range duels. The MP9's crouching accuracy update hasn't really been a factor, and we're seeing the SMG stay relevant in both the professional and casual scenes.

It's unlikely that Valve will buff the FAMAS even further at the moment as the scene is packed with tournaments and we're nearing the BLAST.tv Austin Major.