yeah like any sort of PR doesn't have to be binding if you're not an idiot about how you say it
even if valve already has an idea of what they're doing to x weapon they could still say "we're seeing if x weapon needs to be changed in any way" and get 1) a satisfied response from the community that they're saying SOMETHING and 2) less angry people because the only thing that's being put forward is that a change is being made, not what the actual change is. why do they need to show us their hand when all we want is to be dealt in?