system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Most Human Futures] Why in almost every conflict in almost every future universe is there a guy with a shotgun?

Shotguns and their equivalents are seen in almost every future conflict.  From Halo to Aliens to Warhammer 40K.  In almost all of them there is someone with a shotgun blasting their foes into quivering bits.

Why?  What makes the humble shotgun into an omniversal weapon?
gpt
Its a design that works and is easy to maintain/understand.

If you need a door breached? Shotgun.

If you want to frag an alien that is closer than twenty feet? Shotgun.

If you want to provide for your family, so you go out hunting fowl, and run across some mutants trying to steal your shoes while quoting heretical obscenities?!

I think you know the answer.

The humble shotgun. Why improve perfection?