The topic of what truly influences matchmaking, rank division, and weapon functionality in Call of Duty games has long intrigued players, with Skill Based Damage often emerging as a popular theory each time a new title like Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6 is released.

Since launch, many BO6 players have reported inconsistent bullet performance from match to match, leading to speculation about possible reasons behind these fluctuations. This guide will break down what Skill Based Damage means and provide all the details you need to understand this concept.

call of duty black ops 6 aim assist modern warfare comparison
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Player Shows Massive Aim Assist Nerf From Modern Warfare 3

A Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 player shows the stark difference in the game's aim assist when compared to 2023's Modern Warfare 3.

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Skill Based Damage Theory, Explained

call of duty black ops 6 major ttk multiplayer bug

Skill Based Damage in Black Ops 6 refers to a rumored system that supposedly adjusts weapon damage values according to the player’s skill level. This concept isn't brand-new and has also appeared with other CoD releases, like Modern Warfare Remastered (2017) and Modern Warfare 2 (2022), where players felt their in-game damage was being nerfed due to their high skill level.

However, Activision confirmed that Call of Duty's matchmaking process "does not impact gameplay elements" such as hit registration, player visibility, aim assist, and damage in its FAQ section within its Matchmaking Explained blog. Still, speculation about this system remains ongoing, with players basing their theories on patents filed by Activision in 2019 and 2020 (despite these patents discussing different methods and systems for incentivizing team cooperation in their multiplayer game Skylanders and not specifically mentioning Call of Duty).

Several factors beyond server connection or tick rate — despite having a huge influence on an online multiplayer game — can also influence gameplay experience, including each player’s connection, weapon attachments, and missed bullets, among others. Further, many have observed that Black Ops 6’s server stability has been notably poor, which may impact how accurately the server registers shots.

It’s undeniably frustrating to feel that even when you pre-fire and hit the enemy first, it doesn’t result in a kill for you, but instead, you end up getting eliminated. While it might be tempting — especially considering how players feel about previous cases related to Activision's matchmaking systems and gameplay modifications — to blame a system that adjusts damage in real-time based on player skill, Skill Based Damage is simply baseless speculation for why some Call of Duty players lose 1v1 fights.

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Tag Page Cover Art
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
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9 /10
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Released
October 25, 2024
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

ESRB
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
Developer(s)
Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher(s)
Activision
Engine
IW 9.0
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
Cross-Platform Play
Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Cross Save
Yes - PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Franchise
Call of Duty
Number of Players
1-4
Split Screen Orientation
Vertical or Horizontal
Steam Deck Compatibility
Unknown
PC Release Date
October 25, 2024
Xbox Series X|S Release Date
October 25, 2024
PS5 Release Date
October 25, 2024
Genre(s)
FPS
How Long To Beat
8 Hours
X|S Optimized
Yes
PS Plus Availability
N/A
File Size Xbox Series
216 GB (October 2024)
Local Co-Op Support
1-2 Players
OpenCritic Rating
Strong