[quote]Matchmaking seems better than usual but connections are absolutely horrific - some game i simply can't damage people, like a full mag in the back barely breaks shields yet I die instantly [/quote] That is actually a sign that the matchmaking is WORSE than usual. Bullet sponges are a classic case of players connecting from some far off region, or over a network that is spotty or has a lot of latency (delay). Skill only matters if the matchmaking is done right, which means all the players have essentially the same quality of connection and latency, so that everything on their screens is properly synced up. Otherwise you get what you describe, some players who are in god mode/bullet sponges/teleporting (meaning they aren't at the spot they appear to be which is why your bullets are not damaging them). Meanwhile, they are shooting you, but it doesn't show up on your screen until it's too late to do anything about it (in other words, it seems like you are dying instantly). Often you can hear them shooting or jumping or doing some game mechanic before they appear on your screen and then the damage shows up all at once and you're dead before you can react. This is now far worse in most 6v6 matches and has been for at least the past year, which suggests to me that the real problem is the dwindling number of players. The more players in a match, the more likely that one or more person from out of region or with a laggy connection is going to be in your match. This becomes a self-reinforcing process, because people in god mode are having a great time so they want to play more and more, whereas the people pouring bullets into the back of their head without doing any damage get more and more frustrated and want to play less.