So you’re in position. You've locked on to the perfect target. A single click is all you need to bag your 3rd kill and blam! The target got away. This is highly frustrating, and it’s even worse when that target is an AI or another player who turned the tables on you moments later.

That’s the start of a string of painful defeats where you’ll be playing out of frustration and a desperate attempt to break even. It then becomes a rage-filled endeavor when you rack up even more losses and Game Overs than before.

Before you go about rage-quitting and (possibly) breaking things, why don’t you relax, take a deep breath, and try to figure out that maybe your bad aim is not your fault after all? These reasons will try to cover as many shooter games as it can.

1. You’re playing on a bad network
This is one of those factors that no matter what you do, you’re not going to be playing to your optimum with a bad network. Lag and Ping are typically big factors when playing multiplayer shooters. A slower response time means your better-networked opponent can frag you before you can even shoot back. Single-player shooters tend to be harmed less from poor internet connectivity, but you’ll feel it when it does. If there are too many people using your home network and the connection speed slows down, don’t force yourself into a match.

2. You could use better posture
Things get intense. The excitement makes you uneasy. When this happens, it’s usually your posture that first gets affected. A bad sitting position makes your shooting hand lose range of control, especially for keyboard and mouse users. Keeping your adrenalin levels high without moving your body around too much can get you a more consistent aim that spans more matches than you think possible. You can start learning proper posture through this short guide.

3. You haven’t finalized your playing preferences
We like trying out new things. There are so many gaming products in the market today. You can buy a new keyboard, mouse, controller, other gaming accessories, and new games without giving it a thought. We adapt quickly to many things by default, making it easy for us to change our playing settings. This flexibility isn’t fast enough to get you to snuff with what works for you the best. It’s strongly suggested that you do experimentations during the start of play, and stay in those settings until your body develops the needed reflex to get your best game.

4. You may be playing too many types of shooters
Shooters come in different playing formats. There are predominantly horizontal engagements (like CS: GO or Valorant), games with wide encounter axes (like many battle royale titles), and those that rely on fast reflexes (Like Quake or DOOM Eternal). Let's also not forget that there are many other kinds of shooters beyond the first-person types. You need a different playing style for each. Chances are that switching from one shooter to another won’t let you bring out your a-game on time. There’s also a probability that you’ll be bringing a habit from one game that will make you fare badly on the next. Your skills develop faster if you play a single type of shooter or at least switch to one with identical mechanics.

5. You’re not getting enough sleep
Those playing all-nighters tend to dull their reflexes the longer they play, even with a good helping of stimulants. This is the same case if you try to game after waking up from a less than 8-hour sleep. It makes you more prone to be irritable when playing. Suddenly, events that you normally laugh at becoming reasons to instigate chat or shouting fights with fellow players. It also dulls your aim and makes you less alert to your surroundings. Make sure that you get proper sleep with ample physical activity to make gaming more enjoyable.

Shooter games are all about routine and reflex. Mastering everything from positioning, the type of gun you’re using, timing your shots, and even map awareness is a matter of how much time you’re willing to give in getting better. Why do you have a bad aim? It maybe is not your fault.