Battlefield 6's Relaxed Playlist Sparks Heated Discussions Over Bots, XP Rewards, and Wait Times

Recently, Battlefield Studios launched a new game mode titled Casual Breakthrough. In essence, this option mirrors the standard Breakthrough format but includes several key adjustments:

  • Every squad includes just 8 real players, with the remaining made up of 32 bots.
  • Activities performed by human gamers award full XP, while AI activities offer reduced XP.
  • Only two maps can be played: Siege of Cairo and Empire State map.
  • Elements like Player tags, achievements, and career stat updates are disabled.

In short, the playlist lives up to its title: it's a laid-back version of Breakthrough. On the surface, one could assume it's a good idea, as it gives more options for gamers seeking different methods to enjoy the title. But, gaming history have taught us anything, it is that you can't please everyone. Which is to say, a lot of BF6 players are upset.

Player Responses: From Fury to Praise

"People want real players. Don't repeat the errors of your competitors," states one reply to the official announcement. "Absolutely shocking idea," says another. Meanwhile, on the Battlefield subreddit, a player remarks, "I have no idea where we are headed with this game," and another lists all the issues they consider to be broken in Battlefield 6: "Resolve glitches, fix drone glitch, correct rocket mechanics, fix [the] bloom after sprinting bug, improve hit detection. We do not require this bot mode."

However, amid the criticism, there are players sharing how much they're liking the recent addition. "It's enjoyable to warm up, real players prevent it from being a complete grind but it's quite laid-back," says one Reddit comment. "This subreddit doesn't understand that there are gamers who actually go outside and can't play this game 24/7. Let them strike a balance," states a different comment. One reply via social media clarifies that as they're "a battledad with limited time, this is great for me," while someone else applauds the mode for "avoiding intense competition."

Valid Criticisms and Community Input

Despite the support, there are constructive reasons to criticize the new mode. A few folks have pointed out that it will make queue times more extended for different playlists due to the sheer number of playlists currently available. On a similar note, some areas often face AI-filled matches in the current modes. Additionally, it appears a little backwards that the mode won't start without a minimum number of human gamers, despite it primarily centers on fighting AI opponents.

Finally, a major grievances is that a previous feature was promised to offer full XP, including AI matches, but that was removed when they tried to eliminate bot farms from the system. Thus Casual Breakthrough feels like the community meeting them in the middle, as per a Reddit comment. Another describes this mode as the devs "dropping the ball significantly, I experienced so much fun in the initial release, what prompted them to change it?"

Future Prospects: Will Changes Be Made?

If Battlefield Studios has demonstrated something so far with the latest installment, it is that they're paying attention and responding to player input. Assignments that were overly hard got fixed very quickly, just like the required Redsec challenges. It is likely that, if their data indicates this new playlist isn't performing to their standards, they won't be shy to change it again.

Elizabeth Chaney
Elizabeth Chaney

Elara is a digital artist and designer passionate about blending traditional techniques with modern technology to create stunning visuals.