The Latest Casual Playlist Ignites Intense Discussions Over Bots, Experience Points, and Wait Times
Recently, Battlefield Studios introduced a fresh game mode called Relaxed Breakthrough. In essence, this mode resembles the regular Breakthrough format but features a few notable changes:
- Each team has only 8 human participants, with the rest made up of AI-controlled opponents.
- Activities done by human gamers award full XP, while bot actions offer reduced XP.
- Only two locations can be played: Cairo Siege and Empire State.
- Elements like Player tags, achievements, and career stat updates have been turned off.
So essentially, this mode delivers on its name: it offers a laid-back version of Breakthrough. On the surface, you might think it's a good idea, as it gives more options for players seeking alternative ways to have fun with the title. However, if video games have taught us anything, it is that not everyone will be happy. In other words, a lot of Battlefield 6 fans are upset.
Community Reactions: From Fury to Support
"People want real players. Don't repeat the mistakes of your competitors," states one reply to the mode reveal. "Absolutely shocking concept," says another. Meanwhile, in community forums, a player remarks, "I have no idea where we are headed with this title," while another lists all the issues they believe to be problematic in Battlefield 6: "Resolve glitches, fix drone glitch, correct rocket mechanics, fix [the] bloom after sprinting bug, fix awful hit registration. We do not require this bot mode."
On the other hand, for every complaint, some gamers explaining how much they're enjoying the new mode. "It's enjoyable to warm up, real players keep it from being a complete grind but it's quite laid-back," says one Reddit comment. "This subreddit doesn't understand that there are players who have lives and don't play this game 24/7. Let them find a middle ground," states a different comment. A response on Twitter explains that as they're "a parent gamer with limited time, this is great for me," while someone else applauds the mode for "not being overcompetitive."
Valid Criticisms and Player Feedback
Despite the support, players have valid points to criticize the new mode. A few folks have pointed out that it will make wait times more extended for different playlists due to the large amount of playlists in the game already. On a similar note, certain regions already encounter mostly bots in the existing playlists. Additionally, it appears somewhat counterintuitive that the mode does not begin without a required amount of human gamers, despite it primarily centers on fighting AI opponents.
Lastly, a major grievances is that a previous feature was meant to offer full XP, including AI matches, but that was removed when they attempted to remove bot farms from the mode. Thus Casual Breakthrough feels like the player base meeting them in the middle, as per a Reddit comment. Another describes this addition as the devs "dropping the ball significantly, I had so much fun in the first couple of days, why did they feel the need to adjust it?"
Looking Ahead: Will Changes Occur?
Should Battlefield Studios has proven anything so far with Battlefield 6, it is that they're paying attention and responding to player input. Assignments that were overly hard were adjusted very quickly, as did the required Redsec challenges. It is likely that, if their data shows this new playlist isn't performing to their expectations, they won't be shy to make further modifications.