The Latest Casual Game Mode Ignites Heated Discussions Regarding Bots, XP Rewards, and Queue Times

Recently, Battlefield Studios introduced a fresh playlist titled Relaxed Breakthrough. In essence, this option resembles the standard Breakthrough format but includes a few key changes:

  • Every squad includes only eight human participants, with the remaining filled by AI-controlled opponents.
  • Activities done by human gamers award full XP, while bot actions provide reduced XP.
  • Just a pair of maps can be played: Cairo Siege and Empire State.
  • Features like Dogtags, achievements, and career stat updates are disabled.

In short, this mode delivers on its title: it's a laid-back version of Breakthrough. At face value, you might think there's nothing wrong, as it gives additional choices for players seeking different ways to have fun with the game. However, if video games have taught us anything, it is that you can't please everyone. Which is to say, many Battlefield 6 players are upset.

Community Reactions: Anger to Praise

"People want real players. Don't repeat the errors of your competitors," reads one reply to the official announcement. "Truly disappointing concept," comments another. Meanwhile, on the Battlefield subreddit, one user remarks, "I have no idea where we are going with this title," while another details all the issues they consider to be broken in Battlefield 6: "Fix bugs, fix drone glitch, correct rocket mechanics, adjust aiming after sprinting, improve hit detection. We do not require this AI-heavy playlist."

On the other hand, amid the criticism, some gamers explaining how much they're enjoying the new mode. "It's enjoyable to warm up, human participants prevent it from being a complete grind but it's quite laid-back," says a forum post. "This subreddit doesn't understand that there are gamers who actually go outside and can't play this title all the time. Allow them to strike a balance," adds a different comment. One reply via social media clarifies that as they're "a battledad with busy schedules, this is great for me," and someone else applauds the mode for "not being overcompetitive."

Constructive Criticisms and Player Input

All that said, players have valid points to complain about Casual Breakthrough. A few folks have pointed out that it will make wait times more extended for different playlists because of the large amount of options currently available. Similarly, certain regions already encounter AI-filled matches in the current modes. Additionally, it appears somewhat counterintuitive that the mode does not begin without a minimum number of real players, even though it focuses mostly on fighting AI opponents.

Lastly, one of the biggest complaints is that a previous feature was meant to provide complete rewards, even against bots, but that was removed when they tried to eliminate XP farming from the system. Thus this new playlist feels like the community meeting them halfway, as per forum feedback. A different user labels this mode as the developers "dropping the ball so hard, I had so much fun in the initial release, what prompted them to change it?"

Looking Ahead: Will Changes Be Made?

Should 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 rapidly, just like the required Redsec challenges. Chances are that, if their data shows this new playlist isn't performing to their standards, they won't be shy to make further modifications.

Tiffany Young
Tiffany Young

Elara is a seasoned journalist with a passion for uncovering stories that matter, blending data-driven insights with compelling narratives.