Battlefield 6's Relaxed Game Mode Sparks Intense Discussions Over Bots, XP Rewards, and Wait Times

Over the weekend, Battlefield Studios launched a new playlist titled Relaxed Breakthrough. In essence, this option mirrors the regular Breakthrough format but includes a few key adjustments:

  • Each team includes just 8 real players, with the remaining made up of 32 bots.
  • Actions done by real players grant complete experience points, while bot actions offer lower rewards.
  • Only two maps can be played: Siege of Cairo and Empire State.
  • Features like Dogtags, accolades, and career stat updates are disabled.

So essentially, this mode delivers on its title: it's a laid-back take of Breakthrough. At face value, you might think it's a good idea, since it gives more options for players seeking different methods to have fun with the title. But, 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.

Player Reactions: From Fury to Support

"Gamers prefer human opponents. Don't repeat the mistakes of your rivals," reads a response to the mode reveal. "Absolutely shocking concept," says another. At the same time, in community forums, one user remarks, "I have no idea where we are going with this game," while someone else details all the issues they believe to be problematic in the game: "Resolve glitches, fix drone glitch, fix IVF rockets, fix [the] bloom after sprinting bug, fix awful hit registration. We do not require this bot mode."

However, amid the criticism, there are players explaining how much they're liking the recent addition. "It's enjoyable to warm up, human participants keep it from being a total farmfest but it's very relaxed," says one Reddit comment. "This subreddit fails to see that there are gamers who have lives and can't play this game all the time. Allow them to strike a balance," adds a different comment. One reply on Twitter explains that as they're "a battledad with busy schedules, this is perfect for me," while another applauds the mode for "avoiding intense competition."

Valid Concerns and Community Input

All that said, there are constructive reasons to complain about the new mode. A few folks have highlighted that it will make wait times even longer for other modes due to the sheer number of options currently available. On a similar note, certain regions often face mostly bots in the existing playlists. Additionally, it appears a little backwards that the mode won't start without a minimum number of real players, even though it focuses mostly on fighting AI opponents.

Lastly, a major grievances is that a previous feature was meant to provide complete rewards, including AI matches, but that was removed when they tried to eliminate XP farming from the mode. Thus this new playlist seems like the community compromising halfway, according to forum feedback. A different user describes this addition as the devs "dropping the ball so hard, I had great enjoyment in the first couple of days, why did they feel the need to adjust it?"

Future Prospects: Will Changes Occur?

If Battlefield Studios has proven anything so far with Battlefield 6, it is that they're paying attention and responding to player input. Tasks that were overly hard were adjusted rapidly, just like the specific battle pass objectives. Chances are that, if their data indicates this new playlist isn't performing to their expectations, they will not hesitate to change it again.

Suzanne Russell
Suzanne Russell

A passionate writer and storyteller with over a decade of experience in crafting engaging narratives and mentoring aspiring authors.