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Over the weekend, the game developers launched a fresh game mode called Relaxed Breakthrough. In essence, this option mirrors the standard Breakthrough setup but includes several key adjustments:

• Every squad has just eight real players, with the rest filled by 32 bots.
• Activities performed by human gamers grant complete experience points, while AI activities provide reduced XP.
• Only two locations can be played: Cairo Siege and Empire State map.
• Elements like Player tags, achievements, and career stat updates have been turned off.

So essentially, this mode lives up to its title: it's a laid-back take of Breakthrough. At face value, you might think it's a good idea, as it provides additional choices for players seeking alternative ways to enjoy the title. But, gaming history have taught us anything, it is that not everyone will be happy. In other words, many Battlefield 6 fans are mad.

Player Responses: Anger to Support

"People want real players. Avoid making the errors of your rivals," reads a response to the official announcement. "Absolutely shocking concept," comments a different user. At the same time, on the Battlefield subreddit, one user remarks, "It's unclear where we are headed with this title," and someone else details everything they believe to be problematic in Battlefield 6: "Fix bugs, address drone issues, correct rocket mechanics, adjust aiming after sprinting, improve hit detection. We don't need this bot mode."

On the other hand, amid the criticism, some gamers explaining how much they're enjoying the new mode. "It's enjoyable to warm up, real players keep it from being a total farmfest but it's quite laid-back," says one Reddit comment. "This subreddit fails to see that there are players who have lives and don't play this game 24/7. Allow them to strike a balance," states a different comment. One reply on Twitter clarifies that as they're "a parent gamer with limited time, this is perfect for me," and someone else applauds the mode for "not being overcompetitive."

Valid Criticisms and Community Feedback

All that said, players have valid points to criticize Casual Breakthrough. Some users have highlighted that it will make queue times more extended for other modes due to the sheer number of options in the game already. On a similar note, some areas often face AI-filled matches in the current modes. 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, one of the biggest grievances is that Battlefield Portal was promised to offer complete rewards, including AI matches, but that got canned when they attempted to remove XP farming from the mode. So Casual Breakthrough feels like the player base compromising in the middle, according to a Reddit comment. A different user labels this mode as the devs "making a mistake significantly, I experienced great enjoyment in the initial release, why did they feel the need to adjust it?"

Looking Ahead: Adjustments Be Made?

Should Battlefield Studios has proven anything to date with Battlefield 6, it is that they're paying attention and responding to player input. Tasks being too difficult were adjusted very quickly, just like the specific battle pass objectives. Chances are that, if their data indicates this new playlist is underperforming to their expectations, they won't be shy to change it again.