The Battlefield 6 Honeymoon Is Over
Battlefield 6 launched on October 10 to huge player numbers on Steam, riding the momentum from a super successful and well-received open beta. At launch, most people were excited for the game and its future.
However, just a little over two weeks later, with the release of the game’s first season and its new battle royale mode, the honeymoon appears to be over for many players. There isn’t one single issue or change to blame for the angry fans and negative Steam reviews. Instead, it’s a mix of problems.
### Mixed Reactions to Skins and Battle Pass
Some fans are disappointed by the colorful new skins and the battle pass, claiming these elements are ruining the game’s initial launch vibes. Others are frustrated that the latest map added to Battlefield 6—Blackwell Fields—is once again a fairly small map. The new mode added in season one is also considered tiny by many.
Before Battlefield 6 even launched, the topic of its cosmetics was hotly debated. Many players, myself included, were tired of developers and publishers pushing crossover skins and other outlandish cosmetics into nearly every modern online game. The Battlefield 6 devs promised not to go down that route, which sparked high hopes.
This cosmetic debate became so significant that Activision later announced that the upcoming *Call of Duty Black Ops 7* would not allow players to bring skins from Black Ops 6, aiming to prevent the game from being flooded with what some call “goofy” skins.
Now, with season one live, Battlefield 6 players have access to the game’s first new skins since launch, but reactions have been mixed. Some find the skins overly colorful or argue they don’t fit the military atmosphere the series is known for. Additionally, some new skins can be used across all classes, which frustrates players who worry this will make it harder to quickly identify different classes during combat.
EA seems receptive to player feedback; for example, one skin’s bright green details were toned down with the season one patch. However, trying to strike a balance with Battlefield 6’s cosmetics appears to be a complicated task.
The battle pass itself has also drawn criticism. Many players feel it changes the game’s tone, making Battlefield 6 feel more like a live-service shooter akin to modern Call of Duty titles. There are ads encouraging players to buy the battle pass, along with goals and limited-time rewards to chase. For some, this shift isn’t what they wanted.
A highly rated post on the Battlefield subreddit features a screenshot of a Steam review stating: “This whole season 1 update feels like ad blocker stopped working,” encapsulating some players’ frustrations.
### Redsec: Battlefield 6’s New Battle Royale Mode
The biggest new addition in Battlefield 6’s first season is *Redsec*, EA’s take on a large-scale free-to-play battle royale mode. Anyone can now download Redsec and jump into this new experience.
The general consensus among those who have played is that Redsec is fun enough. I haven’t played extensively, but initial impressions suggest it’s an enjoyable mode. However, on Steam, Redsec currently holds an overall negative review rating.
Interestingly, many players aren’t upset with Redsec itself. Instead, they’re unhappy with how it has been integrated into Battlefield 6. The new battle pass includes weekly challenges, some of which require players to participate in Redsec matches. This requirement has not gone over well.
Many Battlefield 6 fans feel forced to play a mode they never wanted. Although the game allows players to reroll a limited number of challenges, those with zero interest in Redsec often have to use all their rerolls on challenges related to this mode, leading to frustration and anger surrounding both Redsec and the battle pass.
### Map Size Concerns: Small New Map vs. Huge Battle Royale Map
Another point of contention is the contrasting map sizes. Battlefield 6 players have long asked for bigger maps since the open beta. The developers and EA promised larger maps were on the way.
Yet, with season one, the first new post-launch map introduced is Blackwell Fields—a small, barren oil field map that many find uninspiring and cramped. It’s easy to get killed repeatedly by snipers or blown up by anti-air guns within its limited skybox, and on-foot gameplay feels tedious due to a lack of landmarks or memorable spaces.
Meanwhile, Redsec features a massive map, as expected from a battle royale mode. This difference hasn’t sat well with players who were hoping for bigger maps in the core Battlefield 6 experience.
### Introducing Strikepoint: A Tiny New Mode
Alongside Blackwell Fields, season one introduced *Strikepoint*, a new mode reminiscent of Call of Duty’s popular seek-and-destroy. Two teams of four compete across multiple rounds to capture objectives, with elimination on death until the next round.
While modes like this thrive in shooters such as Counter-Strike, within Battlefield 6, Strikepoint feels out of place. The game already supports smaller, infantry-focused modes like Team Deathmatch and King of the Hill. Adding another small-scale mode may not have been necessary.
In a franchise known for big, epic warfare, both the small new map and the tiny new mode have disappointed many fans.
### The Community’s Mixed Sentiments
It might be easy to dismiss these complaints as the voices of a small, vocal group of angry gamers online. And that is partly true. However, even players who don’t frequent Reddit or social media are expressing uncertainty about the new season. Many dislike Blackwell Fields, the new mode, and the battle pass implementation. They’re also confused by the addition of Redsec—especially when they already have several battle royale games they enjoy.
### Where Does This Leave Battlefield 6?
Some may claim Battlefield 6 is dying or already finished, but that’s far from the truth. The game still commands a huge player base across consoles and PC, with many playing daily.
However, the mood has undeniably shifted. Battlefield 6 is no longer just a freshly launched FPS that evokes nostalgia for Battlefield 3 and earlier titles. It is now a live-service game with multiple components—including a battle pass, in-game cosmetic store, and a free-to-play battle royale mode.
This shift may mean more revenue for EA, but it also brings significantly more criticism and pushback from players.
The big question now is: Will EA adjust its roadmap for Battlefield 6 to address player concerns, or will the publisher continue moving forward as planned? Only time will tell.
https://kotaku.com/battlefield-6-season-one-small-map-battle-royale-reactions-negative-review-ea-2000639948
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