For better and worse, Battlefield 6 has transitioned into a full live-service model.

Players are expressing their frustration with the game due to intrusive pop-up ads linked to the new Season 1 battle pass, dissatisfaction with the latest map Blackwell Fields, and feelings of being compelled to participate in battle royale mode to complete weekly objectives—something that doesn’t resonate with those who have purchased the game for its core content.

As a result, the game’s overall rating on Steam has slipped to ‘Mixed’ following over 5,000 negative reviews in a short period. This shift in rating follows a trend of decline that began around the time players voiced their discontent regarding the overly blue “Wicked Grin” cosmetic skin and DICE’s decision to eliminate XP gains from Portal servers in a bid to eradicate XP farms.

“Pay $70 just for the game to hit you with a battle pass ad every time you launch it. Great,” remarked player Curry in a Hurry, commenting on the game’s monetization approach. '

• “Before season one it was like the moment when Gandalf showed in Helm’s Deep there was hope. But now it seems we won’t have the return of the king,” stated player Ookami in a critical review.

Despite the option to ignore these new monetization strategies, EA makes it hard to overlook them off the main menu of Battlefield 6, directing players towards the new free-to-play battle royale, Battlefield Redsec. The core fans feel disappointed that fulfilling in-game challenges requires engagement with a different game environment unrelated to the primary Battlefield experience.