Battlefield 6 is the new kid in town, and as a new challenger to Call of Duty‘s FPS “throne,” it’s doing great, greater than its predecessors at the very least. However, this franchise’s success is not without friction; some of Battlefield 6‘s fiercest and most outspoken veterans are vigilant against any sign that might lead to their darling game turning into another Call of Duty confetti-cosmetics clone. Such a phobia for skins has led to a rather deep rift in the Battlefield 6 community.
In a recent Reddit post that went viral, a Battlefield veteran complained about how the new “colorful” soldier skins overshadowed the gun skin, which was just as bad, as it also somehow looked more like a Destiny 2 gun. For many, it appears this gradual introduction of incrementally flamboyant designs is just not “Battlefield” and could very well be a slippery slope into Call-of-Dutyfication.
The top comment, which appears to be unironic, claims that, “This nonsense needs to stop. This isn’t Battlefield’s identity!”. However, there were also some fans and self-proclaimed franchise veterans who clapped back in defense of DICE, Battlefield 6‘s development studio. One of them even compared the new Season 1 gun to a gold-plated Battlefield 1 Cei-Rigotti rifle, something which the Battlefield 1 players supposedly didn’t hate.
Some Call of Duty players even joined the discussion, stating that, “To everyone defending skins like this: it only gets worse! Adding this opens a door to hell!” recalling just how the franchise also gradually tried to copy Fortnite‘s candy-colored crossovers. For the record, this sort of business practice for video game cosmetics is highly profitable and something that catapulted Call of Duty and Fortnite to the top.
Other players are tired of the bickering
Granted, there were those in the Battlefield 6 community who were criticizing the critics (both sides). The complaints about cosmetics and Call-of-Dutyfication have become commonplace in this Battlefield subreddit, and Battlefield 6 hasn’t even been out for a month yet. Some players appear to be getting tired of the constant disagreements.
“This must be the most Karen-community I’ve ever experienced. You all sound so miserable and scared,” rants one commenter. Another comment has turned the whole discussion into a drinking game: “Let’s play a drinking game: Everyone do a shot every time someone mentions ‘identity’ in this sub.”
Meanwhile, other Battlefield veterans are more worried about the soldier outfit skins, which are also set to arrive on Season 1 of Battlefield 6’s live-service run. The Wicked Grin skin, in particular, drew some disapproving eyes for its neon blue hue and bandana with a bare-fanged insignia. It’s not clear how DICE or Electronic Arts will proceed with Battlefield 6‘s cosmetics, but if history has taught us anything, money talks louder than people.
