Don't talk me with "Game passion"

I've seen people claim that one needs "passion" for a game.

However, the only thing that truly demands my passion is my life, because I have no other choice. My life consists of things far beyond studying, working, and gaming. And no one game can be the sole focus, certainly not just "Battlefield 6." So, please don't talk to me about passion for a product; a game is simply a commodity that follows market rules: if you build it well, people will play it. If a game loses its fundamental quality of being fun, then no matter how famous the IP is, its death will only be delayed.

I. The Limits of Life and the Inequity of Game Time

As someone who has to study and work, I cannot dedicate all my time to gaming. Naturally, I lack the ability to unlock all weapon and vehicle attachments through the official, intended methods.

But this should not be my fault, should it? "Battlefield 6" is just one of many games I play, and gaming itself is only a small part of my life. Now, to obtain the "free" core content within the game, I am forced to have all my leisure time consumed by it. Even then, relying on XP Farms provides only marginal relief. I simply cannot afford to sacrifice any more time to "Battlefield 6," or my life will become a mess.

If some people believe that individuals like me should not play games—that I should focus all my time on solving real-life problems—I want to share what Battlefield means to me. Although I only started playing the series with "Battlefield 4," its weapon system and map design genuinely captivated me. While playing, I can forget all my real-life troubles in the tension of a close-quarters engagement, experiencing the pure, exhilarating release of killing an enemy. Conversely, in the brief moments between the spawn point and the combat zone, I can reflect on life, or simply admire the unique and beautiful scenery formed by the magnificent architecture of the large maps. For me, these elements are what a game should truly provide.

II. The Alienation of Attachments: From Content to a "Prerequisite for Play"

Attachments are part of the game's core experience, and they should be obtainable without compromising the game's overall enjoyability. Instead, they have become an obstacle that almost transcends the actual gameplay of "Battlefield 6."

In "Battlefield 6," attachments are now critical content; in many cases, they are the prerequisite for a gun to be considered "viable." I often encounter situations where I am just one or two bullets shy of killing an opponent but run out of ammunition. For those with different play styles, magazines, scopes, and grips are even more crucial. Therefore, acquiring these key attachments is the fundamental basis for us to play and genuinely enjoy the game.

Perhaps the attachment system should follow the logic: "The more proficient you are with a gun, the more attachments you unlock." But should we not redefine the standard of "proficiency"? For professional esports players, achieving thousands of kills might only be considered "entry-level." However, for people like us who must balance gaming with the various demands of life, we might achieve no more than 50 kills per match in PVP, playing perhaps only 12 hours a week. We simply cannot bear the pressure of needing around 40 proficiency ranks to unlock all attachments.

III. The Power Disparity: Time Investment and Unequal Experience

Some might suggest that we can simply play slowly, and we will eventually unlock all the attachments, even if it takes two or three years. But those with ample free time can spend several times more hours on "Battlefield 6" every day. Within the same amount of real-world time, they acquire significantly more powerful attachments, making their weapons superior to ours. While our initial encounters might be evenly matched, over time, the gap between us widens exponentially.

Perhaps by the time we manage to officially raise every weapon in "Battlefield 6" to Rank 50, they will already have several fully kitted weapons in "Battlefield 7."

This is unfair. We all paid the same amount of money for the pre-order of "Battlefield 6," yet our final experiences are vastly different.

IV. The Only Equality: The Irony of the XP Farm

This deterioration of my gaming experience, caused by the absurd attachment system, is not what I wanted. I am forced to reconsider whether Battlefield still values its players, or if the operators are ultimately paving the way to harvest our wallets through the eventual introduction of paid unlocks.

For now, these questions are secondary, because the XP Farm still exists. Its presence suggests that the operators might still intend to leave us an escape hatch. At the very least, we are on equal footing with time-rich players in two ways: we all have a shared 1.5 Million experience cap, and everyone can use the XP Farm. These are the only two points of equality we share. The necessity of relying on this "non-standard" path highlights the fundamental absurdity of the entire progression design.