The Battlefield 6 community is in an uproar. Initial details about Season 1 have unveiled a new soldier skin that many players feel is completely out of place, sparking widespread frustration.
After weeks of anticipation for Season 1’s new maps, modes, and weapons, a recently released trailer from EA and Battlefield Studios left the community with one pressing question: Is this the direction the game is heading, and could it be the start of a decline?
While new maps like Blackwell Fields and Eastwood initially captured some attention, a single cosmetic item, the ‘Wicked Grin’ skin for the Assault Class, has completely dominated discussions. Previews of Battlefield 6 Season 1 showcased this new suit, which many fans are criticizing for its ‘gaudy’ appearance, a stark contrast to the ‘grounded’ aesthetic they expected.
A popular Reddit post, titled ‘Grounded skins for a while’ – 18 days exactly,’ humorously highlights a developer promise versus the new reality. It quickly became a focal point for the community’s discontent.
Images of the skin, circulated by outlets, reveal a design featuring dark blue highlights and a bandana with a painted, toothy grin on the operator. This reveal has triggered alarm bells, especially since the ‘Wicked Grin’ skin is advertised as a free store gift, meaning lobbies could soon be swarmed with these brightly colored characters. While these cosmetics aren’t as extreme as celebrity or superhero crossovers seen in other shooters like Call of Duty or Fortnite, the overwhelming sentiment from thousands of fans is clear dissatisfaction.
One highly upvoted comment from a player questioned the shift: ‘Weren’t we promised realistic skins for a while? Something genuinely worn in combat? It feels like Season 1 is just the start of a chaotic, colorful mess, blurring team distinctions and making the game resemble a paintball match or an airsoft event.’
The frustration runs deep, with one Reddit user declaring, ‘I will not revive anyone wearing this kind of skin. That’s my stance.’ Another lamented, ‘I’ll truly miss the era of default and beta skins. I fear the game’s identity will be lost entirely in the near future.’
A related video discussing the rivalry between Call of Duty and Battlefield might offer context on cosmetic design trends in the shooter genre.
While EA and Battlefield Studios haven’t explicitly defined what a ‘grounded’ Battlefield 6 entails, the introduction of this Season 1 skin is widely seen as a betrayal of trust, especially after prior assurances that the game would maintain a realistic aesthetic for the foreseeable future.
This perception contradicts earlier statements, such as one from Christian Buhl, technical director at Ripple Effect and Battlefield Studios, who affirmed last month, ‘We are a gritty, grounded, realistic shooter. That’s our intention, and that’s how the game will appear for some time.’
While some acknowledge that Battlefield 6 is still far from the extreme character designs of other games, and that more traditional outfits exist within the base game and Season 1, the community remains highly apprehensive about the direction of future cosmetic additions based on these latest reveals.
One commenter offered a cynical perspective: ‘Is it realistic? No. Is it more grounded than characters like Beavis and Butt-Head, Peter Griffin, or other wildly outlandish designs? Yes, I suppose so.’ This indicates a grudging acceptance of a lower bar for realism.
Conversely, another voice in the community argued for player choice: ‘If realistic outfits are your preference, there are plenty available. But if someone wants a bit of color in their uniform, they should be able to. After all, it’s a video game, not actual combat.’
A gallery of Battlefield 6 Season 1 screenshots provides a visual overview of the controversial new content.
The future will reveal whether the ‘Wicked Grin’ skin represents a temporary misstep or a lasting shift for Battlefield 6’s aesthetics. For now, players are keenly observing all forthcoming Season 1 additions, including new maps and other gameplay elements. Interestingly, some Engineer class players are finding creative outlets by using their repair tools to construct in-game art.
To stay updated on the game, players can explore a comprehensive list of all current Battlefield 6 multiplayer maps or enhance their skills with a detailed multiplayer tips and tricks guide.
This article was penned by Michael Cripe, a freelance writer for IGN, known for his contributions to various gaming publications.