Battlefield 6: Studio Rolls Back XP Cut After Season 5

Season 5 of Battlefield 6 was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, an XP issue caused frustration: after the patch, players suddenly received significantly fewer experience points. Now, Battlefield Studios has reversed the change, calling it an oversight.

Soldaten laufen in Battlefield 6 vor dem Las-Vegas-Schild, im Hintergrund explodieren Hochhäuser — Image source: Eurogamer

What Happened with XP in Battlefield 6?

The Season "Siege of Vegas" launched on October 13th with Update 2.1.1.0. Content-wise, it was well-received: three new maps, including Vegas Strip and Area 51, plus six new weapons and two vehicles. Operation High Roller, leaderboards, platoons, and a Dead Space-style Halloween event are also part of the package. You can find more details in our report on the Season 5 launch.

However, leveling up became a significant struggle. Players earned noticeably less XP after the patch. Tests showed a maximum of around 300 XP per minute, far below previous rates. There was no prior announcement.

After about two days, the official Battlefield Comms account on X issued a statement. According to the studio, “backend configuration changes” caused an “unintended issue” with XP rates. Game modes and hardware progression, such as for weapons, were affected. The changes have been rolled back, and telemetry is being monitored. Official game information can be found on EA's Battlefield 6 page.

Why Do Players Suspect a Connection to the Ultimate Shortcut Kit?

Because the timing was unfortunate. Coinciding with Season 5, the Ultimate Shortcut Kit was released for 30 US dollars or 25 British pounds. It levels up all classes, including gadgets and training paths, and unlocks 28 weapons and eight vehicles, plus attachments and skins. Players who found themselves barely earning XP after the patch quickly suspected a deliberate slowdown to make the shop item more appealing.

Nahaufnahme eines Soldaten mit Maske und Helm, der in Battlefield 6 über Visier und Rohr zielt, dahinter brennt die Stadt — Image source: Eurogamer

This suspicion has not been proven. The studio explicitly calls it an unintended error. At the same time, the season had other issues:

A recurring exploit accompanied the launch.
There are accusations of generative AI in content, such as with the “Audacious Breach” skin. The armpatch reads “Secuty” instead of “Security.” Our report on this: Fans suspect AI behind skins in the Season 5 Pass.

What's Next for XP Rates in Battlefield 6?

From our perspective, rolling back the changes is the right step, but only half the solution. The real problem was the lack of communication. Two days of silence after an intervention that every player immediately feels is an eternity in a live-service shooter. Moreover, it's not the first misstep: back in June, there was an XP glitch involving an XP booster countdown in matches, which was also rolled back.

Players who want to buy a Shortcut Kit should be allowed to. But when XP errors occur at the same moment an acceleration pack appears, trust suffers. For now, this means the rates should be back to pre-patch levels. Nevertheless, keep an eye on whether weapons and modes genuinely provide progress as usual, and report any anomalies.