Battlefield 6's Bots: An Unintentional Comedy Show

During extensive playtime with the pre-release version of Battlefield 6, the reviewer engaged with both content creators and fellow journalists. However, some of the most enjoyable moments came from interactions with the game's AI-controlled adversaries. These bots were not remarkable for their combat prowess, but rather for their peculiar and often amusing actions.

The unique, and frankly unintelligent, conduct of these AI units is difficult to fully convey. They primarily appeared when game servers lacked a full complement of human players. While this offered a rare glimpse during the limited review period, it's anticipated that these quirky behaviors will largely vanish once Battlefield 6 is widely released and populated by actual gamers, except perhaps in specific game modes like Portal. These AI entities often served as easy targets, showing little regard for self-preservation or tactical play, and their engagement in combat was minimal. Curiously, instances occurred where enemy bots would casually ignore the player, even when the player was momentarily inactive. Yet, a more elaborate observation revealed that these digital characters frequently crouched under pressure and, surprisingly, even engaged in 'tea-bagging' gestures reminiscent of competitive human players. Most notably, they displayed an unwavering commitment to reviving fallen comrades, often rushing into dangerous situations without hesitation. Interestingly, allied AI units sometimes mirrored the less desirable traits of human players, such as ignoring requests for ammunition or failing to provide revives.

These detailed observations of bot behavior—their tendency to operate in cohesive units, prioritize ally revival, and unintentionally mimic human player idiosyncrasies—suggest a nascent, albeit flawed, form of artificial intelligence. While their combat effectiveness, particularly their poor aiming, doesn't inspire fear, their uncanny ability to operate vehicles, like attack helicopters and jets, did present a more formidable challenge. This curious mix of incompetence and unexpected capability provides an entertaining and thought-provoking aspect to the gaming experience, hinting at the evolving nature of game AI.