

The backlash is not (mainly) due to mechs. Even the people upset about the mechs are more upset at the fact that it represents mech customisation not coming or another category of gear being placed behind a paywall (or time wall if you really want to grind Difficulty 1). And of course the mech buffs being balanced out by other buffs (including to automaton small arms fire, despite the patch notes explicitly saying that was already in a good place).
A lot of what follows you’ve already mentioned, but I’ll write it out for those unfamiliar anyway.
I mean different people will highlight different things, but really what most people are upset about is one or more of:
- changes that affect things that Arrowhead doesn’t seem to realise (durable damage increases affecting already-fragile sentries and emplacements)
- all new content being locked behind warbonds (and therefore no new endgame progression without paying)
- everything being bugged on release (new mech flamethrower and shield both have issues)
- fixes being tied to warbonds relating to what needs fixing/balancing (mech durability)
- old bugs not being fixed (I’ll mention climbing here, though that’s a relatively new one)
- when fixes or balancing changes do happen they’re often balanced out by other changes (mech buff -> more durable damage)
- undocumented changes (chargers having no cooldown on turning after a charge)
- vague patchnotes (“durable damage increased”)
I deliberately mentioned only examples from the latest major patch, but you could easily do this for any other big patch. Additionally outside of patch things:
- hostility towards sections of the player base (e.g.: ignoring “hardcore” players)
- major orders feeling pointless
- creative player solutions getting quickly “fixed”
- enemies feel favoured and often get to ignore rules players are forced to follow (e.g.: they can land on buildings, we can’t because it’s too OP)
And I’m sure I’m missing things still.

“not a British citizen” sounds like it includes people with indefinite leave to remain/any level of settled status. Meaning people who have lived here a long time, and were not here illegally at any point. I personally don’t care about the last point, and I think we should support refugees too, but that’s where the negative connotations will come from. But regardless: it sounds like this will include people who could be citizens (perhaps if it didn’t cost 1.7k).
So really, does this say anything?