Here’s my thoughts on the various xp/bp progression systems, ignoring the challenges as they are their own can of worms:
1: xp every few games
Not very tenable for those who play lots of games every day, but not too bad for those that only play a few. People like to see that they’re making progression with every match, and once you get enough games in, that just doesn’t happen. Ultimately, not a very good or well thought out system
2: reduced xp every game
Alright for those that play 14+ games a day [that’s the point where this system breaks even with and surpasses the first one), but nowhere near as rewarding for those that can’t/don’t play very many games each day. Yes, with this system you will gain progression each match, but it is very little and ultimately not worth playing games purely for the xp once you’ve finished your capstone/ultimate as there’s such a small reward. It’s both better and worse than the first system, largely based on the number of games you play each day.
3: xp bomb at the start that diminishes through the games
The best of the three systems. It rewards enough xp in just a few games to enable someone to gain a full rank of the battle pass each day, ultimately allowing people to finish the bp each season (when you take into account challenge xp) without having to buy a single rank using credits or wait until the most opportune moment to use an xp booster. This system rewards both players who only play a few games each day and those who play many more.
No, your performance each match does not make a difference, and I honestly don’t think that’s a bad thing. A possible compromise for those clambering to roast 343 about no performance based xp could be performance based credits, allowing people to work for and earn the premium bp and/or coatings/armour additions while still letting people happily progress through the bp at their own pace.
Overall, I’d say that this is a step in the right direction for 343 that shows they are listening to your feedback and that they are working towards improving the game for everyone and turning it into a game that everyone can enjoy, and that is something I have to give them credit for.