To get a much better understanding of these issues, a Reddit user, u/dragonoob44, timed how long it takes to exit Freeplay to change gear, then re-enter, which resulted in over 7 minutes of loading. This is just one of the dozens of subreddits that have been dedicated to this issue. Bioware will now be rectifying this issue with a day one patch.
The patch is attempting to fix a wide range of issues but puts loading times (and a bug that causes infinite loading screens) as its top priority. The patch will also fix problems with challenge tracking, disconnects, game crashes, and modifiers for weapons and gear reflected adequately. You can read the full Day One Patch notes on Anthem's official Reddit page.