EA SPORTS FC 26

I read in a couple of places that there was an update in the beta and that the simulation mode was much better, with more player weight, no frantic movements, etc... is it true?
 
Feels about the same to me. Game is a little easier on authentic world class though. CPU doesn’t harry you quite as much and it’s easier to turn away from pressure.
 
Why are the players legs going like they are on speed 200.on the treadmill , then make pin point Lazer guided passes. Hilarious
 
EA FC is designed for human-versus-human play.

When we see the CPU controlling the players, nothing makes sense. I'm referring to decision-making, of which there are hundreds throughout the match.
Dribbling. Fouls. Long- and mid-range shots. How to apply tactics (winning) or (losing). Dominating. Running. Make two one..
No slider in the world can solve this problem. And, yes, AI programming.

I hardly see anyone talking about this important topic.

Question the developers why they aren't interested in improving the CPU. Leaving more humanized aspects.

For example:
If you play (adjusted sliders) (controls in full manual) against your friend at home, it's a sensational experience, very close to simulation.
But when the CPU controls, all realism goes out the window. Players start spinning, shaking, and making horrible passes with their backs turned, sideways, or backward. Always repeating one or two flawed plays.

The command prompts of these programming algorithms are terribly limited. And they end up overlapping the Sliders you selected.

I apologize for my poor English.
But, in FIFA 2007, there's a very comprehensive article explaining that at that time (before the online craze), EA engineers were very interested in making the CPU more human-like. It was from this idea, creating different variables, that the momentum arose. Link
 
  • Beginner / Amateur → has heavy boosts for the user and big nerfs for the CPU. CPU plays very passive, not human-like at all.
  • Semi-Pro → CPU still has reaction delays, slow pressing, and toned-down accuracy. Still too “dumbed down” compared to a human opponent.
  • Professional → This is the most “neutral” baseline. CPU plays with standard player attributes, minimal hidden boosts. Mistakes appear naturally (missed tackles, misplaced passes).
  • World Class → Adds hidden reaction and positioning boosts, CPU closes down faster and anticipates more than humans normally could.
  • Legendary / Ultimate → Very far from human. CPU reads inputs, reacts instantly, and uses attribute boosts to maintain pressure.

digging through the files to mod ea fc 25. my goal its now to mod the game on professional difficulty
 
wiiuchamp said:
  • Beginner / Amateur → has heavy boosts for the user and big nerfs for the CPU. CPU plays very passive, not human-like at all.
  • Semi-Pro → CPU still has reaction delays, slow pressing, and toned-down accuracy. Still too “dumbed down” compared to a human opponent.
  • Professional → This is the most “neutral” baseline. CPU plays with standard player attributes, minimal hidden boosts. Mistakes appear naturally (missed tackles, misplaced passes).
  • World Class → Adds hidden reaction and positioning boosts, CPU closes down faster and anticipates more than humans normally could.
  • Legendary / Ultimate → Very far from human. CPU reads inputs, reacts instantly, and uses attribute boosts to maintain pressure.

digging through the files to mod ea fc 25. my goal its now to mod the game on professional difficulty
Click to expand...

I'm not agree with your comment on Legendary level.
It's the best alternative in term of CPU behaviour.
WC is too easy for a player who played FIFA since the start.
Now, Legendary could be tweak nicelly.

We saw on the beta of FC 26 , CPU on WC is too easy. It was better on FC 25.
 
saturator said:
We saw on the beta of FC 26 , CPU on WC is too easy. It was better on FC 25.
Click to expand...
But no work was done on the difficulty level - only the gameplay in Authentic, i.e. slowing it down, and the knock-on effect of that is the defender "jogging" issue.

They've not made the difficulty easier or changed how it works - it's just that the whole game is balanced on a needle and as soon as you make one thing better, ten other things are inadvertently negatively influenced - and I put that fragility entirely down to how many "shortcuts to fun" the game runs on (e.g. "Competitive" dumbed-down defensive AI, AI player repositioning that ignores stamina/speed attributes, tackles that give you "glue boots" so the player doesn't get upset when the ball rolls away, etc.).

There's so much of that stuff I don't know how you can reshape it into a real-feeling football game (especially the AI) and make it challenging.
 
saturator said:
I'm not agree with your comment on Legendary level.
It's the best alternative in term of CPU behaviour.
WC is too easy for a player who played FIFA since the start.
Now, Legendary could be tweak nicelly.

We saw on the beta of FC 26 , CPU on WC is too easy. It was better on FC 25.
Click to expand...
I looked through the files and there are modifiers so different level of difficulties

Modifiers for ball control , pass error , risk taking chances , strength of players , auto locking onto ball etc

My goal it’s to mod professional difficulty to have same level of defensive Ai and attacking AI
This will give best gameplay in terms of using the players attribute instead of these modifiers that boost the AI

There values in the files to mod , which nerfs things like vision and tracking etc on easier difficulty

There is even parameters you can change for no lock on for the ball so it’s more free

There is also parameters make defensive AI double press , which gets rid of 1v1 defending

This convince me that EA can easily have new gameplay changes from 26 implemented in 25 with just a update

There are different tabs also for gameplay for 11v11 to Volta to Rush

Which I suspect in FC 26 , there gona be a different tab for authentic gameplay so when they change n tweak it won’t affect online gameplay

Do you ever wonder why no matter how high you turn up pass error slider on legendary difficulty, it will always end match with above 85% accuracy . It’s because the a risk taking , pass selection parameter which stops the Ai from passing if not a successful one . That’s is why higher difficulty will never be fun to play
 
saturator said:
I'm not agree with your comment on Legendary level.
It's the best alternative in term of CPU behaviour.
WC is too easy for a player who played FIFA since the start.
Now, Legendary could be tweak nicelly.

We saw on the beta of FC 26 , CPU on WC is too easy. It was better on FC 25.
Click to expand...
Idk, I personally feel like the CPU gets overwhelming on Legendary on the PS5 era fifa games. Constant tikitaka and john wick like dribbling that just gives me a headache.
 
did you things like this are turned off on purpose in the game files
  • Enabled (DropHoldingMf = ON)
    • Defending block is narrower, deeper, harder to break centrally.
    • Midfield line sometimes thins, leaving fewer players to contest higher up.
    • Great if you want your team to defend like Atlético Madrid / Inter (compact middle).
  • Disabled (DropHoldingMf = OFF)
    • More midfield presence, higher pressing shape.
    • Vulnerable to balls slipped between midfield and defense (“zone 14”), but better chance of breaking forward when possession is regained.

This is also turned ON in default files


UseWideDefenderOnlyForKeepShapeWide


tells the engine how to treat wide defenders (fullbacks / wingbacks) when organizing the defensive block.


  • ON (checked / true)
    • Wide defenders’ primary job is to hold the team’s width.
    • They stay wider to stretch the back line horizontally, instead of tucking inside to mark narrower threats.
    • Their covering behavior prioritizes keeping the block stretched so the opponent cannot easily exploit the flanks.
    • Inside marking or stepping infield is minimized; they mainly “lock” the wide channels.
  • OFF (unchecked / false)
    • Wide defenders can behave more like general zonal markers.
    • They may tuck inside to cover runners, track central threats, or pinch in closer to CBs.
    • This sacrifices some width protection, but keeps the block more compact centrally.
 
I think that half of the gameplay is done by attributes of teams that are playing. Usually in FC DB players doesn't have a peculiar play style because of that overall number that makes every attributes used in that calculation very close (max 10 pts) to the overall level. So every defender is strong on tackling, intercepting, marking, every midfielder is strong at passing, vision, dribbling, tackles.. no weakness, no very strong attribute. So a gameplay that is good get watered by this attributes distribution.
 
so gameplay is same as prevoius fifa's, midfielders doesn't cover while defending? most of videos I saw I guess are on competitve mode and cannot find the right answer
 
Chris Davies said:
Some good stuff coming from Gamescom - here's an interview with the head of Career Mode and one of the Authentic Mode gameplay producers:

Click to expand...

Sam Rivera, who had been the Gameplay Lead Producer from FIFA 18 through FC 25, was promoted and stepped back from direct involvement in the game's development. With Paul Parsons now serving as the Gameplay Lead Producer for FC 26, this leadership shift is the primary reason for the significant changes in this year's title.
 
Very much off-topic, but I do think this impacts FC in general:

sGzo3G1.jpeg


:ROLL:

Think of where the gameplay could be right now if that was the focus, given the technology that's available - yet, if anything, it's been dumbed down for the past (minimum) six years. It's heartbreaking.

I really hope this Authentic Mode team can take huge steps forward and not have to take baby steps like the Competitive Mode team have to (due to the financial risk of FUT players suddenly not liking it).
 
Chris Davies said:
Very much off-topic, but I do think this impacts FC in general:

sGzo3G1.jpeg


:ROLL:

Think of where the gameplay could be right now if that was the focus, given the technology that's available - yet, if anything, it's been dumbed down for the past (minimum) six years. It's heartbreaking.

I really hope this Authentic Mode team can take huge steps forward and not have to take baby steps like the Competitive Mode team have to (due to the financial risk of FUT players suddenly not liking it).
Click to expand...
Only Authentic mode should have RTX hair. Competitive can have the old triangle hair
 
dontellmama said:
Sam Rivera, who had been the Gameplay Lead Producer from FIFA 18 through FC 25, was promoted and stepped back from direct involvement in the game's development. With Paul Parsons now serving as the Gameplay Lead Producer for FC 26, this leadership shift is the primary reason for the significant changes in this year's title.
Click to expand...
In fact, he is as Lead of Match Experience, which encompasses gameplay, audio and graphics.
 
In 4 weeks, we could try the new FC. I hope Authentic mode will bring some fresh air to the série.
I haven't seen any video with custom sliders showing a more aggressiv AI. It works well with FC 25. In my last 5 matchs, I have 3 penalties without activing hand in the surface option.

The lack of faults is one of the big issue of FIFA since a long time on vanilla. "Aggressiv tackle" slider was a gamechanger for me. It works really well.
 
Lack of aggressive AI is because AI doesn't make a lot of attacking runs(or atleast smart ones). They are very much glued to their zone(same issue that's plagued in PES 2021). So you have situations where FBs don't overlap or underlap with wingers(which is essential in modern football) and CMs never make a run into the box. So at max, when you/CPU go into attack, you will have like 4 attacking options(CAM, ST, LW, RW) and because of how fast AI defenders retreat, it will be like 4v6 and if CAM is the ball holder, you have only 3 players that could potentially make run where at max, only 2 will make run. So to combat that, EA makes CPU AI play crazy ping pong passing and make human AI defenders make a huge gap for CPU ai strikers to go in. So all the goals are same. It's also why crossing doesn't work. No one really in the box outside of the striker who is against 3 or 4 defenders.
 
Compare that with every FIFA before FIFA 20 and you have CMs, FBs, even CDMs joining attack and CB pushing above the half way point.
 
I read on X, a man who has the beta, he has only 2 faults in 11 matchs on career from CPU. OMG!
Football is viril contacts, fighting in the air, close marking, long shots, etc...
Vanilla, since FIFA 20, that didn't exist. What a shame !
 
Chris Davies said:
Very much off-topic, but I do think this impacts FC in general:

sGzo3G1.jpeg


:ROLL:

Think of where the gameplay could be right now if that was the focus, given the technology that's available - yet, if anything, it's been dumbed down for the past (minimum) six years. It's heartbreaking.

I really hope this Authentic Mode team can take huge steps forward and not have to take baby steps like the Competitive Mode team have to (due to the financial risk of FUT players suddenly not liking it).
Click to expand...


Still waiting for RTX cloth physics. Still waiting for bouncy shirts like seen on PES 17 where you could see the players abdomen when the cloth bounced.
 
Mathgamer said:
Good interviews

https://xbox-mag.net/2025/08/25/jou...t-de-rencontrer-deux-des-developpeurs-du-jeu/

https://www.kicker.de/wir-muessen-m...eher-reparatur-als-revolution-1139939/artikel

Bogdan is the developer of authentic gameplay.
Click to expand...
My time with the FC26 beta finished positively* - while fundamental issues will stop me from buying the game**, there are true positives. Midfielders tracking back and defenders (occasionally) working together actually force you into build-up play, for example - and the goalkeepers feel much more human. So I'm hopeful in this new direction.

...until I read, in your articles:

  • "Sam Rivera, gameplay lead for FC26" - for obvious reasons (click here).

  • "Entire months were invested to make the results of a tackle more reliable" - key word being "reliable", i.e. magnetic boots and a magic ball - which, regardless of community feedback, is very much what I expect from Sam (see above link).

  • "Regardless of the choice of play style (Competitive or Authentic), the developers' desire remains the same: they want their game to remain fun" - there's that "fun" word, which means "streamlined" or "simplified" gameplay which doesn't represent football.

I hope this gameplay split is the start of great things, but I can't help but feel like it will always be hampered when he is the head of the operation.

* Exclusively when using Authentic Mode - online is Competitive-Mode-locked and thoroughly unenjoyable even with friends. Which just shows how important Authentic Mode is.

** Same old fundamental issues e.g. no momentum in the ball or players' bodies, passes like bullets, no fouls... Just very little of the game being determined by physics, but rather "fun" (with all passes magnetised to a target even on manual).
 
The beta was okay. There are some steps in the right direction for me regarding the authenticity mode and the flow of the game, but in the end it pretty much feels like many FIFA/FC games in recent years, and I came away feeling a bit indifferent as usual. Maybe we’ll see some much needed changes and significant steps forward when EA finally leaves the last generation consoles behind. I feel like the game is a bit of Frankenstein’s monster at this point.
 
Chris Davies said:
My time with the FC26 beta finished positively* - while fundamental issues will stop me from buying the game**, there are true positives. Midfielders tracking back and defenders (occasionally) working together actually force you into build-up play, for example - and the goalkeepers feel much more human. So I'm hopeful in this new direction.

...until I read, in your articles:

  • "Sam Rivera, gameplay lead for FC26" - for obvious reasons (click here).

  • "Entire months were invested to make the results of a tackle more reliable" - key word being "reliable", i.e. magnetic boots and a magic ball - which, regardless of community feedback, is very much what I expect from Sam (see above link).

  • "Regardless of the choice of play style (Competitive or Authentic), the developers' desire remains the same: they want their game to remain fun" - there's that "fun" word, which means "streamlined" or "simplified" gameplay which doesn't represent football.

I hope this gameplay split is the start of great things, but I can't help but feel like it will always be hampered when he is the head of the operation.

* Exclusively when using Authentic Mode - online is Competitive-Mode-locked and thoroughly unenjoyable even with friends. Which just shows how important Authentic Mode is.

** Same old fundamental issues e.g. no momentum in the ball or players' bodies, passes like bullets, no fouls... Just very little of the game being determined by physics, but rather "fun" (with all passes magnetised to a target even on manual).
Click to expand...
If you didn't understand what Chris was saying in his first point, watch this!

This is from FIFA 21, and unfortunately, this issue is still plaguing the game.
 
I see many videos on FC 26 beta, but I wonder if with Authentique mode settings enable, FC 26 feels better than these two personnal videos of FC 25 with custom sliders : better AI for the CPU, better rythme, better ball physics, better animations?

Lens Vs OM on Legend



OM vs AS Roma on Legend



@Chris Davies : you have made some matchs on the beta, so if you can say something about that, it will be wonderful. I know you will be totally honest, and I really appreciate that.
Thanks and take care mates
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom