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EA SPORTS FC 26

Finished the trial. Not one foul. I play slow too and use the sprint button sparingly, so there’s plenty of opportunity for the cpu to clip my ankles. A football game without fouls is bizarre and not very authentic. EA have had years to improve this. Anyway, overall it’s a little bit better than FC 25 in some areas but that doesn’t mean it’s very good overall. Can’t imagine paying anywhere near full price for this.
 
The game Is good. Very good. They splitted the gameplay as community asked, of course they are gonna improve it as time pass as it is a refactory of code that cannot be done in just one year.

I know it is very hard to create a gameplay that looks realistic but is not very boring on lower levels.

A full, realistic, gameplay is boring for the average user. Think about a real football match between two low table teams, and try to think a game that follow that realism.
It will be hard to do a pass straight if the body is not in the right position, facing straight t the receiver, and it will go wrong the player does not see the receiver, and you're pressed, .. you press the button to do a long pass, and the over realistic gameplay takes a more than couple of seconds to do a long pass, because the player have to "see" the receiver, then have to "charge" the pass.

This is the best hybrid approach that they could come up, at least we know they are putting effort.

Having a ball totally "free" comes with a price. Make the flow of the game slow, crappy, with the player trying to control the ball only to see the other player take it from him easily. "Magnetize" it make the flow fluid, with a better enjoyment of the game. In the future we will have a checkbox " free ball", it will be done when they have a set of animations ready to respond to every situation.
 
The game Is good. Very good. They splitted the gameplay as community asked, of course they are gonna improve it as time pass as it is a refactory of code that cannot be done in just one year.

I know it is very hard to create a gameplay that looks realistic but is not very boring on lower levels.

A full, realistic, gameplay is boring for the average user. Think about a real football match between two low table teams, and try to think a game that follow that realism.
It will be hard to do a pass straight if the body is not in the right position, facing straight t the receiver, and it will go wrong the player does not see the receiver, and you're pressed, .. you press the button to do a long pass, and the over realistic gameplay takes a more than couple of seconds to do a long pass, because the player have to "see" the receiver, then have to "charge" the pass.

This is the best hybrid approach that they could come up, at least we know they are putting effort.

Having a ball totally "free" comes with a price. Make the flow of the game slow, crappy, with the player trying to control the ball only to see the other player take it from him easily. "Magnetize" it make the flow fluid, with a better enjoyment of the game. In the future we will have a checkbox " free ball", it will be done when they have a set of animations ready to respond to every situation.
how do you know this ?
 
Finished the trial. Not one foul. I play slow too and use the sprint button sparingly, so there’s plenty of opportunity for the cpu to clip my ankles. A football game without fouls is bizarre and not very authentic. EA have had years to improve this. Anyway, overall it’s a little bit better than FC 25 in some areas but that doesn’t mean it’s very good overall. Can’t imagine paying anywhere near full price for this.


Usually I try to make a sub around 60 mins but it happens at the 80th coz there was no stoppage in play, No fouls, No misplaced passes, All shots are on target :DD
 
FUT needs to be a separate game, you physically can not satisfy a community that thinks this gameplay is good and people that want realism at the same time


These people are cretins. Symbols of how social media slowly ruins every element of popular culture that ever had any depth, originality or mark of individuality, or pushes those things to the margins.

These abysmal opnions would previously go unheard, or just ignored, filtered out in the normal marketplace of ideas. 15 years ago this guy would realise he's a moron from other people's in-person reactions so he'd either keep shut or educate himself.

Now he just blares his bullshit to the world and a load of programmers spend their lives indulging him and everyone ends up in the mud with him.
 
how do you know this ?
i'm a software developer, i like to do my experiments on gameplayfootball, having the ability to mess with the source code.
Also when i watch a football match on tv i try to visualize it as if i have a gamepad on me. Try to do that and you'll see a bit about my POV.
If, for some reason, decide to go that way, the community will scream:
- My player needs 5 seconds just to turn 90 degrees
- Too much pressing on me after I pass the mid of the field.
- Can't do a pass right. Too much time to charge a shot, only half baked attemps.
- My players doesn't have any stamina.
- I get and do a foul every 2 mins.
After this, someone will think why they do this kind of compromise. Why they put a magnet on the ball, and make players be like a feather. Thinko f all the people that run the game after work, and then don't want to put the same effort in a match as you could do in football manager (that is also a simplified version of a manager game)

Now we have 2 gameplays. A Rush mode for the fools that likes Kings League. Player roles and IQ. Visual realism with lots, lots of real life 3d faces and kits.
I liked a lots PES in old times, now eFootball is an empty shell. It's ok to laugh on me (i see the reactions).
If someone can do better, just apply to EA on GP team. If you ever seen the code, what is behind all of that.

What I want EA to change? Make attributes not tied to overall rating. The way it is now make the players too flat.
Not that makes a difference now, they need to really make the sliders work.
Having the possibility to get/do fouls also when a player is not in contact with the ball.
 
After a few games I have positive feel about it. It will never be realistic football sim and if you're ok with that you can enjoy it for what it is. Only issue I have is that somehow my defenders are slower to cover spaces and block opposition attackers when they recieve the ball, I guess defenders are not positioning properly. Hope this is fixable and not some hypermotion issue.
 
i'm a software developer, i like to do my experiments on gameplayfootball, having the ability to mess with the source code.
Also when i watch a football match on tv i try to visualize it as if i have a gamepad on me. Try to do that and you'll see a bit about my POV.
If, for some reason, decide to go that way, the community will scream:
- My player needs 5 seconds just to turn 90 degrees
- Too much pressing on me after I pass the mid of the field.
- Can't do a pass right. Too much time to charge a shot, only half baked attemps.
- My players doesn't have any stamina.
- I get and do a foul every 2 mins.
After this, someone will think why they do this kind of compromise. Why they put a magnet on the ball, and make players be like a feather. Thinko f all the people that run the game after work, and then don't want to put the same effort in a match as you could do in football manager (that is also a simplified version of a manager game)

Now we have 2 gameplays. A Rush mode for the fools that likes Kings League. Player roles and IQ. Visual realism with lots, lots of real life 3d faces and kits.
I liked a lots PES in old times, now eFootball is an empty shell. It's ok to laugh on me (i see the reactions).
If someone can do better, just apply to EA on GP team. If you ever seen the code, what is behind all of that.

What I want EA to change? Make attributes not tied to overall rating. The way it is now make the players too flat.
Not that makes a difference now, they need to really make the sliders work.
Having the possibility to get/do fouls also when a player is not in contact with the ball.
That's what I said here on this forum a while ago, people are used to the old PES and think that the reference is that game, but they have never played soccer in their lives, those old games were very fun but honestly very far from the movement and weight of the soccer ball, the speed at which you touched the soccer ball and it instantly went to your teammate has nothing real, besides that you ran like crazy to the sides, as if a soccer player was from another planet and without gravity, but I'm not going to get into trouble anymore, people really like PES 5, 6, 2008 anyway, those games too but saying I love the simulation of that time represents more soccer than today's and stuff, but everyone has an opinion so that's okay! Unfortunately the game is quite messy, with hilarious crashes, there are no fouls, and some grotesque animations, those who have a PC can still fix this a lot with mods, but it still needs a lot of fixing in general!
 
Arteta raging on the sidelines after Madueke gets tackled
Oh, how cute! These twins are abso-f*ck!ng-lutely adorable!
1758991294259.png

Too bad they're also absolutely not impressed by the missed chance (and, by looking at their face, I'd say they're not impressed by the entire matchday experience either).
And by the way why is the third twin sitting in the row behind and not beside the other two?
 
i'm a software developer, i like to do my experiments on gameplayfootball, having the ability to mess with the source code.
Also when i watch a football match on tv i try to visualize it as if i have a gamepad on me. Try to do that and you'll see a bit about my POV.
If, for some reason, decide to go that way, the community will scream:
- My player needs 5 seconds just to turn 90 degrees
- Too much pressing on me after I pass the mid of the field.
- Can't do a pass right. Too much time to charge a shot, only half baked attemps.
- My players doesn't have any stamina.
- I get and do a foul every 2 mins.
After this, someone will think why they do this kind of compromise. Why they put a magnet on the ball, and make players be like a feather. Thinko f all the people that run the game after work, and then don't want to put the same effort in a match as you could do in football manager (that is also a simplified version of a manager game)

Now we have 2 gameplays. A Rush mode for the fools that likes Kings League. Player roles and IQ. Visual realism with lots, lots of real life 3d faces and kits.
I liked a lots PES in old times, now eFootball is an empty shell. It's ok to laugh on me (i see the reactions).
If someone can do better, just apply to EA on GP team. If you ever seen the code, what is behind all of that.

What I want EA to change? Make attributes not tied to overall rating. The way it is now make the players too flat.
Not that makes a difference now, they need to really make the sliders work.
Having the possibility to get/do fouls also when a player is not in contact with the ball.
I think PES 5 almost got the balance right but because of how free the game is, it also makes the game easy. You can easily win the league with default master league players in your first season because the CPU struggles a bit too much with how free and physics driven the game is. I also know the cost of having free gameplay is that you get less decisive CPU. I have personally accepted a lot of what FC games does(like magnetizing ball, passes being more straight forward, tackling being a boolean logic and even header being a boolean logic(even though they should be more physics driven)). However I do not accept the state of Player IQ and player positioning. My FBs are constrained to the backline when I am on attack. Especially if i am attacking right, my left fullback will always be stuck on back line. And how the CM's never track like they are bolted on a specific small part of the zone. It's extremely static and boring and I very much prefer the tactical/positioning system of FIFA 17. As a video game that's meant to have a balance between fun and realism, FC IQ accomplish none of those.
 
That's what I said here on this forum a while ago, people are used to the old PES and think that the reference is that game, but they have never played soccer in their lives, those old games were very fun but honestly very far from the movement and weight of the soccer ball, the speed at which you touched the soccer ball and it instantly went to your teammate has nothing real, besides that you ran like crazy to the sides, as if a soccer player was from another planet and without gravity, but I'm not going to get into trouble anymore, people really like PES 5, 6, 2008 anyway, those games too but saying I love the simulation of that time represents more soccer than today's and stuff, but everyone has an opinion so that's okay! Unfortunately the game is quite messy, with hilarious crashes, there are no fouls, and some grotesque animations, those who have a PC can still fix this a lot with mods, but it still needs a lot of fixing in general!


Old Pes are great games not because they were full SIM. Their hardware limitations can't reproduce a good Amount of animation or 360 degrees movement, but it's not all a matter of speed or responsivness when it comes to football videogame.
Old Pes get good a lot of stuff while be fast paced (and still have more inertia and physicalty than FC) and responsive. They are fun to play as a game but they still provide sim simulation bits despite be fast, because fundamentals were there.
FC is advanced, have a lot of animation but is an arcade too,not less than these old gems and be responsive is not the problem....is the way It Is which is bad, the totally lack of physics and a.i: all this provide a dull experience on pad.
On other side Pes2021 Is praised to be realistic only because is super unrersponsive, heavy and has a good ball physics when it comes to passing (ignoring how much bad is at shooting). But still it has a horrible collision detection and physicalty, dull a.i and variety. It is not realistic too, more than FC yes, but still not a good sim. But at least is a more consistent experience at pad, and get football's fundamentals better than fifa.

I think that the problem who many have here with Fc is not that it is not the "No compromise" SIM we are dreaming, but a dull arcade which does not get right any football's fundamentals, and this hurts in 2025.
It, simply, Is not a football videogame.
 
Old Pes are great games not because they were full SIM. Their hardware limitations can't reproduce a good Amount of animation or 360 degrees movement, but it's not all a matter of speed or responsivness when it comes to football videogame.
Old Pes get good a lot of stuff while be fast paced (and still have more inertia and physicalty than FC) and responsive. They are fun to play as a game but they still provide sim simulation bits despite be fast, because fundamentals were there.
FC is advanced, have a lot of animation but is an arcade too,not less than these old gems and be responsive is not the problem....is the way It Is which is bad, the totally lack of physics and a.i: all this provide a dull experience on pad.
On other side Pes2021 Is praised to be realistic only because is super unrersponsive, heavy and has a good ball physics when it comes to passing (ignoring how much bad is at shooting). But still it has a horrible collision detection and physicalty, dull a.i and variety. It is not realistic too, more than FC yes, but still not a good sim. But at least is a more consistent experience at pad, and get football's fundamentals better than fifa.

I think that the problem who many have here with Fc is not that it is not the "No compromise" SIM we are dreaming, but a dull arcade which does not get right any football's fundamentals, and this hurts in 2025.
It, simply, Is not a football videogame.
Well, at least they are trying and haven't left out people who enjoy a more simulator-like game, last year with the simulation mode and this year dividing the gameplay, I believe that a lot of this is also due to the limitations of the outdated engine, who knows, maybe in the future they will release the game for Frostbite and it can improve a lot!
 
That's what I said here on this forum a while ago, people are used to the old PES and think that the reference is that game, but they have never played soccer in their lives, those old games were very fun but honestly very far from the movement and weight of the soccer ball, the speed at which you touched the soccer ball and it instantly went to your teammate has nothing real, besides that you ran like crazy to the sides, as if a soccer player was from another planet and without gravity, but I'm not going to get into trouble anymore, people really like PES 5, 6, 2008 anyway, those games too but saying I love the simulation of that time represents more soccer than today's and stuff, but everyone has an opinion so that's okay! Unfortunately the game is quite messy, with hilarious crashes, there are no fouls, and some grotesque animations, those who have a PC can still fix this a lot with mods, but it still needs a lot of fixing in general!


"think that the reference is that game, but they have never played soccer in their lives"

Your evidence for this? That when people criticise fifa, they are using the old pes games as a reference for 'real football'?

And your evidence too for the fact they have never played football in their lives?

We live in a "facts made up" world these days so to see this on evo web is just intolerable, im sorry.

The idea that a group of men aged 20-50 thinking pes 5 is the reference for real football is so disingenuous as to be almost breathtaking. You've just invented these facts to support the point you want to make.

It's also a totally misleading analysis of real football to pretend it cannot be replicated in a game, in a way that is proportional to the time people have and the amount of incident that should be fitted into a 12 minute game of fifa. It is LITERALLY what Konami and EA were trying to do for years, up until around fifa 17/pes 20.

The issue people have now is that they have completely abandoned any attempt to achieve a physics and AI based simulation. They don't even bother (though Konami do at least attempt to emulate general game shape and player interia). Pretending that people being fed up with non existent ball physics and players able to take magical steps in the air to shoot is the same as people wanting every single facet of the most boring, stifling football matches to have ever taken place is just nonsense. Nobody has ever asked for that, so it's not a valid argument in favour of the present status quo.

Coming on here and telling people they don't know what they're wishing for, as if it's everyone's first rodeo, is badly misjudged.
 
It would be really great to have a career mode realism mod for this game, because what is this table lmao, Benfica is in 9th

It kinda ruins some of the immersion bc I lost 4-0 to Sporting, a huge Portugal team, and they're 6th, and I've just won 7-1 against Estoril, which is a weak team and is in 2nd place

EA SPORTS FC 26 Screenshot 2025.09.27 - 18.02.40.40.png


These are my premier league top scorers, Haaland scored 4 goals in 10 appearances, same as Gyokeres, even tho City is in 1st (also, why is Eze in Crystal Palace wtf, EA hasn't updated squads after the transfer? My first season transfers are disabled)

EA SPORTS FC 26 Screenshot 2025.09.27 - 18.19.56.78.png

That is crazy (Bayern is in 5th place)

EA SPORTS FC 26 Screenshot 2025.09.27 - 18.21.38.69.png

Edit: Just saw this post 🤣🤣🤣 it makes these bundesliga top scorers even funnier

IMG_5336.jpeg
 
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Yeah I mean, this false dichotomy according to which it's magnetic ball control with unreal positioning and robotic AI or literally 90 minutes of perfectly simulated football is, uh, indeed completely false and I don't understand on which basis the argument is made because nobody realistically asks for this. Both companies demonstrated in the past that a decently happy medium can be achieved and that's what most us would like to see.. that this would be anything remotely difficult to cook (if there is a will to do it, of course, which obviously has been lacking for a good while) for a company that spits billions I don't believe it for half a second.
 
Honestly I think this is quite decent with the authenticity toggle and custom sliders like OS / saturators (I have my own derivation). The bar is low, fouls are desperately needed and ball trajectory is too pre-determined but otherwise it’s pretty enjoyable. Legendary is the best and most balanced AI in a football game in a long time. Pitch feels too small too but flow, animation and ball physics feel pretty good.
 
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Well, I shouldn't even answer, but you attacked me by calling me a hypocrite, which is very low for a decent adult. Hypocrite comes from liar, so I'm not what you said. So, you shouldn't be blind and read all 34 pages of this topic and you'll find several people referencing PES 5 or 6 as a basis. Secondly, you're wrong in saying that those who played understand football less or equally than someone who played. Then you should look at car simulators, which have feedback and help from real drivers to make the game closer to reality. Thirdly, I agree with you that after FIFA 20 the game regressed, but until they remove that engine, forget it!


I've deleted my response to this. Not looking to hijack the thread.

I disagree with you, didn't call you a hypocrite (read my post again, please), but not looking to end up in an argument with you either...
 
I've deleted my response to this. Not looking to hijack the thread.

I disagree with you, didn't call you a hypocrite (read my post again, please), but not looking to end up in an argument with you either...
Sorry my friend, I don't want to argue with you either, I think we're all desperate for a decent football game, unfortunately that's what we have, but I'm trying to play and download some gameplay mods on the PC to make the game less "ugly", but I think it lacks polish because there are a lot of good things too!
 
I was pleasantly surprised by my first 5 minutes of play. Played on authentic. It slower than I expected and player weight seemed alright.

By no means am I suggesting this is the game we have been waiting for but worth giving it a shot.
 
4-2-4 formation + Gegenpressing tactic + R1 2nd man press + R1 & Circle tackle + R1 & Triangle pass + Team press + Shot assistance on precision. This combo absolutely demolishes World Class AI lol, they can't do shit. Let's see how Legendary AI holds up against it

EA SPORTS FC 26 Screenshot 2025.09.28 - 01.27.20.49.png
 
4-2-4 formation + Gegenpressing tactic + R1 2nd man press + R1 & Circle tackle + R1 & Triangle pass + Team press + Shot assistance on precision. This combo absolutely demolishes World Class AI lol, they can't do shit. Let's see how Legendary AI holds up against it

View attachment 378199

This is definitely the most easiest FIFA/FC game on the history.
 
I don't understand that many people think the game is too easy.
Since my first match on Legendary, on Authenthic mode, the CPU was ok. Better than FC 25.

With some sliders tweak, the game became really hard on WC and Legendary. Maybe it's because I'm playing on FUMA.

Yesterday, PSG detroyes me 0-4 . My Bayern Munich has no solution against this amazing team. All the goal are well done with crosses, sometimes tiki taka.

For me, without the problem of faults, It's the best FIFA/FC besides FIFA 14, the ultimate GOT.

The animations, the air battle, the ball physics, the graphics with the lights, the goalkeepers are a big improvement from FC 25.


I was only expected a little update but the new Authentic gameplay with this really human AI, i can't stop making games, again and again.

So maybe I'm alone and I have a bad level than help the CPU to have some dangerous actions.

I put only my video against PSG and tell me.
Maybe there are some slidind animations, it was late but the feeling was amazing!!

 
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Picked up a copy at Argos for £56. I wasn't prepared to pay over 60 for it. Seeing as Xbox refunded my EA Play subscription I was just about happy with it. And with a physical copy I can trade it in when I get bored and get some of that back.

Haven't bought a football game in 3 years, this will tide me over when I want to switch my brain off and play a bit of manager mode.
 
I don't understand that many people think the game is too easy.
Since my first match on Legendary, on Authenthic mode, the CPU was ok. Better than FC 25.

With some sliders tweak, the game became really hard on WC and Legendary. Maybe it's because I'm playing on FUMA.

Yesterday, PSG detroyes me 0-4 . My Bayern Munich has no solution against this amazing team. All the goal are well done with crosses, sometimes tiki taka.

For me, without the problem of faults, It's the best FIFA/FC besides FIFA 14, the ultimate GOT.

The animations, the air battle, the ball physics, the graphics with the lights, the goalkeepers are a big improve from FC 25.


But I was only expected an little update but the new Authentic gameplay with this really human AI, i can't making games.

So maybe I'm alone and I have a bad level than help the CPU to have some dangerous actions.

I put only my video against PSG and tell me.
Maybe there are some slidind animations, it was late but the feeling was amazing!!


Just avoid the sprint button and walk down the sidelines. The "authentic" AI will roll out the red carpet for you until you are at the box, then just go from there.
 
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