h2H games

Totally agree. It all seems to boil down to the bad matchmaking algorithm that pairs users who are geographically too distant from one another. This results in at least one, and sometimes both, users sitting too far away from the host server to produce a real-time game feel. For example, when my ping drops from the low 20ms range to 40ms, 60ms and sometimes +80ms then I know the server hosting the match is too far away and I’m basically doomed to losing against any competent opponent. And at that point I’m not only fighting the time delay that makes all my players feel sluggish and slow to respond, but I’m also arm wrestling the AI that kicks in and starts trying to move my players for me! I mean, think about it, the only reason to have so much active AI embedded in the app is because EA knows users will need it when lag/latency navigable rears its head, lol! It’s a dead giveaway that they know the app can’t deliver decent real-time gameplay over distance.

It’s ridiculous that EA developers either haven’t tested the app under these incredibly frustrating real world conditions OR simply don’t care about what an awful user experience it creates. They typically blame it on users’ home network or the user’s ISP having network congestion, but I’ve looked over my own setup and am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the VAST majority of the lag/latency stems from EA’s side of this equation. And I’ll go on record as welcoming a longer delay waiting for matchmaking if it would help guarantee me an opponent who’s located close enough that it doesn’t compromise the gaming experience.