FC 26 Gameplay Feedback – Core Systems Are Fundamentally Broken
This is not a “needs tuning” issue. This is not “early lifecycle balancing.” This is a clear case of core systems shipping in a broken, poorly understood state, reflecting a worrying lack of competence and football understanding from EA’s gameplay direction. The game does not just feel unpolished — it feels like multiple foundational systems were implemented without consistent logic, without football principles, and without proper quality control. Below is a breakdown of the issues, all of which point to the same conclusion: the gameplay framework is not functioning as intended, and it is unacceptable for a full release. 1. Passing Logic Has No Spatial Awareness Passing consistently ignores player input and basic football logic: Wrong targets selected despite clear directional input Obvious passing lanes ignored Through balls massively overtuned, normal passing underpowered Players abuse mechanics (incisive passes) because system logic is unreliable No real awareness of angle, pressure, or body positioning This is not difficulty. It’s fundamentally broken decision logic. 2. Bounce-Back Tackles Remove Skill Reward Even perfect tackles: Often bounce straight back to the attacker Negate clean defensive actions Create artificial pressure loops Defending is no longer rewarded consistently. That reflects poor combat resolution design. 3. Overpowered Tackles From Behind & Physical Imbalance Defensive interactions are inconsistent and unrealistic: Tackles from poor angles still succeed magnetically Weak physical input wins against strong attackers Conversely, attackers lose possession instantly from minimal contact The system lacks coherent physics or balance logic. 4. Defensive AI Completely Lacks Structure This is one of the clearest signs of poor AI implementation: Centre-backs randomly abandon shape Fullbacks drift inside instead of tracking wingers CDMs fail to track runners consistently Offside line is ignored entirely. Defenders are supposed to push up. Not back into box creating space. Seriously this is so low iq its not funny. The result is chaotic defending where players fight their own AI more than opponents. This is basic football structure failure. 5. Corners Still Break Defensive Transition Logic After corners: Players are out of position instantly Clearance triggers instant counterattacks No recovery logic activates This is a repeatable systemic exploit, not realistic transition play. 6. Attacking AI Is Equally Poor Forward movement lacks intelligence: Static positioning Poor run timing Offside runs with no context No exploitation of space between defenders There is no reading of play — just scripted movement errors. 7. Dribbling & Creativity Heavily Punished Skill expression is suppressed: Random collisions and dispossessions Unreliable control inputs Exploit mechanics outperform creative play This removes agency from the player and rewards mechanical abuse instead of football skill. 8. Goalkeepers Lack Consistent Logic Keeper behaviour is highly inconsistent: Near-post goals conceded too easily Routine saves missed Unrealistic reflex saves elsewhere There is no predictable performance model. 9. “Impossible” Solo Goals Break Defensive Systems Players can: Run through multiple defenders Ignore physical pressure Score from unrealistic positions Defensive structure simply does not function reliably. 10. Reward Structure Is Poorly Designed High win requirements lock out large portions of players Near-perfect performance required for basic rewards Poor accessibility design discourages engagement 11. Pack Weight & Progression Feel Misaligned Rewards feel disconnected from effort Progression is grind-heavy and unrewarding Engagement drops due to lack of meaningful payoff 12. Server Instability & Input Delay Heavy gameplay responsiveness issues Input delay during key modes Competitive integrity breaks when responsiveness is inconsistent 13. Rubberbanding & Objective Exploits Players actively avoid gameplay via: Rubberbanding Intentional loss farming This is a symptom of low gameplay satisfaction, not just community behaviour. Core Problem: EA’s Systems Lack Football Intelligence The overarching issue is not individual bugs — it is systemic incompetence in how football logic is translated into gameplay. Nothing is consistently rewarded: Clean tackling isn’t reliable Intelligent passing is overridden Structured defending collapses Creative dribbling is punished Patient build-up is unstable Instead, chaotic, exploit-heavy play is often the optimal approach. This reflects a serious disconnect between EA’s design decisions and actual football principles. Additional Critical Issues Midfield AI ignores ball to “hold position” incorrectly Player switching causes speed inconsistencies Tactics feel ineffective and poorly implemented Negative gameplay mechanics actively disrupt control (tumbling, forced slowdowns, unresponsive passing under pressure) Passing under pressure becomes artificially inaccurate First touches degrade in defensive phases, suggesting forced difficulty rather than realistic pressure modelling Server & Responsiveness Decline Higher perceived latency (~30ms → ~38ms reported) Heavier input delay Dribbling responsiveness significantly degraded Movement feels delayed and inconsistent Whether server-side or engine-side, the result is the same: unresponsive gameplay that undermines skill. Final Point: This Feels Like a Lack of Competence, Not Just Bugs The most concerning part is not that issues exist — it’s that they are foundational, repeated across systems, and unchanged despite iteration. It suggests: Poor internal validation of football logic Weak quality control on gameplay systems Misalignment between design intent and implementation On a 1–6 scale, this is firmly a 1-level release in gameplay quality. At this stage, it does not feel like a competitive football game. It feels like a system that does not understand football fundamentals. EA needs to seriously reassess not just balance — but the competence behind how these core systems are being designed and shipped. Because right now, it is not fun... Just frustrating. It is structurally broken.Real Football Thread Directory
Welcome to the Real Football section. This forum section is for discussing all things real football. If you want to discuss anything to do with EA Sports FC then please use the appropriate sections. Thread Directory International Football League Threads Club Threads If you've got a thread which you think needs adding to this directory then drop me a DM.
Outdated transfers on February 17rd, SHAME!
Dear EAFC 25 developers, I am writing this message to express my deep indignation with the lack of winter transfer updates in the game until February 14rd. As a dedicated player of the career mode, I eagerly expected the market movements to be reflected in the game, allowing for a more realistic and up-to-date experience. However, I was extremely frustrated to discover that an update released on February 02th, instead of improving the situation, actually regressed the transfers. Players who had been transferred in previous versions inexplicably returned to their original teams. It is unacceptable that on February 17rd, we still do not have access to the complete transfers up until this date. The transfer window for major leagues has already closed and the lack of proper updates makes the game experience extremely frustrating and outdated. I kindly request that you rectify this situation as soon as possible. We, dedicated players of EAFC 25, deserve a quality experience where transfers are updated in a timely and accurate manner. After all, this is what brings realism and immersion to the game. I hope to receive a positive response and a prompt update on the winter transfers. I believe that we can make EAFC an even better game, as long as there is a genuine commitment to the players' expectations. Sincerely, A disappointed fan of EAFC 25
Support Process Question: EA Help vs EA Forums
Dear EA Sports, I was advised by the EA Sports Support team (EA Help) to raise my concerns and issues with the game on the EA Forums, and I was assured that developers and relevant teams are active here. However, despite creating multiple posts outlining my concerns, none of them have been acknowledged by EA staff. I have worked in a corporate environment for over 25 years, and I must say that this level of communication falls well below the standard one would normally expect from a customer support structure. What I find particularly confusing is the process itself. EA Help, which is meant to support customers, redirects players to these forums to raise issues. Yet once customers follow that direction, it appears that no meaningful engagement takes place. From a customer perspective, this creates a situation where players are effectively moved from one support channel to another without their concerns actually being addressed. The only time I received a response was when a post included a three-letter word that apparently violated forum rules. That post received attention immediately, yet the actual concern raised in the post was not addressed in the response. This sends a rather unfortunate message that moderation is active, but meaningful engagement with the issues themselves is not. As a long-standing customer, this is disappointing. I have been playing EA football titles since the very first FIFA, well before the PlayStation era, and I have remained a loyal player for decades. Because of that, I find it difficult to understand why concerns raised by players here receive so little acknowledgement. I fully understand that companies must be careful when responding publicly. However, complete silence is also a response, and it is not a particularly reassuring one. If EA Help directs players to the forums, then the forums should function as a place where issues are at least acknowledged or discussed. Otherwise, the process risks appearing circular — players are redirected to the forums for help, but once they arrive, no help is provided. I would respectfully ask that this process be reconsidered, and that concerns raised here receive at least some level of acknowledgement from the relevant teams. I have earned badges and profile levels on this forum over time, but those are secondary. What matters far more is meaningful communication with the player community. Could EA staff please clarify whether posts raising gameplay concerns are reviewed and whether players can expect responses here? For clarity, could a member of the EA community team or moderation team please confirm whether gameplay concerns raised on this forum are reviewed by the development team, and whether players should realistically expect feedback or acknowledgement when such concerns are raised here? Understanding how this process works would be very helpful for players who have been directed here by EA Help. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best matches of the Weekend – Vote and Discuss
Hey FC Fans, Football is full of passion during the weekend. It's when fans from every corner of the globe watch together the greatest matches that can sometimes be crucial for the progress of the Season. Whether it’s a game between two contenders for the title or between two rival teams from the same city, we’re sure they will always be exciting matches to watch until the end. Here, we can discuss the most important weekend matches chosen from our Marquee Matchups’ Group SBCs. We will also add a poll in the Forums where you can predict the final result of the matches. Show us your knowledge by sharing your thoughts and predictions about the game and final results! How can I vote? It's very easy. Go to General Discussion (Link) and check the Polls tab on the right.EURO 2024 Thread - Let's chat about the tournament!
WELCOME TO THE EURO 2024 THREAD! The moment we've all been waiting for is here! In just a few hours, the first game of Euro 2024 will kick off, igniting the houses of all football fans. There are no club rivalries and no time to discuss what happened in the leagues; each nation stands with its fans, aspiring to raise that trophy. Italy wants to defend that title, Germany wants to leave home as a winner, and France and England, still haunted by the memory of the last finals, are determined to rewrite history. We could make a list of other great teams like Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and also many underdogs that will try to live the emotions that Greece felt in EURO 2004. THIS IS EURO 2024! This is our place to talk about the competition and matches, share predictions, and talk about football like friends in a local park. We only ask you to keep a positive attitude, respect all opinions, and be polite like real football fans do ^ ^Let's Talk Football
By the time I realised we had a football forum last game year it was kinda too late and usually just had some random Chats in The Career Mode Stories General Thread. Maybe we can have a good General Football Forum here as they seem to be quiet most places and I ain't touching Reddit. Let's start it off with basics Who do you Support? Favourite Past and Present Footballer Which Leagues do you follow? Myself I'm a Leeds United Fan for my sins, favourite current player despite leaving us is Raphinia past is a tough one, John Barnes was one of my faves as a kid as was Georgie Kinkladze but it's probably Paul Gascoigne as one of my all-time faves. I follow The Championship as that's where Leeds currently play as well as the Premier League. Always checking in on Serie A and La Liga, but don't follow them as religiously as used too.My final thoughts on FC 26! Its going to be a long post...
How do you spend decades making football games and still release a product that feels like it understands football less every single year? Every match I play ends the same way. At some point, I find myself saying the exact same sentence: "This is so bad." Not because I'm losing. Not because my opponent is better. Because I'm watching a football game that constantly fights against the player instead of working with them. The most frustrating part isn't just the bugs. It's that so many of the core gameplay systems create negative experiences that take away from what a football game should be. Negative Game Mechanics Everywhere It feels like every part of FC 26 has a mechanic that removes enjoyment instead of adding to it. Player switching fights your intentions. Passing feels inconsistent. First touches vary wildly. Defenders ignore obvious danger. Attackers make baffling runs. Goalkeepers produce moments that make no football sense. The game is filled with systems that interrupt the flow instead of supporting it. You're not just playing your opponent. You're constantly fighting the gameplay itself. The Meta Is Stronger Than Creativity One of the most disappointing aspects of FC 26 is how often it feels like the game rewards a narrow set of attacking patterns and tactical approaches far more consistently than others. Certain attacking runs seem much more effective than others. Certain situations, like a pass from the wing into an unmarked attacker, can feel far more reliable than patiently building through midfield. Some formations naturally fit the way player movement, positioning and defensive behaviour work, while others feel like you're constantly fighting the game. This is why every year quickly becomes a race to discover the "meta." If multiple football philosophies were equally effective, players would have more freedom to experiment. Possession football. Counter-attacking football. High pressing. Patient build-up. Direct play. All of these should have a place. Instead, players often end up adapting to what the gameplay rewards rather than expressing their own football ideas. The result is predictable. Teams start to look the same. They attack the same. They defend the same. They score the same types of goals. Creativity disappears because efficiency becomes more important than imagination. The Skill Gap Feels Smaller Than It Should The best competitive games reward better decision-making, execution and adaptation. FC 26 too often feels like it reduces those differences by pushing players toward the same effective patterns. Instead of asking: "Who is the better football player?" The question increasingly becomes: "Who understands what this version of the game rewards the most?" There is a huge difference. Players should win because they make better football decisions. Not simply because they have mastered the strongest patterns and mechanics. A competitive football game should reward football intelligence. Not just knowledge of the current meta. AI That Doesn't Think Like Footballers Every year we're told the AI is smarter. Then kickoff happens. Attackers wander offside. Teammates hide behind defenders instead of creating passing options. Players run straight past loose balls they could easily collect. Defenders abandon good positions to run past attackers instead of stepping into a simple duel. A player can be closer to the ball, have the better position, and somehow move away from the situation instead of reacting naturally. These moments are among the most frustrating parts of FC 26 because they don't feel like realistic mistakes. Real footballers make mistakes. But those mistakes usually have logic behind them. In FC 26, players can sometimes appear to ignore the obvious football decision completely. They don't react to the moment in front of them. They follow movement patterns that make no sense. That's not realistic difficulty. That's unintelligent gameplay. The Game Should Not Be the One Making the Mistakes Football is not perfect. Players misplace passes. They miscontrol the ball. They make poor decisions. But those mistakes should come from the person holding the controller. The player should be responsible for choosing the wrong pass. The player should be responsible for bad positioning. The player should be responsible for poor timing. That is where improvement comes from. A competitive football game should make you think: "I made the wrong decision there. I need to do better next time." Instead, too often FC 26 creates situations where players feel like they are fighting the game rather than their opponent. A defender ignores an obvious situation. A player runs away from a ball they should collect. A simple action fails in a way that doesn't feel connected to the player's input. Those moments don't create a learning experience. They create frustration. Realism isn't making the game randomly imperfect. Realism is giving players control and allowing their decisions to succeed or fail based on their execution. The player should make the mistakes. Not the game. The Game Doesn't Reward Good Football Consistently Football is supposed to reward: Finding space. Timing runs. Reading passing lanes. Creating chances. Making better decisions. Instead, too many moments are decided by inconsistent reactions, awkward animations, or gameplay mechanics that simply don't feel reliable. When good football isn't rewarded consistently, frustration replaces satisfaction. The problem isn't losing. The problem is feeling like the gameplay itself prevented football decisions from mattering. Player Switching Remains One of Gaming's Biggest Frustrations You see the danger. You know exactly which defender you need. You switch. Wrong player. You switch again. Wrong player. By the time the correct player is selected, the attack has already developed. This doesn't create a skill challenge. It creates unnecessary frustration. When the controls become an obstacle between the player and their decision, the gameplay suffers. Passing That Never Feels Trustworthy Passing is the foundation of football. But in FC 26, it often feels impossible to fully trust. Simple passes become difficult. Difficult passes sometimes become effortless. Players with excellent passing attributes suddenly misplace routine balls. But the biggest frustration is not just that passes fail. It's how they fail. A bad pass doesn't simply go slightly behind your teammate. It doesn't roll a little too far. It doesn't create a realistic mistake. Too often it seems to travel directly into the path of an opponent. The outcome feels unnatural because there is little variation. Football is full of imperfect passes. Some are overhit. Some are underhit. Some force a teammate to stretch. Some go into empty space. Those imperfections create real football moments. When failed passes repeatedly end up perfectly for the opponent, it damages trust in the gameplay. A player should understand why something happened. Animations Over Reactions Too often it feels like players are waiting for an animation instead of reacting naturally. Loose balls get ignored. Defenders hesitate. Attackers freeze. Goalkeepers recover too slowly. Players become trapped in animations while the situation around them changes. Football should feel alive. Instead, too many moments feel controlled by animations rather than intelligent reactions. The Referee System Feels Detached From Football Another area where immersion suffers is refereeing. Football is built around physical battles. Positioning. Shielding the ball. Challenges. Contact. Obstruction. Yet the referee system often feels disconnected from the sport it is supposed to represent. Players can block runs, prevent movement, or make contact that would commonly be considered obstruction, and play continues. At the same time, other situations can feel inconsistent. The issue isn't that every contact should be a foul. Football is physical. The issue is that players need consistency. The rules should feel logical. A referee system should add realism. Instead, it often becomes another moment where players ask: "Does this game actually understand the rules of football?" Every Year, New Marketing. The Same Old Problems Every new release promises revolution. Every trailer talks about realism. Every presentation introduces another feature designed to change everything. But when the whistle blows, many of the same frustrations remain. New features don't matter if the foundations are unstable. Better graphics don't matter if the football itself doesn't feel better. A football game needs to get the basics right first. Football Shouldn't Feel Like Hard Work The best football games disappear in your hands. Your decisions become the experience. FC 26 constantly reminds you that you're playing a system. You think about player switching. You think about inconsistent reactions. You think about AI movement. You think about which tactics the game rewards. You think about which mechanics you need to exploit. You think about everything except football. That's the biggest criticism anyone can make of a football game. Why So Many Players Are Losing Faith The disappointment isn't because expectations are unrealistic. It's because players know how good football games can feel. When every match ends with: "Why did that happen?" instead of: "What could I have done better?" something has gone wrong. A football game should create moments where players learn, improve and express themselves. It shouldn't constantly make players question the gameplay itself. Why Many Players Are Hesitant About FC 27 Players don't need another marketing campaign. They don't need another buzzword. They don't need another feature designed to look impressive in a trailer. They need gameplay they can trust. Less frustration. Fewer negative game mechanics. Smarter movement. More responsive controls. Better player switching. Reliable passing. Real tactical variety. A game where different football philosophies can succeed. A game where creativity is rewarded. A game where winning comes from making better football decisions. Those aren't luxury features. Those are the foundation of a football game. Until those foundations are consistently solid, every new feature risks feeling like another layer of paint over cracks players have been pointing out for years. EA FC 26 isn't disappointing because it lacks ambition. It's disappointing because, beneath the presentation and marketing, the moment-to-moment gameplay too often leaves players asking the same question after every match: "How did anyone think this was ready to release?"Kennet Eichhorn und Jeremy Dudziak Hertha BSC
Guten Tag zusammen, Bei Hertha BSC gibt es leider nicht den Spieler Kennet Eichhorn welcher der jüngste Spieler der Geschichte der 2. Bundesliga ist, aber auch der wertvollste Spieler der 2. Bundesliga. Jeremy Dudziak welcher vor kurzem wieder erst als freier Spieler verpflichtet wurde existiert leider ebenfalls nicht Wird es daher die Spieler geben ? Vielen dank im Voraus.
EA Sports FC 26 funktioniert nicht!
Sehr geehrtes EA-Team, nach X-Jahren in der Videospielbranche und etlichen Stunden an Erfahrungen von Fußballsimulationen habt ihr es wieder einmal geschafft ein neuen Teil Anfang an zu ruinieren. Man zahlt 100 € und nochmal 5,99 € um das Spiel direkt zu Veröffentlichung zu spielen und ihr spuckt auf eure Kunden, tretet sie mit Füßen und das jedes Jahr aufs neue. Wie kann man nach diesen Jahren an Erfahrung immer noch zu inkompetent sein ein Spiel ordentlich auf den Markt zu bringen. Ich spiele seit FIFA 12 und ich hab echt die Schnauze voll von euch. Ihr verschlechtert euch von Jahr zu Jahr, es wird nur mehr Wert gelegt auf X-Beliebige Influencer, welche ohne Taschenrechner nicht einmal bis 10 zählen können und die Ottonormalkunden werden wieder mal verarscht. Ab sofort wird dieses Spiel meinerseits boykottiert...und dies sollten mehrere Spieler tun. Es ist eine bodenlose Frechheit, dass man sein Standing als einziger Fußballsimulator so dermaßen ausnutzt und man dann noch die Leute mit irgendwelchen Free Packs begnadigen möchte. Das ist die pure Schamlosigkeit! Ich weiß, dass ihr nie eure Lebensart und Meinung ändern werdet, aber seine Seele so an den Teufel verkaufen und dann noch hämisch die Kunden zu verspotten, dass traut sich nicht einmal Call of Duty.
