This EA FC victim came back for more – only to be filled with regret once again

Luca Fontana

26.9.2025

Translation: Katherine Martin

I knew EA’s «revolution» was just an empty promise. And yet, I still went ahead and bought EA FC 26. It’s a decision I already regret. New year, same game, same scam. Why do I keep doing this to myself?

I’m a victim. Every year, I fall for the same old trick. EA promises something revolutionary and I blindly buy it, only to wind up playing the same game, just with a prettier menu. Yep. Of course I bought it. Of course I played it. And, of course, I already regret it.

Same procedure as every year.

But let’s start from the beginning. From Squad Battles to Rivals to Rush, the miserable grind for rewards in Ultimate Team has stayed the same. And it probably won’t ever change. EA certainly doesn’t want it to. Casual players who fancy getting competitive aren’t supposed to have a chance. They – and all the rest of us – are only supposed to have two options: invest time or invest money. Ideally, we’re supposed to do both.

As if that alone weren’t frustrating enough, EA’s taken things a step further. Though the game was sold to us in trailers as «smoother, faster and more responsive», it turns out to be a balancing disaster online. A football match with strikers bouncing through the defence like rubber balls as defenders stand around, stiff as the royal guard at Buckingham Palace.

This isn’t revolutionary, it’s ridiculous.

The great defence disaster

EA wanted to move away from AI defending. As you might remember, you used to simply use your number six to close off the passing lanes and the AI would do the rest. Central defenders helped with the passing, throwing off attacks as if by magic. Meanwhile, offside traps worked perfectly. You could almost sit back and watch as the defence automatically blocked things off.

Many players understandably thought this was too powerful. So this year, EA promised to withdraw AI help in a bid to finally make defending a skill again. The thing is, they’ve gone so over the top that the opposite is now happening. Basically, the defenders are doing diddly-squat.

If you don’t actively select them, they just watch the opposing striker go running merrily by. The same applies to the sixes, who ignore the sometimes huge gaps between the defensive line and midfield while attackers prance along the edge of the penalty area like Duracell bunnies. There’s not a whole lot you can do about this. If you move the defender, the sixes stand around, awestruck. If you try to pull back the sixes, the defenders just stand there dumbly.

ARGH!

As for the «responsive, smooth» gameplay promised by EA, this pretty much only applies to offensive players. With left-stick dribbling and endless body spins, they wiggle their way around until the defence, barely able to keep up with the pace, inevitably loses touch. After the third or fourth spin, there’s an open space, a short sprint, a finish – and it’s a goal.

Like a dance competition in the penalty box

Every second match I play these days now goes this way. On both sides, incidentally. And that’s where the problem truly lies. Once you’ve figured out the mechanics, you always play according to the same pattern. Get in front of the penalty area, do a little left-right-left-right wobbling with your striker and the defence will eventually break down.

This considered, it’s not a question of skill or game intelligence. It’s just maths. After the fourth or fifth spin, the defender’s out, no matter how well they’re positioned. It feels like every online game ends 7:7, 8:8 or 9:9. And no, that isn’t an exaggeration. Everyone scores, everyone concedes, and everyone sits in front of the screen frustrated because they know skill had nothing to do with it. It’s just the current meta practically serving up goals on a silver platter.

Seriously EA, what is this crap!?

Instead of cleverly placed passes, perfect timing or tactical positioning, it’s agile players that come out on top. And at the moment, that actually applies to almost every single striker in the game. Even Edin Dzeko. If you figure that out, you win. Otherwise, you lose. There’s no in-between. And that’s simply not enjoyable. Regardless of whether you score or concede, you feel less like it was connected to your ability or inability, and more as a result of a broken system.

What about next year?

I know how it’s going to go. EA will patch here and there, tweak a few stats, maybe even get a bit of a handle on that broken meta. I’ll keep playing, getting annoyed, opening packs and sinking time into the game. And when EA FC 27 is announced, I’ll once again say: «I’m not buying it this time.» No siree. But obviously I will.

Like I said, I’m a victim.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more

Follow

---

Gaming

Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest

Follow topic

---

Opinion

This is a subjective opinion of the editorial team. It doesn't necessarily reflect the position of the company.

Show all

These articles might also interest you