Abandon that off-parroted line about FC 26 being “the identical sport as final 12 months”. Three years into the post-FIFA period, the EA Sports activities juggernaut now provides a pair of contrasting experiences, relying on whether or not you play on-line or off. For Final Group, the soccer stalwart is prioritising competitiveness. Matches are fast-paced and skill-focussed, with some components of realism – comparable to human participant fatigue – performed away with. In profession mode, nevertheless, simulation involves the fore. Fixtures develop at a cerebral tempo, your whole staff tiring as the ultimate whistle approaches.
We have extensively sampled each gameplay varieties throughout a two day hands-on and, as an old-school gamer weaned on Professional Evolution Soccer, got here away preferring the sim fashion for now. EA’s focus this 12 months could be summarizsed as somewhat bit Blink 182: all of the small issues. FC 26’s delicately carried out tweaks actually come to the fore via that slowed-down, offline format.
Key information
Developer: EA Vancouver
Writer: EA
Platform(s): PS5, PS4, Xbox Collection X, Xbox One, Swap 2, PC
Launch date: September 26, 2025
Dribbling is tremendous tight, enabling virtually imperceptible modifications of course. High-tier gamers will experience maximizing their right-stick talents, whereas novices can use timing – slightly than stick talent – to show a too-tight defender. In the meantime, forwards extra prone to maintain off a CB than spin them profit from enhanced physicality. Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak actively transfer a step or two away from the ball to defend it from gigantic centre-backs. Low pushed photographs return, and really feel further snappy whenever you discover the underside nook – though that’s noticeably harder, due to reworked keepers. New animations see goalies attempt to tip the ball huge or over slightly than again into play, lowering the prevalence of sweaty rebound tap-ins.
In case you’re considering ‘these sound just like the fundamentals; what is the huge gimmick?’, you are not alone. Essentially the most encouraging side of FC 26 is the evident lack of a giant gimmick. As a substitute, EA Vancouver has spent 12 months drilling into person suggestions, and trying to enhance upon Air fc 25 utilizing particular fan solutions.
“The gameplay fundamentals – the passing, the dribbling, the taking pictures, the goalkeeper – that was the (commonest) suggestions we acquired, so we simply focussed on (these areas): ‘Let’s take what we have now, and refine it and polish it,'” says gameplay director Kantcho Doskov. “The mix of these issues makes the gameplay higher. Extra responsive, extra constant, with gamers transferring as you count on, and passing sooner.”
Change of tempo
The shift from FC 25 is felt in granular enhancements throughout each gameplay kinds. In addition to being re-animated, keepers are extra clever usually, notably in one-on-one eventualities: narrowing angles, and really spreading their our bodies. We see some photographs denied by hand, others with the toe of an outstretched foot. A delicate masterstroke is the HUD addition under a participant’s identify, denoting their foot choice and skill-move ranking. Having this key intel onscreen slightly than buried beneath menus immediately impacts gameplay – as an illustration, prompting you to chop inside onto your stronger foot with an inverted winger or full-back. It is a deft but triumphant tweak.
Intriguingly, EA is so dedicated to bettering gameplay, it is intentionally including in some graphical clipping. ‘Tacklebacks’ are a FC 25 concern the place you time your problem appropriately and may win the ball, however the engine deflects it to an opponent’s staff–mate. Or, even worse, lets the tackled participant preserve possession, as a result of your leg must clip ‘via’ an opponent to realize the ball. In FC 26, that is precisely what happens, and it is a key factor to creating positive defending is as satisfying as all these attacking enhancements.
It is at all times a stability on the defensive aspect.
“It is at all times a stability on the defensive aspect,” admits Doskov. “The dribbling is ultra-responsive now – however (the) jockey (mechanic) is as nicely. When a sort out happens, if it is nicely timed, we have made positive the tackler will win the ball again. The clipping… it’s what it’s, but it surely makes the sport honest and feels proper.”
The FC 25 meta has pulled this collection away from targets created by crosses, however traditionally it has been my most popular attacking methodology – so we won’t resist asking gameplay producer Thomas Caleffi whether or not it will return as a viable strategy. His reply is optimistic. “(We have labored on headers), notably in genuine mode,” says the passionate Brazilian. “We attempt to get the real-world success charges (and incorporate them): what number of headers are scored within the Premier League, crossing percentages, and dialog charges. It is troublesome to do in aggressive (mode) – however in genuine mode, it ought to match actual life now.”
Lights, digital camera, motion
Presentation fiends might wince on the deliberate inclusion of clipping, however they’ve a lot to take pleasure in elsewhere. School Soccer 26‘s intros, mascots, and stadiums showcase the diploma to which sports activities avid gamers love particulars, and FC 26 follows go well with with myriad beauty tweaks. Discover the web and a recent overlay exhibits the scorer’s photographs and aim depend for the present sport, whereas scene-setting build-up consists of extra stadium facades – even Watford’s Vicarage Highway – and fan zones away from the host membership. Oh, and coppers on horseback. Cool! Lighting can be much less saturated, including to the ambiance but additionally making matches simpler on the attention.
“Gameplay is at all times going to be a very powerful factor, however presentation is the wrapper that unifies all the pieces,” says inventive director Fab Muoio. “With all of the licensing and partnerships we have now, the one technique to actually have fun that’s by creating superb immersive experiences.” Cleverly, that even consists of the choice to combine and match commentators, do you have to benefit from the dulcet Scot tones of Derek Rae, however choose to pair them with Scouse ball of power Sue Smith over the extra dour Stewart Robson.
We’re excited to place these voice combos to the take a look at, alongside different new additions. Resembling first-time passes, the place you possibly can depart your button press to the final attainable second, slightly than it being ‘queued’. Or eight new set-piece assignments, together with throws-in takers on both aspect of the pitch. Or the supervisor market in profession mode, with hirings and firings (and job openings!) tracked in an simply digestible hub. Or Rush, the place Rae is now a solo commentary possibility, ought to Fernando Palomo’s bombastic fashion be somewhat too in-your-face. Or, or, or… so many ors, intertwined with some fascinating questions. All of which ought to be answered in GR+’s September evaluation.
