With the release of EA Sports FC 25 just around the corner, the community is buzzing with excitement. Following the official reveal, where EA shared initial details, today we have more in-depth insights on what players can expect from the gameplay in FC 25.
In this article, we will dive into the latest news, presenting all the new features and changes that will make the next edition of the game the most complete football simulator to date.
FC IQ
FC IQ in FC 25 introduces advanced tactical capabilities, allowing your teammates to show improved on-field intelligence. This enhancement lets you emulate strategies used by top coaches like Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola.
The game features more fluid tactics, enabling seamless transitions between formations such as 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 during matches. Key elements like Player Roles and Smart Tactics provide the ability to adjust strategies mid-game. This tactical flexibility is integral to FC 25, affecting various game modes and essential aspects of Career Mode, including transfers, scouting, and youth development.
FC IQ focuses on optimizing three key components: Team Tactics, Player Roles, and Smart Tactics.
Player Roles
Here are the key points about Player Roles in FC 25:
- Distinct Roles: 31 unique Roles, each with positive aspects and drawbacks, guide player behaviour on and off the ball.
- AI-driven Role Familiarity: AI model determines the Role Familiarity of players in FC 25. For example, the AI model assigns a high Role Familiarity to Lionel Messi for the “False 9” Role, given his real-world experience and success in that position.
- Role Familiarity: Players perform better in Roles they’re familiar with, based on real-world Opta data. For instance, With his high familiarity ‘++’ with the Poacher Role, Kylian Mbappé will time his runs perfectly to exploit defensive gaps and avoid offside traps vice versa.
- Role Familiarity Indicators:
- Role: A base role, indicating the player can play in that Role (e.g., Vinicious Jr as a “Advanced Forward”).
- Role+: A ‘+’ sign indicates the player has mastered the Role (e.g., Federico Valverde as a “Deep-Lying Playmaker+”).
- Role++: A ‘++’ sign denotes a world-class player in that Role (e.g., Jude Bellingham as a “Shadow Striker++”).
- Out of Position: A yellow exclamation mark indicates a simplified version of the Role when the player is out of position (e.g., a central midfielder playing as a center-back).
- Role and Focus: Roles define main responsibilities, while Focuses (1-3 per Role) allow for tweaking specific characteristics. For example, a Central Midfielder with “Half Winger” Role and “Attack” Focus enables a central player to find himself on the final third flanks more often.
- Familiarity and Position: Players can play any Role in their preferred positions, with Familiarity tied to specific players and positions. For example, a player like Rodrygo can play various Roles (e.g., “Advanced Forward” or “Inside Forward”) in his preferred positions (RW or ST).
- Unique Combinations: 52 possible Role and Focus combinations, offering a high degree of customization. For instance, a “Poacher” Role with a “Defend” Focus creates a unique player profile.
Team Tactics
Team Tactics in FC 25 revolutionizes how your team plays, thinks, and behaves on the pitch, emulating the strategies of football’s top tacticians. This feature enhances the football IQ of every player, creating a more realistic and immersive experience. Here are the key points of Team Tactics in FC 25:
- Tactical Settings:
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- Formation: Choose from various formations to suit your playing style.
- Defensive Approach: Select from options like Park the Bus or High Press.
- Build-Up Style: Decide how your team transitions from defense to offense.
- Tactical Presets: Quickly apply pre-set tactics to adapt to different situations.
- Views:
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- With Ball: See how your team positions themselves when in possession.
- Without Ball: Analyze your team’s defensive shape and structure.
- Dynamic Summary: Get real-time analysis of your tactics, highlighting strengths and weaknesses.
- Custom Tactics: Create up to 5 unique tactics, tailored to your playing style.
- Shareable Tactics Code: Share your tactics with others using a unique code.
- New Squad tab for Roles
Smart Tactics
Smart Tactics in FC 25 makes it easier to adjust your strategy during the game and see the results right away. Here are the key points of Smart Tactics in FC 25:
- Directional Pad: Quickly access and switch between tactics using the directional buttons.
- My Tactics: Easily select from your pre-made custom tactics.
- Tactical Focus: Concentrate on specific aspects of the game, such as defense or possession.
- Quick Tactics: Rapidly apply pre-set tactics like to respond to changing match dynamics.
- Tactical Suggestions: Receive in-game recommendations based on the match flow, helping you adapt and improve.
- New Menu: Intuitive interface for effortless tactical management.
- New Substitution Menu: Streamlined player substitution process.
- Animated Chalkboard and AR Visuals: Engaging, interactive visualizations of your tactics.
- Tactics-specific Commentary: Immersive, context-aware commentary that reacts to your tactical decisions.
- Change Tactics and Subs at Any Time: Seamlessly adjust your strategy and player lineup during the match.
HyperMontion V Tech Improvements
HyperMotion is a feature available only on current-gen consoles in FC 25. It introduces new animations driven by real-world volumetric data, enhancing FC IQ and making players more unique.
Using AI Mimic technology, it incorporates volumetric animation for over 1,800 players, including more than 200 new female players.
This provides greater detail and fluidity in player movements, expanding the player library from 1,373 in FC 24 to 1,847 athletes with full-body motion, unlike the upper body-only animations in FC 24.
New Goalkeeper PlayStyles
In FC 24, PlayStyles were introduced, allowing for more personalized player behaviour. Building on this feature, FC 25 now includes reworked Goalkeeper PlayStyles, offering a range of new and unique playing styles specifically designed for goalkeepers:
- Footwork – Performs foot saves faster and with extended reach.
- Deflector – Performs deflection saves into safer areas with increased ball speed control.
- Rush Out – Rush speed is increased and has an improved reaction speed to shots in rushing situations.
- Cross Claimer – Comes out to claim crosses with increased pace, increased awareness of the ball trajectory, and further punch reach with increased power.
- Far Throw – Able to perform throws with increased speed and distance.
- Far Reach – Performs diving saves with improved reach and has access to extended reach animations.
Passing & Shooting Reworked
FC 25 brings a new Accuracy system that makes the game more realistic and personal. This updated system shows the real challenges of making precise passes and shots in tough situations, unusual angles, and complex scenarios, just like real football players experience.
The changes to passing and shooting focus on these difficulties, making the gameplay feel more authentic. Here are the main changes:
Passing:
- Passing ability and PlayStyles will significantly improve pass quality.
- Smart, tactical decisions will yield better results.
- Players may slip when playing a pass in rainy or snowy conditions. However, this is only visual as it does not affect the quality of the pass.
- Adjusted the cross receiver targeting to be more consistent and predictable.
Shooting:
- Shot accuracy will more closely mirror real-life player abilities, PlayStyles, and in-match situations.
- Taking shots in difficult situations will feel more challenging.
- New animations will showcase off-balance and tough-angle shots, adding realism.
Dribbling & Defending Improvements
As far as dribbling and defending is concerned, EA made the following adjustments and improvements in FC 25:
Dribbling:
- The Effort Dribble feature has been improved with better control, quicker response, and new animations for more realistic dribbling angles.
- First Touch PlayStyle Improvement adds new animations for ground and aerial passes.
- The Let Ball Run feature has been improved so that the animation starts right away when requested, instead of waiting for the ball.
- Orbit Dribble has been removed.
Defending:
- You can strategically commit a Professional Foul to stop an opponent’s advance by pressing R1+X (PS) or RB+A (Xbox). This will result in an automatic yellow card or a red card if repeated.
- Goalkeepers can only be manually moved 1-2 steps in any direction.
- New Goalkeeper Rush mechanic allows goalkeepers to strategically close down shooting angles by rushing out to contain the attacker, activated by tapping and holding ▲ (PS) or Y (Xbox).
#FC25 Professional Fouls 💥
To request a pro foul, press:
🎮 R1+X || RB+A
This type of foul will always result in a yellow card! 🟨
Excessive use will lead to red cards. 🟥pic.twitter.com/H3f8fTevrN
— 𝙄𝙉𝙁𝙄𝙉𝙄𝙏𝙔 𝙁𝘾 (@theinfinityfc) July 25, 2024
Other Gameplay Changes
Other smaller gameplay changes have been made including:
Player Movement Improvements
- Off-Ball Movement: Enhanced visuals for more realistic player movements, such as sharp cuts and changes of direction.
- Goal Post Interactions: New animations for players colliding with the goal post.
- Goalkeeper Falls: Improved animations for goalkeepers falling and getting up.
- Shielding: More consistent and realistic shielding mechanics, now influenced by player fatigue.
Set Pieces Improvements
- Corner Kicks: Customizable Corner Roles allow strategic assignments to Near Post, Back Post, and Target Player positions.
- Quick Free Kicks: Request a Precision Pass using R1 + ▲ on PS or RB + Y on Xbox.
New Rules
- Offside Advantage Overlay: Visual cue to help identify offside positions.
- Bench Slots: Nine available bench slots depending on the competition.
- Red Card Advantage: Play continues in certain situations with penalties given at the next stoppage.
Further more a new Pass Map has been added that gives a visual breakdown of passing networks and connections on the stats screen for deeper insights into team performance.
Simulation Mode
Simulation Mode is perfect for players seeking a more realistic and challenging experience, where strategy and tactics are just as important as player skills. Here’s everything you need to know about Simulation Mode in FC 25:
- Available in Player Career, Manager Career, Kickoff, and Tournament modes only
- Features enhanced CPU AI, wind effects, and player-controlled sliders for fine-tuning gameplay
The following are the preset slider settings that come into effect during Simulation Mode:
CPU AI:
- Customized preset sliders to mimic authentic match speed
- Two new presets: Tactical and Dynamic
- Tactical: CPU decision making varies based on opposing team’s style of play
- Dynamic: Similar to Tactical, but with fluctuating slider values for more varied CPU behavior
New CPU Sliders:
- Tackle Aggression
- Buildup Speed
- Shot Frequency
- First Touch Pass Frequency
- Crossing Frequency
- Dribble Frequency
- Skill Move Frequency
Wind Effects:
- Available in all offline modes, toggleable via Settings > Match
- Impacts ball trajectory, player hair, and jersey physics
- Three options: Low, Medium, or High
- Wind speed and direction remain constant during a match
EA SPORTS FC 25 releases worldwide on September 27, 2024 and will be available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
