The FC 26 gameplay deep dive has premiered, and it revealed everything players need to know about the gameplay changes announced in the FC 26 reveal trailer, as well as disclosing a few new gameplay features and significant improvements.
Competitive and authentic gameplay were the main focuses, together with gameplay fundamentals, as most FC 26 gameplay features were improved, changed, or at least slightly tweaked. From passing to dribbling, the gameplay underwent a massive overhaul.
Biggest FC 26 Gameplay Changes
The Competitive and authentic gameplay presets are the biggest addition to FC 26 gameplay-wise, as they offer players two different ways to experience the game. Competitive gameplay is focused on online game modes, has gives fans more control over their players and improved responsiveness. On the other hand, authentic gameplay is more realistic, with matches' tempo and speed being true to real life.
However, the most impactful changes made to the FC 26 gameplay are what EA developers called fundamental changes, as they impact both types of gameplay presets. Dribbling and general movement were improved, making players more responsive and agile when they are on and off the ball.
Goalkeepers were basically made smarter and more consistent, so that the way they approach situations in a way that makes sense and is also authentic to their real-life counterparts. A small but very effective change was made on defense, decreasing the number of balls that bounce back to opponents. Defenders' positioning was also improved, with players now offering more support.
Passing and shooting received similar upgrades, with both features being more responsive, and users having more passing and shooting options. But that's not all for shooting, as timed finish has been removed from the game. Physicality will have a bigger impact on FC 26 gameplay, as the ability to shield the ball has been massively improved. The same can be said for first touches and general ball control, with players' ability to retain the ball being increased.
Another thing that developers were focused a lot on was to make the FC 26 gameplay more responsive across the board, for both online and offline game modes alike.
Animation Improvements
Animations are a huge part of FC 26, with plenty of fans thinking the game has too many animations. There were plenty of complaints about animations on previous EA FC titles, and the changes introduced in FC 26 aim to fix that. Developers made animation transitions more responsive and consistent in FC 26.
There were a few gameplay areas where animations were adjusted or tuned, such as the ball trajectory, animation exit speed, and time of contact with the ball. Speed animations were reworked, with new animations being selected to better match players' current speed with the animation's speed. Many animations were also reworked so that they start faster.
Goalkeepers' animations got the biggest upgrade, as FC 26 is introducing volumetric animations, which are based on real-life motion captured data, and make goalkeepers' movements feel and look more realistic, as well as being more fluid. This is quite big, as according to the developers, it "ensures that goalkeepers respond more accurately to different types of shots and animations".
All in all, FC 26 is promising massive gameplay changes that, on paper, can make the game one of the best in the EA FC franchise history. But we will only be able to see if FC 26 measures up to the hype and delivers on its big promises once it's released and we can hit the pitch.