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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EA FC 26 beta – how to get a closed beta code and when codes will be released
If you want to play EA FC 26 earlier than anyone else, then the EA FC 26 closed beta is the way to do so Players will have the chance to get their hands on EA FC 26 early through the upcoming EA FC 26 beta, but there are certain steps you must follow to improve your chances of receiving a closed beta code. We're just over two months away from EA FC 26 's worldwide release, with EA Sports confirming the game will be released on September 26, 2025, while players who pre-order the Ultimate Edition can access the game from September 19, 2025. Hype has been building around the new game, with EA starting to release deep dives into EA FC 26. Meanwhile, we were able to get hands-on with the game at a first-look event at the EA HQ in Vancouver. But very soon, EA will launch the EA FC 26 closed beta, allowing players to access the new game early. A closed beta has been released annually by EA before every EA Sports FC and FIFA title since FIFA 14, where players can try out EA FC 26 for the first time while also providing EA with feedback before the official release in September. If you've tried getting a beta in the past, you'd know that there's no way of guaranteeing yourself an invite. But, there are some steps you can follow to help boost your chances of getting a code when they are released. EA FC 26 closed beta expected release date Based on the EA FC 25 closed beta release date, we expect the EA FC 26 closed beta to go live on or around Friday, August 8, before ending on Tuesday, August 26. Closed beta codes are usually sent out in two batches – one when the beta goes live, and another halfway through. The beta will give all players access to Kick-Off, Learn to Play, Online Seasons, Co-Op Seasons, and Online Friendlies, while it will also grant access to at least one of Clubs, Career Mode, or Ultimate Team. How to get EA FC 26 closed beta code To put it simply, there's no way to guarantee yourself a code for the EA FC 26 beta, but there are ways you can give yourself the best chance possible. Firstly, if you play on PC, PS4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch, then you won't have access to the EA FC 26 Closed Beta, with codes only sent to players on PS5, Xbox Series X |S, and we also expect them to be sent out for players on Nintendo Switch 2. EA sends out the EA FC 26 closed beta codes via email, so the most important step is to make sure you've given EA consent to contact you via email; otherwise, there's no way for you to get a code. To double-check you have given them consent, head over to your EA account settings on and head to the 'Email Preferences' tab. From there, tick the box that allows EA to get in touch with you regarding products, news, events, and promotions. A simple, but easily forgettable step! On this same tab, you'll find a preferred games section. To increase your chances of being selected for the closed beta, select EA FC 25, EA FC 24, and as many FIFA titles as you can as preferred games, as well as selecting your preferred platform, then click update. If all of your preferred games are from the EA Sports FC and FIFA series, then this should increase your chances of being selected for the beta. Lastly, ensure that your Xbox Game Pass or PSN account is linked to your EA account by checking the 'Connections' tab in your EA account settings. If you've followed all of the above steps, you should be good to go, but only certain people can receive an invite after completing these steps due to some of the requirements for the closed beta. The requirements are as follows: EA FC 26 beta codes cannot be shared. This means, if you are offered a code off someone for a fee, don't accept, as this will be a scam!
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Every new feature in EA FC 26 Clubs including Archetypes, skill tree removal and FUT-like cards
Some big changes have been made to Clubs in EA FC 26 by EA Sports, including the removal of a long-term feature and some Ultimate Team additions. Significant changes are coming across the board in EA FC 26, but Clubs may be getting some of the most substantial changes of them all. After weeks of anticipation, we were lucky enough to get our hands on EA FC 26 at the EA Sports HQ in Vancouver, Canada, and as well as playing the game for the first time, I found out all there is to know about the new game, including Clubs. Clubs is one, if not the most, social game mode in EA Sports FC, but it always seems to get left behind when it comes to new features. When crossplay was added in FIFA 23, Clubs was surprisingly left out, but the tide has turned in recent years, with EA going big on Clubs changes in EA FC 26. From Ultimate Team-like cards to a new way of upgrading your pro, here are all of the changes coming to Clubs in EA FC 26. EA FC 26 Clubs overhaul – but is it becoming pay-to-win? In my opinion, the biggest change of all is that the skill tree is being removed in EA FC 26, with a new feature called Archetypes replacing it. Archetypes define how your player grows in Clubs, with each Archetype having signature PlayStyles, gameplay perks, unique attributes and weaknesses, along with three specialisations. There are 13 archetypes in total to choose from, with 39 different specialisations available to personalise your progress. For example, if you choose the Finisher Archetype, you'll start with the low driven shot and first touch playstyle, and these can evolve to PlayStyle Plus' as the game goes on. These are the 13 Archetypes that will be available at launch, both in Clubs and Player Career Mode: Offensive Archetypes Magician Finisher Target Support Archetypes Recyclier Maestro Creator Spark Defence Archetypes Progressor Boss Engine Marauder Goalkeeper Archetypes Shot Stopper Sweeper Keeper None of the Archetypes are positionally locked, so you can use all of these for any position, meaning you still get a feeling of freedom when building your pro. Of course, this excludes goalkeepers. Archetypes are also based on greats of the game, so you may notice some similarities between how your pro plays and a real-life footballing icon. As you play games in Clubs, you'll of course level up, and in EA FC 26, this will give you rewards that can boost your Archetypes attributes. There will also be chapters in Clubs that will run alongside the FC Season progress in Ultimate Team. During each chapter, you may reach an attribute threshold where you can no longer upgrade a certain attribute, but this is when, instead of improving your stats, you then start to unlock playstyles Out of the 39 specialisations, you can choose three in total, with these offering big stat boosts to your pro. You can change your specialisation whenever you want. You will also be given an Archetype card in Clubs in EA FC 26, with this visual feature similar to Ultimate Team cards. The card will appear in the menus as well as before and after each game, and as you progress, your card can upgrade from Bronze, Silver, Gold, and even to Icon status. Your Archetypes card will feature an image of the pro you have created, along with stats, which could include your level and attribute statistics. With these cards being introduced, some of the new rewards include skins to apply to your Archetypes card, with cool-looking designs set to be available. Every chapter, the game will allow for more improvements thanks to Archetypes, with more rewards available than usual through live events and Objectives. These include more PlayStyles, bigger attribute boosts and vanity items. Another big reward available by completing live events is XP multipliers. XP multipliers do what they say on the tin; you will earn more XP quicker with these items. These are in place to ensure that if you were to start playing Clubs in, say, February, you can catch up quicker to the higher rating and not be left behind. But, along with this comes a downside. FC Points can now be spent in Clubs to purchase XP multipliers, so you may be able to fast-track your way to the higher ratings by putting money into the game. Let's hope this isn't the case and there's some sort of protection in place to prevent this. New live events are coming to Clubs Rush in EA FC 26, based around FC Seasons. These are high-stakes knockout tournaments where you can play up to four rounds solo or with a team. By completing these live events, not only will you earn progress in Clubs, but also towards the FC Season Objectives. There are also new House Rule modes available for Rush to keep things fresh. Some of the examples we know are Rugby Rush, where standing tackles are instead over the top shoulder barges with no fouls. We were also told you can play in extreme weather conditions, something that could make things really interesting. A change that's been demanded for years has been granted, so in EA FC 26, you will no longer be restricted to one club at a time. Now, you can be part of up to three teams at once, and you can easily swap between teams in the menus. The 11v11 team selection page has been updated visually, with this lobby now extremely similar, if not the same, as Ultimate Team. The level of the AI players has always been a complaint for the Clubs faithful, so now, managers can use their facility budget to improve the attributes of AI teammates rather than just the pros in the club. Goalkeepers have been overhauled in FC 26, so now, if you are a goalkeeper in Clubs, there are more controls and in-game commands, giving you more to do during the game. Fatigue has been updated, meaning there is no long-term fatigue for your pros. So, if your pro has 94 pace and picks up the ball in the 88th minute, he will have full stamina, meaning the quick players will always feel quick. The match rating system has been updated. Now, your rating will be evaluated on how well you play to your dedicated tactical role, which then decides how much XP you get. For example, if you are a left-midfielder whose tactical role is to play as a balanced winger but you constantly sit at striker and score three goals, despite the hat-trick, your rating could be low due to the neglect shown towards tactics. EA has expanded the quick-chat feature in EA FC 26 as well. When introduced in FC 25, just four messages were available, but it was a hit, so EA has increased this to 16 in FC 26. And lastly, if you pre-order any version of FC 26, you can unlock an additional Archetype slot in Clubs without needing to use Clubs Coins, while you will also earn a consumable for double Archetype XP for 20 games.
Daily Mirror
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
EA FC 26 new gameplay features confirmed with upgraded dribbling, passing and two dedicated modes
With EA FC 26 on the horizon, EA Sports has confirmed all of the new gameplay features coming to the latest EA Sports FC title. EA Sports has released a deep dive into the new gameplay features coming to EA FC 26, and there's a lot for players to look forward to, on paper at least. The EA FC 26 hype train is well and truly pulling out of the station, with EA Sports confirming the EA FC 26 cover stars, as well as the FC 26 release date, the official trailer, and all of the EA FC 26 Ultimate Edition pre-order details that are getting players incredibly excited. And now, EA has released an in-depth pitch notes article, going into detail about all of the new gameplay features coming to this year's EA Sports FC title, including more responsive dribbling, quicker passing, new roles, two distinct gameplay modes and much, much more. Here's the complete EA FC 26 pitch notes, as per a post on EA's website. EA FC 26 gameplay features confirmed Welcome to the EA SPORTS FC 26 Gameplay Deep Dive Pitch Notes. Our names are Keegan Sabatino, Gigo Navarro, and Thomas Caleffi, designers and producers from the FC Gameplay Team, and together with the whole team we're excited to share the new Gameplay features coming to FC 26. Our focus this year can be summed up in 3 words: make gameplay better. FC 26 is powered by your feedback, and we aim to make it feel more responsive, rewarding, and enjoyable. We concentrated on three main areas: Competitive and Authentic Gameplay separation Gameplay Fundamentals Feedback-Inspired Features And Updates Let's jump right in. Competitive and Authentic Gameplay In FC 26, we've separated gameplay into two presets: Competitive and Authentic. This split is based on where and how you play FC, and with this change, we're able to customize the match experience of each mode to suit what you want out of the game. Competitive Gameplay is tuned for added responsiveness and higher player control, mainly focused on online modes like Ultimate Team and Clubs. Authentic Gameplay is tuned for higher realism and true-to-life match tempo/speed in offline modes, like Career Mode. We'll cover both in more detail later in this article. Gameplay Fundamentals Along with separating Competitive and Authentic gameplay, we had the goal of addressing the most requested changes by the community, and the problems that prevent you from having the best football experience. We've refined the foundational gameplay mechanics, including Dribbling, Pace, Passing, Tackling, Shooting, Goalkeepers, and Physicality. These refinements apply to both Competitive and Authentic Gameplay. Feedback-Inspired Features/Updates We also wanted to bring some new and updated features that you've been requesting, and that are important for us. These range from our new High-Contrast mode, to more Corner Kick Assignments, tweaked Player Roles, and new PlayStyles. Let's start with the fundamentals. Gameplay Fundamentals Refining Fundamentals Driven By Community Feedback While the split of Competitive and Authentic gameplay will allow us to tweak each individually, there was a great deal of common feedback from the community around the general gameplay of FC. With FC 26 we wanted to address this by focusing on what matters most: the fundamentals. All of the improvements to fundamentals mentioned below apply across both Competitive and Authentic gameplay. Dribbling and Movement - make players more agile and responsive on and off the ball. Goalkeepers - make them more consistent and intelligent. Defending - reduce the quantity of balls that bounce back to the opponent. Passing and Shooting - make it more responsive and improve available options. Attacking and Defensive Positioning - make better runs and provide more support. Physicality - make it more reliable to protect and shield the ball. First Touches and Controlling the Ball - improve the control of trapping the ball. Online and General Gameplay Responsiveness - make the game more consistently responsive for both Online and Offline. Dribbling and Movement One core fundamental is how players move both with and without the ball. Our goal has always been to make players on the pitch feel agile and responsive, so for FC 26 we narrowed in on the community's feedback to provide a more fluid dribbling experience, overall better control with and without the ball, and responsive movement. Dribbling In FC 26, Dynamic Dribbling is a new way to give you better control with increased responsiveness and more consistent outcomes. In order to achieve this, we made the changes below to our dribbling system. Dynamic Dribbling [NG] In FC 26, dribbling has received a significant amount of changes to improve responsiveness and fluidity. Dribble Touch Intervals - re-tuned how close the player keeps the ball to themselves when dribbling. The interval between dribble touches varies between Competitive and Authentic. Player Height - adjusted animation consistency and speed for players based on height to balance the performance between tall and short players. Foot Preference - adjusted dribbling foot preference logic and animation branching logic to allow for more responsive ball control. Dribbling Animation - re-evaluated and re-tuned our dribbling animation library to ensure the consistency, speed, and responsiveness for dribbling were standard across the board. Animation transitions and branching have been improved for increased responsiveness and to diminish the feeling of being 'locked in' to animations. Jog Dribble - increased speed of jog dribbling alongside improved logic for ball direction when dribbling to achieve more consistency in their desired speed. Effort Dribble Touches - Effort Touch animations now trigger during drastic dribble turns to ensure faster and authentic turns. We have removed the Agile Dribbling mechanic due to its low usage and to make the Shielding controls more consistent. Removed Agile Dribbling - L2 + R2 || LT + RT Removed contextual Agile Dribbling and its setting from the menu. Movement We heard feedback that players felt sluggish and heavy, especially when changing directions or when chasing down the ball. Our goal with FC 26 is to make all players more agile and able to accelerate more explosively in any direction, so we tuned the relative pace of players to ensure that the fastest players feel like the quickest ones on the pitch. Here's what we have changed to achieve this: More Agility [NG] Explosive Sprint - increased player agility and explosiveness in every direction. Run Styles - adjusted runs to be more natural and explosive to reflect the pace of an authentic football match. Attacker Vs Defender Speed - improved the speed differentiation between Attackers versus Defenders to achieve an improved balance between the two. Acceleration Types [NG] For FC 26, we're going back to 3 Acceleration Types to allow for a more predictable pace of play. We felt that three types were easier to understand and created a better acceleration balance. We also separated the formula that determines the Acceleration Types between male and female players in order to provide a better distribution among players. Acceleration Type Changes Explosive Agility minimum 65 (Agility - Strength) >= 10 Acceleration minimum 80 Height has been separated between male and female players Male height maximum 182cm (~6'0') Female height maximum 162cm (~5'4') Lengthy Strength minimum 65 (Strength - Agility) >= 4 Acceleration minimum 40 Height has been separated between male and female players Male height minimum 183 cm (~6'1') Female height minimum 164cm (~5'5') Controlled - any player that does not meet the other two requirements above. Adjusted the early stages of all three types to be more responsive. Adjusted deceleration of all players to be faster and snappier. Other Changes Jockey - improved Jockey movement to be more agile and responsive. New Jockey animations to improve maneuverability and feel more grounded. Turns - improved animations for all types of turns (drastic turns, swivel turns, etc.) to be faster and more responsive. Low Urgency - improved low urgency and relaxed animations for players not directly involved in the play to be less frantic and have them ready to accelerate when needed. Goalkeeper We received a lot of feedback on goalkeepers, especially regarding their positioning, the place where they deflect the ball, and how they look when doing so. Our goal with Goalkeepers is to make them more consistent and reliable, reducing the frustration they can cause, and improving the balance of skill vs authenticity. Goalkeeper Fundamentals In FC 26, goalkeepers received several improvements, such as how they handle deflections, how they position themselves, and even their decision making, all with the goal of reducing frustration while staying authentic to football. Deflection Control - added a new level of control for save deflections to significantly reduce the amount of deflections going back to opponents. Most deflections will now go out of bounds, toward teammates, or to open space away from opponents. Goalkeeper Senses - refined goalkeeper's ability to read shot trajectories to better reflect real-world save efforts and shot detection. Technical Improvements - improved base systems for goalkeeper handling, more consistent shot-stopping, and more reasonable decision making in one-on-one situations. RL GK Positioning [NG] One of the most significant updates in FC 26 is the introduction of Reinforcement-Learning (RL) Goalkeeper Positioning. This new system uses machine learning to help AI-controlled goalkeepers make more realistic decisions about where to position themselves in the box. By analyzing countless scenarios, the AI can now better cut down angles and react to different types of attacks while adjusting their position more intelligently. It's important to note that RL Positioning is only active in certain situations, and is only used to position the Goalkeeper. The system is not active when making a save or performing a catch. New Volumetric Animations Animations play a crucial role in how goalkeepers look and feel on the pitch. In FC 26, we're introducing new volumetric animations for goalkeepers. These animations are based on real-world volumetric motion capture data, resulting in more fluid and realistic movements. This not only enhances the visual authenticity of the game but also ensures that goalkeepers respond more accurately to different types of shots and situations. Be-A-Goalkeeper We could not improve the fundamentals of GKs without touching the Be-A-Goalkeeper (BAG) experience. BAG has received many updates, including new controls and assistance levels, PlayStyles, revamped UI components, and an updated presentation, along with unique camera and audio treatments. Revamped Be-A-Goalkeeper Experience For players who enjoy controlling the goalkeeper directly, the Be-A-Goalkeeper (BAG) mode has received a comprehensive update. Players can also play as keepers in Clubs RUSH. You can also use Goalkeeper PlayStyles when in BAG Mode. New Control Scheme - new controls to give you as much control over your actions from dive direction, claiming crosses with a punch or catch, smothering the ball, or reaction saves. Dive Direction - flicking the Right Stick will prepare your goalkeeper to dive in that direction for a short period. Right Stick Flick Cross Claiming - when there is a cross coming in, you have the ability to request either a catch or punch attempt, timing will matter. Punch (When ball is crossed): Circle/B Catch (When ball is crossed): Square/X One-on-One Situations - rushing the attacking dribbler, you have the ability to attempt to smother the ball or attempt to make yourself big to block the incoming shot. The direction of this action is based on your movement direction. Rush: Triangle/Y Ball pickup / smother: Square/X Reaction Save / Make Yourself Big: Circle/B Reaction Saves - when the shooter is close or you wish to take the dive timing into your own hands, you can modify your dive direction to play an instant save attempt. Reaction Dive On Demand: R1 + Right Stick Flick || RB + Right Stick Flick Visuals New Dive Direction UI - a new Dive Direction UI that appears when there is potential for a shot. Updated Positioning UI - updated the auto-positioning AR visual. Camera - new 11v11 camera that brings you closer to the action with the ability to manually pan the camera. Camera Pan: L1 + Left Stick direction || LB + Left Stick direction Defending We know how it can feel to time a tackle perfectly only for the ball to go right back to the opponent. So, when working on fundamentals, we spent a lot of time focusing on improving these issues during tackles, interceptions, and blocks. Our goal is to reward you for well-timed challenges or anticipating a pass, and now you'll be more likely to win the ball cleanly and retain possession in those moments. Tacklebacks, Bouncebacks, and Reboundbacks Tackle Outcomes - improved logic when Stand or Slide tackling the ball to a teammate. Shot Blocks - added a new deflection control system to make blocked shots put the ball away from danger. Interceptions - added a new deflection control system to try to keep possession or move the ball to a teammate when making an interception. Tackled Opponents - opponents will feel the effect of a tackle more severely when dispossessed of the ball by playing a realistic reaction after the tackle, thereby reducing the likelihood of them recovering the ball back right after getting successfully tackled. Defending Tackle Spam - improved logic for spamming tackle, to make the delay after a missed tackle more consistent. Tackle vs Block - when pressing Stand Tackle near the dribbler about to take a shot, the defender will be more likely to try to tackle rather than block. Tackles From Behind - reduced the effectiveness of tackling from behind the dribbler. Tackle Personality - added more player personality for stand tackles Players with a low stand tackle attribute (below 71) can only perform basic stand tackle animations. Players with a medium stand tackle attribute (71-84) can perform most stand tackle animations. Players with a high stand tackle attribute (85+) can perform all stand tackle animations. Passing and Shooting Some of the strongest feedback we got on Passing and Shooting is that they can often feel sluggish, as well as that some shots or pass types are unbalanced. Our goal in FC 26 is to improve the options available to players and ensure that the shot or pass is as responsive as possible. Passing Pass Responsiveness With our focus on core mechanics, we dedicated significant effort to ensuring passes, particularly first-time passes, are as responsive as possible. Passing Angles - rebalanced animation restrictions to allow passing to cover a broader range of angles. Faster Animations - enabled first-touch animations for passes when contextually appropriate, such as short distance passes. Passes Behind - Increased animation coverage for 135° and 180° passes, also allowing backheel passes to play contextually in these scenarios. First-time 135° and 180° through passes are now significantly less accurate to avoid Directed Run-related exploits. Quick Passes - Optimized short-distance, low-power passes to prefer faster, more responsive animations with minimal wind-up. Note that in Competitive Gameplay, first-time pass accuracy is reduced, despite being more responsive. Improved Through Pass Targets We've introduced the concept of Passing Lanes for semi-assisted through passes. Aiming at a specific passing lane (the gap between two opponents) ensures the best target selection for the intended receiver within that lane, respecting your aim and intention. Through passes will also now lead receivers more effectively. Other Changes Pass Receiver - improved pass receiver selection, especially for Ground and Through passes. Crosses - adjusted Crosses to lead more in front of the target, along with increased accuracy when in easy contexts. Ground Passes - regular Ground passes will now have a straighter trajectory with less contextual curve. Teammates will now maintain their position to receive ground passes. Lob Passes - Lob passes will have more driven trajectories when the path is unobstructed. Goalkeeper Throws - improved throw targets from the goalkeeper. Clearances - adjusted Clearance logic to make them more responsive. Shooting Shooting Responsiveness To make shooting more fair and rewarding, we've enhanced responsiveness. Our goal for this is that when you ask your player to shoot, it happens quickly and as expected. Close-range Shots - shots near the net will use more reactive animations with minimal wind-up. Shooting Angles - rebalanced animation restrictions to enable shooting to cover a broader range of angles. Low Driven Additions and Timed Finishing Removal In FC 26, Low Driven shots will be performed by double-tapping the shot button. Low Driven is now a global* shot modifier instead of being contextual based on your shot power. With the new button mapping, we had the opportunity to extend the Low-Driven mechanic across all shot types* by pressing the Shot button again after powering up your shot. Trivela Shots and Gamechanger PlayStyle Trivela shots will now be connected to the new Gamechanger PlayStyle. A player without this PlayStyle will not be able to perform trivelas. While visually impressive and powerful, Trivela Shots became overused by players across all positions, often leading to unrealistic and exploitable scoring patterns. Our goal with this change is to balance the shooting mechanics of the game, especially in Competitive Gameplay. GameChanger PlayStyle - Trivela Shots can only be performed by players with this PlayStyle or PlayStyle+ If a player doesn't have the Gamechanger Playstyle or PlayStyle+, attempting a Trivela Shot will default to a lace shot instead. See the PlayStyle Section for more details on the new Gamechanger PlayStyle. Attacking and Defensive Positioning You've been asking us to increase fluid attacking movement, while also having a logical defensive structure, for a more fun and dynamic match. Our goal in FC 26 is to make your teammates's positioning more flexible, regardless of Role, allowing them to make more runs and provide you with more supporting options as you progress up the pitch. Attacking Positioning Player Support - reevaluated the positioning logic to provide better supporting options for the ball carrier, trying to always have someone available as a passing option. Attacking Runs - made several changes to the attacking runs logic: Increased the number of attacking runs by players, to lower reliance on triggered runs. Attacking runs more consistently run into open space. All players will be more likely to make the best attacking run options instead of strictly following what their player Role dictates. Ex. a Winger can cut into the box if the opportunity arises, where before they would wait out wide. Ex: a Wingback can move forward if there is open space in front of them. Balanced Build Up - teams will have a more balanced approach, giving you run options as well as close-support options. Offside Runs - improved attacker's ability to stay onside, and the speed in which they come back when offside. Player marking - adjusted positioning of defenders to now man mark opponents when close and inside the box. Defensive Line Height - the defensive line will not automatically push up as far when trying to keep players offside. Physicality Protecting the ball and keeping it is an essential part of football, and we agree that this is an area with lots of room for improvement. Our goal is to give you added consistency with the shield button, allowing you to protect the ball, be it when receiving a pass, when the opponent presses against you when controlling the ball, or when bumping a marker with your shoulder as you dribble to make a bit of space. Shielding Improvements In FC 26, Shielding has been fully reworked to provide you with more consistent options and extra authentic physicality across the pitch. Shield Trapping - our objective was to give players a new tool when trapping the ball and wanting to stand their ground instead of immediately moving. Improved positioning when receiving the ball and Shielding Hold L2 || Hold LT. Increased Strength-based differentiation when Shield trapping. Prioritized getting in the way of incoming opponents instead of getting the perfect touch on the ball. Rebalanced and improved outcomes of several scenarios and timings when starting to Shield before and after receiving the ball. New Shielding trap animations, to increase shielding coverage and effectiveness Shield Dribbling - Dribble shielding has been fully reworked to make it more consistent and better at respecting your input. Improved consistency of player positioning relative to the ball when Shielding. Improved transition from Shielding to Sprint. Re-tuned how long you can Shield depending on how much short-term fatigue you have. New Shielding movement animations. Shield Entries We added multiple new ways to perform one-off Shield actions while moving. These actions can be used to quickly and physically get in front of the opponent before going into a rapid burst of speed, or they can be a way to start shielding when out of position. Dribbling Shoulder Challenges - new type of Shielding action that allows you to better protect the ball while dribbling. Physics - improved physics effects for both the shielder and the shieldee, to accentuate the physicality of the action. New Animations - multiple new animations added for Step-ins, Seal Outs, and Shield Turns. Enforcer PlayStyle - new animations added for players with the new Enforcer PlayStyle and PlayStyle+. Contested Box Outs On top of all the improvements to physicality in FC 26, we are adding a new mechanic called Contested Box Outs. Stronger players are able to keep opponents away when fighting for an incoming air ball. This allows players to use Shield when in front of their opponent, triggering a strong physical action that provides more space to either trap the ball or set up for a header. The effectiveness of the Box Out is based on the Strength difference between the two players. It can only be triggered if your player is in a good position when waiting for the ball. Following a Box Out, you can transition into any action to allow a fluid continuation of play. Other Physics Changes We've spent a lot of time ensuring that we've reduced physics-based frustrating scenarios that could sometimes occur. Jumping over fallen players will now be much more reliable and effective.. Players getting stuck together when stumbling will be moved to the side to allow them to detach and continue play. When trying to avoid other players, we have made them more slippery. This is so that player avoidance doesn't cause players to get stuck on each other. Controlling the Ball and First Touches Similar to physicality and defending, first touches could have been frustrating in the past when they felt sluggish, non-urgent, or when they fell back to the opponent. Our goal with these improvements is to make players feel more agile and in control of the ball, especially when trapping it. Controlling the Ball - Responsiveness First Touch Responsiveness - significantly improved responsiveness of first touch ball control to seamlessly transition into dribbling right after contact with the ball. Ball Control - refined players' ability to control the ball after a pass or interception to maintain possession. Factors influencing the difficulty of a first touch include ball speed relative to the player's speed, ball height, requested exit angle, opponent pressure, the part of the body used for the touch, the extent of stretching, and player attributes such as Ball Control, Interceptions, and Composure. First Touch Precision - when receiving or intercepting a pass, holding L2 || LT will greatly improve the players ability to control the ball at the trade-off of player's move speed. Earlier timing of this input will result in increased control. Flick Ups - improved flicking actions when receiving an aerial ball in all directions to be more consistent and predictable. Consecutive Flick Ups will progressively become less effective to prevent exploits. Loose and Contested Balls Player Urgency - new ability to increase players' urgency when attempting to reach a loose ball or contested ball by pressing Sprint R2 || RT. Holding Sprint prompts immediate acceleration toward the contact point. Without the Sprint input, the response might be less immediate, highlighting the importance of your reaction time in critical moments. Gameplay Animation Improvements Animation transitions and branching have been re-evaluated and retuned across most areas of Gameplay to improve consistency and responsiveness. Adjusted the following areas across all animations to make them more internally consistent: time to contact ball, ball trajectories better aligned with animation, pose fidelity, and animation exit speed. Improved selection of animations to better match the player's current speed and animation speed. Relaxed the coverage required for animations, allowing them to start faster in many situations. Fatigue Redesigned When investigating responsiveness, one common piece of feedback was that players would sometimes not feel the same across the course of a match. For Competitive Gameplay purposes, we decided to redesign some elements of the Fatigue system. Our goal with this change is responsiveness; a player should always feel and play well when you are controlling them. Note: the changes below only apply to Competitive tuning, though Clubs has a slightly different design. Short-term and long-term fatigue only affects AI-controlled players User-controlled players are NOT AFFECTED while being controlled. CPU-controlled players in Competitive tuning are also not affected by fatigue. An example is when playing Squad Battles. When controlling a player, the effect of fatigue on the Sprint Speed and Acceleration attributes is not in effect. Meaning a user-controlled player acts as if they have full stamina when controlled. For AI players, they will have a reduction in Sprint Speed and Acceleration when fatigued (proportional to the fatigue level). Relentless and Relentless+ PlayStyles have been changed to increase how quickly your short-term fatigue recovers (more details in the PlayStyles section). For Authentic Gameplay, fatigue works as before. For Clubs, short-term fatigue works as before, however, long-term fatigue doesn't accumulate for any player. For example, when short-term stamina depletes, the player is slower when running until the fatigue bar recovers. Note: this design is subject to change. Inputs, Indicators, and Overlays Improved the Input Processing System. More info in the Responsiveness Deep Dive: Fixed Skill Move detection issues. We made the Player Indicator more responsive during gameplay. Created a new overlay to better display connection status (visuals subject to change): Competitive and Authentic Gameplay Let's dive into one of the most significant changes we've ever done to gameplay - splitting it into two separate experiences based on how and where you play the game. Online modes like Football Ultimate Team and Clubs will have their own gameplay type called Competitive Gameplay, while offline modes like Manager Career and Player Career will use Authentic Gameplay as default. This change is a direct result of your feedback, from the comments, posts, and threads, to the hours of conversations we've had with the community about how our game could improve. And yes, this means that we can tweak, tune, and change the gameplay for each type without affecting the other. If we add a more realistic feature like slower skill moves, we can make sure they only happen in Authentic, while something like removing the fatigue from user-controlled players can be tailored to Football Ultimate Team. We know that Online and Offline players have different priorities, and we want to showcase that by creating two enjoyable, separate ways to play FC 26. Competitive Gameplay Made for FUT and Clubs Competitive Gameplay is mandatory/locked in FUT, Clubs, Online Seasons, and Online Friendlies. It is optional in Kick-Off and Career Mode. Our goal with Competitive Gameplay is to create a more skill-driven competitive experience by reducing the impact of randomness and assistance. This is an experience tailored for those who enjoy fast-paced, responsive gameplay. The changes to Competitive Gameplay aim to deliver on the three 'competitive community' priorities: Responsiveness, Consistency, and Control. Here are the main differences in Competitive Gameplay: All GK deflections try to get away from danger, reducing rebound goals Reduced tackles/blocks/interceptions bouncing back to your opponent Less AI defending, resulting in looser defensive lines Fewer auto tackles and auto blocks Redesigned Fatigue feature More responsive and smoother transitions in and out of specific animations Increased passing speed and responsiveness Tighter control and more speed while dribbling, and skill moves are faster Increased variability on crosses, to favour player skill over repetitive wide play Increased heading error relative to Authentic Increase variability in Corner Kicks outcomes, with fewer attacking players involved by default Less authentic visuals when avoiding a ball, to resolve these situations more effectively Players get up quickly after being tackled to the ground Players show no reaction animations when hit by a fast incoming ball Note that while some of the effects above were mentioned in the Fundamentals section, they were increased/tuned up for Competitive gameplay. UT Competitive Camera [NG] We also created a new UT Competitive Camera that is exclusive to the Ultimate Team Stadiums. This camera provides a way to see more of the pitch, while still showing off the stadium and its atmosphere. This camera is on a rail, ensuring more predictable pad angle behavior to aid Competitive Gameplay. Authentic Gameplay Bringing Realism and Choice to EA SPORTS FC Authentic Gameplay is the default for Manager and Player Career Mode and optional in Kick Off. You'll still be able to toggle between both presets in Kick Off and Career to tailor your gameplay experience. Authentic gameplay is not playable in Ultimate Team or Clubs. Our goal with Authentic Gameplay is to create a true-to-football experience with a heavy emphasis on realism, strategy, and immersion. This is an experience tailored for those who enjoy methodical and less predictable gameplay. What allows us to achieve the above is not just the Competitive mechanic toggle, but also the Authentic Gameplay Sliders. We have carefully tuned them to accomplish that true-to-football experience with a heavy focus on realism and immersion. Weather Effects are also turned on by default. The changes to Authentic Gameplay aim to deliver on three authentic community priorities: Immersion, Realism, and Less Predictability. The main differences in Authentic Gameplay are: Authentic Sliders Weather Effects, including Wind, Rain, and Snow Lower speeds for dribbling and skill moves More physics-based GK rebounds, blocks, and bounces More realistic tackle accuracy Greater AI defending enabled, with tighter defensive lines and defenders reacting realistically when a ball is nearby More realistic and tighter positioning in midfield More realistic header passing and shooting accuracy Corner kicks and Crossing tuned to match real-world success rates Players avoiding a ball might occasionally be hit by it instead More realistic animation transitions Human-like reactions and get up animations Authenticity Features Toggle Article continues below This setting activates a set of features that are specifically designed to support the Authentic gameplay type, such as the increased influence of physics in ball movement, or the increased assistance with AI defending. This toggle is locked when in Authentic Gameplay, but can be turned on/off when customizing your gameplay type. It cannot be turned on in Competitive.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Unlock Free 102 OVR Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala Cards in EA FC Mobile!
To celebrate a historic moment in the EA Sports FC franchise, EA Sports is giving away two free special edition 102 OVR Moments cards, Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala, to all FC Mobile players. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These cards commemorate the duo's selection as the official Cover Stars for EA FC 26 and EA FC Mobile Season 3. Once roommates at the youth level and now fierce rivals representing European giants Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Bellingham and Musiala are two of the brightest young midfielders in world football. The English and German superstars have now earned a prestigious spot on the cover of EA's flagship football title, an honor reserved for the game's elites. To celebrate this milestone, EA Sports is gifting every player a free 102 OVR CM Jude Bellingham and a 102 OVR CAM Jamal Musiala Moments card. Whether you're a new player or a seasoned veteran, claiming these cards is quick and easy. How to claim free 102 OVR Bellingham and Musiala Moments Cards in EA FC Mobile At this point in the game, where top-tier squads average around 108-110 OVR, these 102-rated cards won't break into your starting XI. However, that doesn't mean they're useless. For collectors, this is a golden opportunity to own two unique cards that mark a key moment in FC Mobile history. And for grinders and traders, these can be valuable fodder for EA FC Mobile Exchanges, particularly helpful during special events that demand high OVR or Moments-type players. Following are the steps for the methods in which these special cards can be collected: For Existing Players: Login to FC Mobile – Open the game and sign in with your existing account. Look for the Pop-Up Message – You'll receive a message titled "Celebrate the Cover Stars". The in-game note reads: 'Roommates to Rivals to Cover Stars. Celebrate Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala side by side as EA Sports FC 26 Cover Stars with their 102 OVR Player Items.' Claim Your Cards – Tap on the pop-up and follow the instructions. The 102 OVR Bellingham and Musiala Moments cards will be instantly added to your in-game collection. For New Players: Download and install EA FC Mobile – Search for 'FC Mobile' in the iOS App Store or Google Play Store and install the game. Complete the Kickoff Tutorial – After launching the app, go through the initial tutorial sequence. Restart the Game – Close and relaunch the app to ensure all updates and messages load properly. Click on the Gift Message – A pop-up message about the 102 OVR Bellingham and Musiala gift will appear. Collect your cards – Tap and follow the instructions to claim your free items. Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala aren't just future stars; they're the face of the next chapter in EA Sports FC. Whether you're here for nostalgia, collection, or just looking to stack your club, don't miss out on these limited-time free cards. They're available until August 2024, so make sure you grab them before they're gone.
Mint
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
EA Sports FC 26: Release date, pre-order, gameplay and more
EA has officially announced the global launch date for EA Sports FC 26, the newest entry to its highly popular football simulation series. The title is slated for worldwide release on September 26, and will be made available across different platforms, Game Rant reported. Amid high expectations from fans, the California-based video game company has started pre-orders for EA Sports FC 26. This provides gamers an early access along with several other exclusive bonuses related to the game. "Innovation inspired by you in every mode. The Club is Yours in #FC26, launching September 26," read a post on the official X handle of EA Sports FC. It also features a nearly two-and-a-half minute video showing how EA has made multiple changes to gameplay after taking into consideration multiple suggestions from fans. Started in 2023 after EA ended its long-running partnership with FIFA, the EA Sports FC has witnessed the release of EA Sports FC 24 and FC 25 in recent years, with both of them getting positive reviews over the gameplay and visual realism, besides sticking to the real-world football clubs, leagues, and players. For the past few months, fans had been speculating the launch of EA Sports FC 26. According to EA, the game will be made available across a wide range of platforms, such as PS4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. This year, EA has promised major gameplay upgrades, besides introducing the "Manager Live Challenges" that will have shifting seasonal storylines. Also available will be "Archetypes," which has been modeled after legendary football icons, according to Game Rant. Players pre-ordering the Ultimate Edition of EA Sports FC 26 until August 26 will be receiving a wide range of perks. This includes: Up to 7 days of early access Up to 6,000 FC Points over the period of two months (4,500 for Switch). Moreover, it includes Ultimate Team incentives like the untradeable ICON Player Item, additional Player Evolution Slot as well as three ICON Career Players among others. EA has also announced offers for the EA Sports FC 26 Standard Edition. In this, gamers will get 92+ OVR ICON for FC 25 among other things. Yes, EA has officially announced the new season for the game. EA Sports FC 26 releases worldwide on September 26, 2025. There are a wide range of perks for players making pre-orders, especially the Ultimate Edition. The Ultimate Edition of the game is priced at $99.99.
