For years, players have complained about a lack of control in defensive situations and declining game intelligence among their offensive AI teammates. In FC 27, EA SPORTS is making another attempt to improve things. How is this supposed to work?
It was almost sobering. After the big announcements of recent years, the gameplay changes mentioned in the FC 27 reveal trailer went almost completely unnoticed. On the one hand, that’s understandable. After all, EA SPORTS has created an entirely new open-world game mode from scratch with The Grounds. On the other hand, it’s disappointing, as certain gameplay issues have plagued the series for years.
One issue that’s consistently been at the forefront: defensive play. Whether it’s winning the ball from absurd positions, players jumping back out of the way, or perfect passes despite seemingly optimal positioning in the passing lane—the list of complaints was long. And it’s finally set to get shorter in FC 27, thanks to a complete rebalancing of the defensive AI.
AI Adjustments from Back to Front
While the developer is still keeping specific measures under wraps, the general idea has already been confirmed: players should have more control. Automatic tackles will be removed, and the AI’s influence will be reduced. This way, manual defending and well-timed tackles should finally feel rewarding—even if beginners might find this frustrating at first.
Meanwhile, the AI is being improved on the offensive end. Attackers should now take even better running routes, which may even involve a detour if necessary to avoid an offside trap. This is made possible by an updated spatial awareness system, which will allow players to move inside or outside as needed—but ideally, always find the right space—depending on what’s required to create danger.
Set pieces reimagined—dribbling as a way out of a tackle
Speaking of dangerous: Goal-scoring opportunities can, of course, also arise from set pieces. EA SPORTS has placed a special focus on corner kicks, which have been completely redesigned to offer more freedom—both offensively and defensively. In addition, headers are now more realistic and fiercely contested thanks to improved simulations of aerial duels.
When the ball stays on the ground, the new “off-balance dribbling” brings a breath of fresh air. This is designed to help particularly agile ball-handlers hold their own in one-on-one situations. The studio describes it as a “controlled imbalance” that allows skillful players to stay on the ball despite physical resistance—at least as long as controller inputs are quick and precise enough.
Last but not least, the gameplay separation introduced in FC 26 remains in place and has been made even more realistic on the “realistic” side. EA SPORTS aims to create “unmatched immersion” and points to greater variety between individual matches, which arises, among other things, “from different player personalities and evolving opponent tactics.”