I’m a sucker for EA

Luca Fontana

17-7-2025

Translation: Eva Francis

EA Sports FC 26 has been announced – and I already know I’ll fall for it again. The new trailer plays with my expectations, my frustration, and my darned hype. And yes, of course I’m looking forward to it.

I did it again.

I watched the new EAFC-26 trailer. Not once. Not twice. Several times – even though I know exactly what it does. It makes me angry. I shake my head. And I grin. I can’t help it. Because my naive mind tells me: «It could be better this year.»

As always, the trailer starts with grand pictures and heroic moments. These overly dramatic cinematics that usually make me roll my eyes instantly. And that’s exactly the trick: EA knows how to get me. The trailer even kicks off by showing imaginary live comments from a fictional feed that scream «Not again! WE WANT GAMEPLAY!». EA is making fun of itself.

That’s new. And it feels darn good.

EA has taken our feedback on board – or so it seems

For years, EA’s been getting hit with criticism. The main issue? Matches feel like a game of ping-pong. Goalkeepers keep bouncing the ball right into strikers’ feet. Players do unnatural runs and passes are painfully slow. Not to mention dribblings, which are either predictable zigzag or all over the place. The trailer addresses exactly this criticism. And EA promises reactive players, more flow, faster animations and better ball physics.

I know exactly what you’re thinking. And I agree with you: «Same promises every year.»

But this time something’s different. Maybe it’s the self-depreciating tone that runs through the trailer. Maybe it’s just good marketing. But it really seems like EA has actually taken the community’s criticism on board this time instead of just doing more of the same thing. Not to avoid future shitstorms, but because they agree with us. Or are they just clever and manipulative after all?

Well, it doesn’t really matter as long as it works.

Between knowing better and falling back into old habits

Now I could tell you I’ve learned from my mistakes. That I eventually uninstalled EA FC 25 because the constant meta changes, the pack lottery, the grind for targets and the toxic Weekend League really got on my nerves. That I won’t fall for the next hype again this year.

But that would be a lie.

The truth is, I’m excited about EA Sports FC 26. What if they actually managed to get it right this time? And yes, I know that’s what I think every year. But this time it feels ... different.

Why? Because EA somehow managed to do two things at once with the trailer: make fun of themselves and take me seriously. After all, the self-depreciation isn’t a one-off. EA constantly throws in critical comments from the community, tweets that mock the game and feedback that sounds like something straight from an angry fan forum or Inception’s rant videos.

As it seems, there are a few updates that sound like more than just PR buzzwords. The new Authentic vs. Competitive gameplay could be particularly decisive. It offers one mode for a more realistic gaming experience and one for all the players like me who like the pressure. Sounds like a good idea – especially when I think of last year, when EA first served us sluggish realism gameplay, only to turn everything back to speed and arcade with a mega-patch in January.

Developing two games in parallel to save themselves the balancing act might actually be a good choice. And that’s exactly one of the decisions that gives me hope. But I also have my guard up – it wouldn’t be the first time EA lied to me. That’s the worst thing about it: I see the machinery. I recognise the patterns. And still I can’t help but get excited. EA’s like that ex who gets in touch after months of silence to let you know they’ve changed.

And what do I do? I believe them.

It’s official – I’m a sucker for EA.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more

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