GOALS just got sharper. Faster. More in your control.
This update lays down core gameplay upgrades: a full lock-on rework, better finishing, improved keepers, tighter passing, and more responsive movement.
New defensive tools, a new skill move, multiple squads, a new practice arena, and Quickplay 5v5 round it out.
Check out the full Patch Notes below:
Gameplay:
New Implementation:
- New manual shielding system
- New lock-on system
- Introduced a fixed execution time addition for high-angle passes and shots for better rotation consistency.
- Introduced “block tackles” for scenarios where a lunge would be unnecessary
- Added the ability to trigger free kicks and penalties in the Arena by pressing the right button on the D-pad
- Added smart target selection for chip shots based on the keeper’s distance to the arc
- Introduced directional acceleration to allow for good turns without over the top general acceleration
- Added bicycle kicks - triggered with LT/L2 and the shot button.
- The velocity a player approaches the ball with now affects the ability to generate power on a shot.
Adjustments & Improvements:
- Adjusted free kick shot power for curved and non-curved shots
- Adjusted free kick ball trajectories to have lower speed loss to look more realistic and less floaty
- Increased the ability to generate dip on a free kick to be able to take it over the wall. More curve applied results in more dip but less power.
- Improved goalkeeper save types and reactions for more realistic keeper behavior
- Lowered the maximum shot power to more realistic values to allow for better keeper behavior
- Increased the impact of approaching angle on the ability to generate shot power
- Tweaked execution times for shots and passes
- Lowered the execution time penalty on high-angle passes
- Increased the cooldown on sprint interceptions to mitigate the risk of an accidental sprint touch happening after an interception
- Tweaked ground pass speeds and driven pass speeds.
- Improved driven pass trajectory
- Lowered driven pass max dispersion and narrowed the gap based on stat.
- Made tackling execution times dynamic based on distance to the ball
- Improved selection logic for free kick camera selection based on whether there is a player in the wall or not.
- Lowered straight line acceleration
- Improved turns at all speeds - new directional acceleration
- Nerfed slide tackle recoveries
- Lowered max heading power based on incoming ball speed for passes
- Reworked the agility stat which now affect a player’s ability to maintain speed when turning at all speeds.
- Tweaked weak foot penalties to be more forgiving on power reduction.
- Improved contextual switching (L1/LB) - stability and selection
- Improved target selection for chip shots and curved shots when the keeper is far off the line
- Improved manual switching selection
- Lowered the max speed of low crosses
Animations:
- New GK saving animations
- Reduced unwanted rotations when stopping
- Emote animations when scoring/conceding goal, committing fouls, missing shots
- Tweaked special shot animation triggering
- Look-at animation improvements
- Various bugfixes
AI:
- Defending: Tighter marking, more dynamic behaviors and more freedom to defending footballers to create more variability.
- Defending: Implement very first basic version of danger marking for defenders to prevent unmarked defenders in dangerous situations.
- Defending: Improve accuracy of defensive movement / marking and predicting opponent movement.
- Defending: Improve helping algorithm where and when defenders should help other defenders.
- Defending: First version of pressing system enabled for team tactics depths High and Aggressive.
- Bots: new passing system
- Bots: movement logic to use zones
- Bugfix: Fix issue where the formation line would fall back after a kick-off.
UI/UX/Audio & Quality of Life
New Implementation:
- Multiple squads: added ability to own multiple squads
- Store: new design
- 5v5: added “quickplay” game mode, with matchmaking for 10 players
- Game mode selection: new design
- Popups and modals: new design
Progression System changes:
- Upgrades now put more weight on the attributes that matter for each position, steering growth toward the areas with the biggest impact. It’s not perfect every time, but it should feel noticeably smarter.
- Upgrade steps now have more variation, giving players more chances for bigger jumps. Even lower-potential players can climb faster and hit their ceiling sooner.
Other:
- Various input and navigation bug fixes
Core
New Implementation:
- Server movement cache optimization
- Low end optimization
- Addition of ES31 render backend
- Crowd optimizations
- Animation optimizations
Other:
- Bugfixes
- Reconnect issue with field dimensions
- Packet loss calculation fix
- XSX Live connection fix
- Player kits 2.0
- Billboard Ads
- SuperLowEnd decal crash