EA Sports has deployed its first "live tuning" update for EA Sports FC 25, focusing on fixing a major speed boost exploit that had become a widespread issue in competitive play. This exploit allowed players to take unfair advantage in online matches, causing frustration in the community.

Released in September 2024, EA Sports FC 25 is the second installment in EA's football series after its split from FIFA. The game features over 19,000 players from more than 700 clubs, including both men's and women's teams. While the game has been praised for its broad representation and partnerships with major clubs, some gameplay mechanics and microtransactions have drawn criticism. This latest update aims to address one of the major gameplay issues that disrupted fair play in online competitions.

Speed Boost Exploit Fixed

The main focus of this live tuning update is the "speed boost" exploit, which allowed players with high sprint and agility stats to bypass defenders easily by using a specific combination of controls. The exploit involved using the strafe dribbling mechanic (L1 on PlayStation, LB on Xbox) while tapping the sprint button. This gave players an unrealistic burst of speed, enabling them to leave defenders far behind with minimal effort.

This exploit became problematic in competitive play, especially in EA Sports FC 25's various online modes, as it disrupted the balance of gameplay. Players with pace-heavy squads were able to repeatedly dominate by abusing this mechanic, leading to a frustrating experience for many.

The new update fixes this by adjusting how sprinting works when combined with strafe dribbling, reducing the chances of players accelerating too quickly inappropriately. This change should bring more balance to the game, preventing unrealistic sprint bursts and making defending more viable in competitive matches.

Gameplay Adjustments

In addition to addressing the speed boost issue, the update brings several tweaks to other core mechanics of EA Sports FC 25. One of the key changes is a reduction in the trajectory height for lobbed passes and crosses in Rush matches. This adjustment is aimed at minimizing the effectiveness of long-ball tactics that have become overused in this game mode.

Furthermore, lobbed through passes have also been modified. First-time lobbed through passes and those performed at severe angles are now less accurate, adding an extra layer of realism to passing dynamics. These changes should make passing feel more natural and prevent unrealistic long-ball strategies from being overpowered.

Live Tuning System: Faster Fixes, Better Balance

One of the standout features of this update is the introduction of live tuning, which allows EA to implement small but crucial gameplay adjustments without requiring a full title update. This new system means that the developer can respond to issues much faster than before, ensuring that problems like the speed boost exploit can be addressed promptly.

The live tuning system represents a significant improvement in EA's ability to maintain balance throughout the season. Players will no longer have to wait for major patches to see critical gameplay fixes. Instead, minor adjustments like tuning exploits, refining gameplay mechanics, or even balancing individual player attributes can be rolled out more frequently and efficiently.

Patch Notes

The live tuning update includes the following changes across all platforms:

Reduced ball trajectory height for lobbed passes and crosses in Rush matches.

Lowered accuracy of first-time lobbed through passes and those performed from tricky angles.

Fixed instances of players unintentionally accelerating too quickly when sprinting.

How to Apply the Update: Players are encouraged to restart their game after receiving the update notification to ensure these changes are implemented. EA recommends shutting down and relaunching EA Sports FC 25 to activate the live tuning update.

What's Next?

EA has assured players that this is the first of many live tuning updates they plan to roll out throughout the season. Regular updates will aim to maintain balance and address any further exploits or issues that emerge in competitive play. Whether or not this first adjustment will fully solve the speed boost issue remains to be seen, but it's a step in the right direction.

For players, this new live tuning system should mean a smoother and more balanced experience as EA can now react quickly to community feedback and gameplay issues.

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