Goodbye FC 26

Hey guys, this is Nate aka the foot accountant. Welcome back to the channel. FC26 has been a wild ride from high highs, the beginning of FC26 being super good after EA made all those promises to very low lows where we as the community have been more frustrated with EA than ever and don't know what to believe heading into FC27 this year. As September starts and FC27 is the top of mind, I want to take a trip down memory lane to revisit the good, the bad, and the ugly from FC26 and honestly just say goodbye to the game as well. We're going to look at some memorable cards, some memorable moments, pieces of content, gameplay changes, good and bad, and of course, a couple of EA mistakes that we'll highlight this year for years to come. Let's get into everything today, guys. If you're excited about this one, drop a thumbs up in the video. Hyped video and subscribe if you are new. Now, of course, the hype in the buildup to FC26 was one like we'd never seen before. This maybe was the craziest trailer that EA has ever released, saying, "We hear you directly addressing and answering in this trailer so much of the community's problems and questions with the game for years. Fixed tackles, way too many bouncebacks, all the different ways that they directly addressed the community here took us a back. We were like, "What is going on?" The hype that ended up building up into M26 because of this was crazy. But it was pure marketing genius from EA in that standpoint. And it started great, but it didn't last like that forever, guys. In the first couple of weeks, first month or so of gameplay, people were enjoying it. It was fast. The new dribbling and passing systems were incredible. That made everything feel so much more responsive. That was probably the best part, if we're being completely honest. But it was just enjoyable gameplay. It felt like you were flying on the pitch. Even videos here like Nick RTFM posting EA cooked with SC26 a lot. You got a tweet from AE9 Skills. These guys are probably the most too outspoken kind of against EA all the time creators and they're giving the kudos saying that this game is a good game. It's not too bad. Now, of course, A9 Skills is kind of pointing out here the defending with your center defensive mida that was starting to, you know, come up even just like three weeks into the game, which would end up being one of the biggest problems with FC26 for sure. But he's saying, "I can't believe this. EA Sports has made a good game." It was fun at the beginning of the year, guys. It was a different level of fun based off of the promo of the hype of everything building up into the game we had than actually experiencing what they said we were going to experience in game. It was good until the first patch and the first couple of patches came out. It was notoriously though that very first patch in I think it was in October where they nerfed the R1 dribbling. That was one of the biggest things that was super overpowered before is the R1 dribbling, the controlled sprint speed. So technical and technical plus play style players were super good. A lot of people were using them. They nerfed that. Now they also said that they buffed manual defending, but what it felt like they buffed was AI defending. I'm sure you guys remember this viral clip right here for a 74 rated Bobby Charlton silver icon card being AI controlled. Right? The user is controlling the center defensive mid. This was the meta and kind of still is the meta in FC26, right? You control your CDM. you let the rest of your team defend for you. But look how fast this 74 rated Bobby Charlton moves. He's jockeying like Prime Maldini as a 74-rated silver icon attacker. He's defending like that and autotackling and taking the ball away from a player like that. This tweet got 2.8 million views and it was true. It was absolutely shocking to see that. That's where things started to go downhill. From there, the rest the entire year, you could probably summarize game play in three ways. 451 or 4411 cuz that was like the formation that everybody was using. You could say intercept plus because that was a must for any midfielder and it was one of the most overpowered play style plus in the game. And then you could say bruiser plus. And bruiser plus still to the end of 26 is a big issue. I mean, you have to have it on all your defenders and even your midfielders as well because it is the most broken overpowered play style in the game. They've even patched it. It is still super crazy busted. Hopefully, it is not like that in FC27. There's some tweets that I even saw yesterday saying that it's not going to be, but who knows? Gameplay started so good. Like, the levels of hype, like I said, were just off the charts in a new and different way. Maybe it was because of this trailer alone, plus them actually delivering on some of those promises. Or maybe it genuinely was one of the better starts to a game that we have ever had. Everything was flying at the beginning of the game and it was so fun. Then those patches went and screwed up for gameplay and it was kind of chocked for the rest of the year. Now, I will say I think the dribbling and the passing were two of the highlights of FC26 gameplay that I was happy about through the whole entire year and I hope that they are not changing into F27 because it didn't feel that much different. It felt just as fast, if not even a little faster when I was able to play F27 early. So, fingers crossed for that. But, I'm not a gameplay guy at heart. you guys know, get me in these menus. I want to talk about the content because that was one of the big problems as well in FC26 problems and then well more problems to be completely honest. Let's start with SBC's because they were the worst part of content in this last year. 90% of SBC's that we had in F26. I think most of us would agree, especially in terms of player SBC's were just not good enough. I think there's honestly two player SBCs that stand out that were genuinely insane content. Like when we take a look back at F26 in two to five years, what are the cards we're going to remember? This scream player pick for Paul Pogba between the center defensive mid version with intercept plus and the center attacking mid version with incisive plus, which I still have in my club and evolved uh him I not even finished with the Evos, but that was one of the most legendary early game SBCs that we have ever seen. the up votes on that, the price on that SBC, the fact that it was Pogba coming back to Ultimate Team, it was freaking phenomenal. And the second best SBC that I think I would name from this year, maybe the first best if we're being completely honest, behind that Pogba is this flashback Sophia Wilson during team of the year. Absolutely insane card. Super duper meta with the finesse plus. And of course, everybody remembers inside of this SBC, if you got it done in the first couple of minutes, there was that crazy glitch where they gave you a player of the month, Laminia Mallal unintentionally inside of the rewards. And basically, if you were on at content that day during team of the year, you got a 91 rated Laminaul and you got this Sophia Wilson card. It was one of the biggest mistakes and biggest glitches that EA made during this last year. But we learned why SBC's weren't good, right? And that was because of this tweet. And this is going to go down as a top five FIFA/FC tweet of all time. It's now approaching 5 million views. The reason that SBC's were so bad in FC26, as you've heard, and we've talked about a ton, is those third-party tools. And EA said to help protect against significant unfair advantages, they tuned down the experience of SBC's because of people that could do hundreds and thousands of SBC's instead of getting rid of those tools or finding a different alternative decision to make here. I disagree with the way they made the decision 100% wholeheartedly. Don't make SPCs worse for the whole entire user base of the game because of these tools out there. Go a different route. find a different decision decision that doesn't hurt everybody. But since they made that decision, that is kind of what we point back to as one of the single-handed reasons why SBC's were so bad this year. Now, let's talk about something that took over instead of SBC's, and that was EVOs. Evos and 24 of FC24, the first year they came out, were exciting. They were fun. They were good. EVOs in F25 were very meta. Evos in FC26 were the meta. Guys, do you remember the craziest EVO time on this game was December into January before team of the year? Because EA on accident, they did not mean to do this, guys. I got confirmation from them later when they were talking about this. They did not mean to let us create all these crazy silver icon cards with stats boosted this high, but they made mistakes in the evolution requirements allowing these cards to be submitted. had a whole bunch of chain EVOs during that time of year and you could take this 71 rated hullet card and take them all the way to a 78 79 80 and he would be absolutely insane. It looked like this these EVO chains. There were so many cards that were in them. This is the hullet card that I was using with two play style pluses. When was this season 3? This was in like November. Not not no that's too early. December like late mid December and into January. We were using a card like this before a team of the year when most of us didn't even have two play style pluses on cards or we were just getting there and those stats for that stage of the game were absolutely insane. These cards were legit everywhere. Now, it was a mistake and EA stopped allowing us to evil these cards um at a certain point, but that was probably the craziest part of the year for evolutions until we've now gotten into the later stages and these cards are going absolutely nuts anyway since it's the endgame. But all year long, EVOs have felt like they're on par with the cards that are in packs. We talked about or they talked about a slower power curve in FC26. And even Foot Economist was quoted in saying that the power curve in FC26 was like 5 to 7% slower than it was in FC25. Maybe it was, but I mean it didn't feel like it was much slower or it took us longer to get to three play style pluses or four play style pluses or anything like that because it just felt like throughout the whole entire year cards were crazy in evos and pushing the limits of the power curve. We were always upgrading and it didn't feel like that slow progression or slow creep like they talked about before FC26 and now they're talking about even more into FC27. So that's one thing I remember about EVOs and probably the thing that I will remember there. Now also in terms of EVOs, we got to talk about the play styles lab. Now this is a good thing. Okay, this is probably the best concept that EA dropped this entire year of FC26 in terms of content and I think it also coincided with the best promo of the year, guys. The play styles and play styles plus lab aka the foot birthday bakery when it first dropped. This was the first promo ever where these cards dropped with no play styles or no play style pluses and we customized them all the way through from the beginning of this where I think we could only go up to two or three play style pluses to being upgraded to be able to do four and then now here in the end game be able to do five. It was total customization from the ground up and it was a blast. I think that was the best promo of the year. Honestly, that's saying something. Okay, when team of the year or team of the season isn't the best promo of the year, but a promo in March that is a staple of foot content, right? The foot birthday promo is one to look forward to every year. But when we're saying that foot birthday is the best promo of the year, it had to have taken something special as I pack a foot birthday icon to make it special. And it was the fact that we could customize those play styles. I think that is the single-handed biggest W piece of content that EA dropped this year was the customization to those foot birthday cards. We learned we're going to see it more in FC27, but it was crazy that they waited so long to release it in FC 26 and that that ended up being our best promo of the year is those customizable cards. Now, speaking a little bit more about customizable cards and content in general and the promos in general, team of the season was such a big letdown this year. a huge letdown specifically because of the SBC's team of the year was a letdown as well because of partially the SBC's and the lack of grindability that was there not only for the players like guys for I talked about this a couple of weeks ago Sophia Wilson biggest and best SBC of team of the year hands down we had a team of the year Totty we had a team of the year Marcelo and a team of Bhutueno in previous years I felt like I would have been able to get almost all of those SPCs done by doing the menu grind we did not have an unlimited repeatable 82* 20. This year we had a 10 times repeatable per day or whatever it was 82 by 25 which was limiting. Well, once again, how can we, you know, answer the fact for why were those SPCs being limited? Well, we can say that it was because of the way EA kind of nerfed those SBCs, but that made team of the year a worse promo. Maybe the second best promo of the year was partially because it was at the very beginning of the game, but also because it was a return of a FIFA favorite. Ultimate Scream. That promo slapped. They had the the stat boost and everything, the 99 stat boost like they did back in the day, which was cool. They had, of course, the SBC for Paul Pogba. And it was an early game promo when the game still was super exciting. And that freshness of everything being super fun was still alive and well. Those are probably, in my opinion, the two best promos of the year, guys. Ultimate Scream and Fab birthday for those reasons alone. Of course, still Thunderruck for Black Friday was a hit. Winter Wild Cards had a lot of good content as well, but I think those were the top two in my opinion. And then of course, you kind of look through the rest of the year and everything that was inside of it and that was in it. And there was just not a lot of innovation in a way that made you want to keep coming back to the game. combination of the gameplay being what it was and the content. Sure, for Foot Birthday being very innovative, that was the the aside there, but it just created a situation where a lot of people didn't want to play any more. And that was crazy because during what is normally one of the peak times of the year, right after team of the year, I mean, a lot of people are on for team of the year. Usually it drops off until team of the season, but this year like it felt like after team of the year with the frustration that was there, the numbers just went down like crazy. And so many people were leaving the game and not playing the game because the game wasn't keeping people interested. It wasn't innovating enough and it was falling behind in so many ways. This tweet from Boris here summed it up for how people were feeling. This is in February, right? And he says, "Foot needs to become free to play." Well, now fast forward to FC27, they've gone the exact opposite route of that and they have a $150 option to play this game with even more rewards. So, they're going the exact opposite way into FC27. But that's just kind of where we were. And I think that kind of summarizes the second half of the year. Everything in FC from the beginning up until team of the year was all right. The beginning of the year was sick. Team of the year, it started to fall off. people got frustrated and then a lot of people kind of quit the game after that and then through the rest of the summer sure you had a 99 rated footies grind and stuff like that but even the 99 rated footies grind I would say and the endgame to the game this year felt like EA was holding back and it didn't feel as fun or as endless or as emotional or even grindable. Now I know I'm saying this and some people have come back to the game and they're like, "Nate, what do you mean? I've been having a very fun summer. I've been packing all these cards." Yeah, sure. But I think it's maybe a little bit less enjoyable for us that have been playing this whole entire year in the end game because we've seen the whole kind of iteration of the game and how it has gone from super exciting to super frustrating. And that's where we are heading into FC27 is frustrated with EA making all these promises and now feeling like we're not going to be able to believe them. And I totally understand those who right now are super frustrated and like, Nate, how in the world could you be even excited for FC27 after what EA did during FC26. I understand that to a degree. I really do. Now, I've of course had the opportunity to see FC27 in a different way. I've been able to be on the game, went out to Vancouver and and tried it early. So, there's levels of that to me for me that are a bit elevated, I think, because I've got hands-on experience with it and stuff like that. But there's also just something still about the ultimate team reset and the start. And I think that's what's motivating me more this year than anything else is just kind of feeling like we're leaving FC 26 in the past and we're starting fresh. We're starting something new. Of course, we're all starting our ultimate teams new. And it is hands down the best time of the year on the game is when you get into the new game that is coming out. the fresh restart, using the gold cards, using, you know, those first few games of division rivals. It just matters more in those first couple of weeks, first couple of months. And I'm also excited for that. I'd say I am most excited for that outside of it just being FC27. Now, a couple more things that I want to run through if this is going to be our last video for FC26, at least focusing on the content and stuff inside of the game. Just a quick little club tour. I I used to do complete videos on these back in the day. I don't feel like there's enough passion maybe for me now or even from you guys as well to look back on all the cards. It's kind of different because you can evo the cards as well. Like I hold on to this 91 rated Oliver Khan, my most capped player in the game this year with 792 matches. But like I mean some of my most capped players like this Tim Ree, he started off as an 85 rated what was it? Festival football captains card. He's got 672 games. He kind of became the EVO legend for me this year. I'll always remember Tim Ree in F26 for the number of games I was able to play with his EVO card. This Pogba will be legendary for me. This Hullet will be legendary for me as well. Uh this Patrick Vieiraa SBC for his little broil card will be legendary for me with a number of games played. And yes, as a Spurs fan, I did Evo a Mickey Vanderin and put 400 games on his card as well. Well, so those are some of the like the cards there in the endgame that are still honorable mentions to be the most impactful players for my club that I'll remember the most heading into FC27 and beyond. And I guess last but not least, just some of the crazy packs that we have had from like a club tour perspective with the World Cup. Guys, we didn't even talk about World Cup promos. Not having the World Cup license detracted a lot just aesthetically. Sure, they did some great content. I I guess I should mention those World Cup promos in there with some of the best promos of the year because there was a lot of unique content. The live upgrades were quick. There was a lot of good stuff. A lot of those promos were very good, but at the same time, it was missing that extra zip, the extra tie in with the real world tournament because it didn't have the uh licensed card designs. You had some of the dynamics that were missing or some of the the kits that were cut in a certain way so that you couldn't see the World Cup logo on them and stuff like that. That's what it was missing. The world's game mode. I mean, we didn't have a standalone World Cup mode. It just I hope by the next World Cup there is some way that EA and FIFA can get their rights linked up again so that we can have a true authentic experience because it was missing some of that. We knew it was World Cup, but like at the same time, it didn't feel like the World Cup. And that's crazy to say because usually the World Cup years are some of the best years of FIFA. Like I think back to FIFA 18, fantastic one. FIFA 23 with the Winter World Cup. It was a decent year. It was the last year of FIFA and it was a decent year of the game for sure. FIFA 14, I missed that one. I played FIFA 15 as my first one. But like FIFA 18 in particular, so much great content that year with that standalone World Cup mode and I feel like EA missed the mark just a little bit on World Cup. Not a whole lot, just a little bit as well. Also, we got to mention new thing this year as well, the token rewards. Um, I wouldn't say that that's as innovative as the evolutions and the play styles lab being able to customize those cards because I think the token system is still a bit of a kind [snorts] of contentious point within the community. I like the the chances that we have now to customize what we want. We're playing weekendly. You get to choose your rewards, right? That is sick. That is cool. But it also adds a level of complexity that is kind of annoying for when you're just used to logging on, playing foot champs, and getting cards as your rewards. hitting packs as your rewards and how easy and simple that is. And I hope that EA do move into some more simplicity for FC27. Doesn't look like they're necessarily doing that with some of the new systems and stuff that they're putting in the game. The gallery I think is decently simple, but it's a new complex if you want it to be sort of scenario and even the new SBC system. It's another thing to learn. So, I'm excited for 27. I'm also a little worried about F27 as well. We're going to have to see how it goes. But again, for today guys, it's all FC26. And for me, this is my last FC26 video. Once we get to the month of September, it is all FC27. And that's kind of why I wanted to do a rundown today of 26 and kind of think back and go through memory lane, go down memory lane and some of these old tweets that we had throughout the year. And I know that I've missed a couple of kind of crazy moments that like tweets from EA that have been absolutely wild. none wilder than the SBC tweet, but like stuff that they've done that this year. Remind me down below in the comments if I'm forgetting something uh that I've missed. But overall, a lot of people feel lied to after how the beginning of FC26 and the trailer was with the we're listening to you and all of that sort of thing. You know, the club is yours and it's this one right here. We hear you. That's that's the one, right? People feel like EA went that route, tried to be our friends, tried to deliver the promises and they did for a little bit, but then they didn't. They went radio silent on communications and everything was like what is happening? And we feel betrayed, right? But that's the feeling that we end up holding on to going into FC 27, which is why I think there is not a lot of hype in the community just overall heading into 27. But we're going to have to see, guys. Nonetheless, we are about less than three weeks away to getting into FC27. So, let me know in the comments if I missed anything from FC26. And maybe let's let's do this. What would you rate FC26 out of 10? Because the very beginning of the game, I think most people would rate as a nine out of 10 content, early doors, engaging, simple, and then, you know, the gameplay was good, it was fun. By the very end now, I think a lot of people would say like two of 10, three of 10 to be completely honest. And I I think I'd maybe be a little more generous, maybe because I'm too nice and I'd say like a four, maybe a four and a half out of 10. Uh but it was definitely a very interesting year to say the less. Just didn't leave us going into the next game with a good taste in our mouths, if you will, you know. Anyway, guys, that's the video for me today. Drop your rating or your score, whatever you want to call it, down below. Drop your comments down below as well, and I will see you in an FC27 video tomorrow. Let's get prepared for the new game and the restart to Ultimate Team which is the best time of the year when everything goes to zero and we're strategizing, we are trading again, we're theorizing. It is the best. I will see you guys there. Have a great week. It's been Nate with accountancy there. out.