EA Sports FC 25's Title Update 8 is the biggest set of mid-season improvements made in the game, the company said. Title Update 8 launches for all platforms on Jan. 16, 2025, with refreshes for how shooting, goalkeeping, defending, and passing work, along with a fix for a major problem with defender speed.
EA said in the patch notes that players reported issues throughout the season with defenders outrunning attackers, even if the attacking player had a higher pace attribute. Title Update 8 should bring these unnaturally fast players back down to more human levels of momentum. These changes should help make attacking and defending feel smoother, and EA is introducing a number of other improvements to that effect as well:
Improved AI teammate attacking run quality when trying to beat the offside line
AI teammates can now better hold their runs when near the line and get back onside more quickly
Increased intelligence of attacking and supporting runs made by AI teammates
Improved effectiveness of inside and advance forwards, so they can move farther up the pitch and better evaluate when to run into space or occupy a position
Offensive players can now operate in attacking spaces near other attackers instead of stopping their runs
All roles are faster at performing their support tasks, such as running into space or making themselves open for a pass
Tacklebacks, where the player loses the ball after tackling, should happen less frequently, thanks in part to a new feature that lets defenders with the "anticipate" playstyle tackle the ball toward a teammate when possible.
EA also wants players to control their defensive efforts directly, instead of relying on AI to position their team. AI-controlled teammates will mark dribblers less tightly and intercept less often, and to make up for that, defenders will mark more efficiently when dealing with corner shots. Goalkeepers will also stay closer to posts to handle post shots, where previously, they tended to step away.
EA Sports FC 25 Title Update 8 also tweaks offensive play. Ground passes are faster and, when targeted at open players, more accurate, while semi-assisted through passes are more effective. The update resolves issues with how EA Sports FC 25 calculated passing power as well. Medium-powered passes respond appropriately to the amount of power behind the pass, and low-powered ground passes shouldn't fly halfway across the pitch anymore.
Finally, shots made from inside the box have greater accuracy and speed, and EA Sports adjusted how the game handles shots from players with high shooting attribute points, but no finesse. Once Title Update 8 goes live, finesse shots from players without the finesse style will respond with more accuracy and speed based on the player's shooting attributes.