The development team behind the highly anticipated EA Sports FC 26 has recently shared the extraordinary measures they took to investigate and resolve the input delay problems that plagued its predecessor. For competitive online games like EA Sports FC 26, seamless performance is crucial, and input delays can significantly hinder the player experience.

EA Sports FC remains one of Electronic Arts' flagship franchises, with annual releases keeping fans engaged. The latest entry, EA Sports FC 25, launched on September 27, 2024, and its successor, EA Sports FC 26, is slated for release on September 26, 2025.

In a recent interview with IGN, EA Sports senior producer Sam Rivera detailed the team's efforts to pinpoint the causes of input delay in FC 25 online matches. While online play issues in EA Sports FC 25 were not uncommon, the persistent input delay became a major concern for the community. Rivera explained that the developers collaborated with players worldwide, collecting data to understand the root causes. To truly grasp the issue, the team even traveled to Europe, meeting with professional FC 25 players and visiting the homes of content creators to experience the delay firsthand.

Through these efforts, the team identified multiple factors contributing to the input delay and devised strategies to mitigate them. Recommendations include using Ethernet cables instead of Wi-Fi for more stable connections and enabling "game mode" on TVs. However, many issues stemmed from the game itself, such as limited animation coverage and glitches in the animation system. The insights gained are now being applied to ensure EA Sports FC 26 delivers a smoother experience.

EA Sports is clearly committed to enhancing the gaming experience for EA Sports FC enthusiasts. Following EA Sports FC 25's underperformance relative to EA's expectations, there's added pressure for FC 26 to excel.

Another notable initiative to boost realism in EA Sports FC 25 was the acquisition of TRACAB Technologies earlier this year. EA highlighted that integrating TRACAB's real-world soccer tracking technology would elevate the game's authenticity. These advancements are expected to make EA Sports FC 26 a more immersive and fluid experience for players.