EA Sports FC 25's beefy First Frost update is here, bringing new player roles and focuses alongside a heap of tweaks based on player feedback
EA certainly seems keen to kick off the festive season by getting in your good books, even if it doesn't look to have broken out the freaky red and blue non-humans.
EA Sports FC 25 just got a hefty new update dubbed First Frost, and it's brought a bunch of changes to the game as we barrel towards the festive period. There are some new additions, and a whole to lot of changes in response to stuff players haven't been happy with.
Putting out big updates around this time of year is something EA's no stranger to, having broken out some freaky red and blue non-humans for videos that demostrated the raft of changes it included in EA Sports FC 24's holiday update. Sadly, unless they happen to be unleashed in some form later today, it looks like those demonstrative robo-ballers have been given the year off this time.
EA writes in the pitch notes post about the First Frost update that it's "looking to address community feedback around most areas of the game while bringing a fresh layer of strategy and personalization to the game" with this batch of tweaks and fresh arrivals.
The big headliners in terms of what's in it start with two new FC IQ player roles and some new rocuses that'll also switch up the existing roles. The new roles are a "Classic 10" CAM, allowing you to play as a traditional attacking mid who's "the main hook of attacking play", and a "Wide Half" CDM, which is "a defensive player who covers the sides of the pitch and can help in build-up play".
Other new additions, some of which will be deployed alongside server releases and squad updates that're set to follow First Frost going live, include new Ultimate Team player items, Max Tactics and Winter Match house rules modes for UT friendlies, and two new celebrations inspired by those of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dusan Vlahović. There's also a nice new feative main menu theme.
That's hardly it though, with a bunch of modes and general gameplay having seen changes based on player feedback. For example, Rush matches in Ultimate Team will now run for just five minutes instead of seven. General play-wise changes like improved defensive logic to help you defend against attacks right from kick off, AI attackers realising they're standing offside a bit faster and some skills having been made less "punishing" to do with players that have two star skills will hopefully help you enjoy matches a bit more.
EA also writes that it's looking into stuff like scoring on corners, first time power shots, first time lobbed through passes, and jog dribbles for future updates. There are also some changes and additions to clubs and career mode - including new double XP events and facilities for the former, and youth player development tweaks for the latter - that you'll want to be aware of if you're into those modes, so make sure to check out the full notes if that's you.
Otherwise, if you'll be diving into FC 25 for the first time in a little bit to check out this update, make sure to check out our guides that can help you take on the game, including the best tactics codes and formations, plus the best young stars to sign in career mode.