Massive lags and delays in the menus, some spongy gameplay: EA SPORTS FC 25 still has a few teething problems in Early Access. Some issues seem to be related to a new feature.
The early phase of FC 25 is characterized by slow, jerky menus and sometimes spongy gameplay – which significantly affects the fun of playing. These problems do not seem to be inherent to the football simulation per se, but are at least partially related to a new feature in the game settings. This is the reaction time modifier from the gameplay settings.
This should actually improve player changes with L1 or LB. The modifier “takes into account the reaction delay between the moment you decide to switch and the moment you actually press LB/L1,” according to the in-game description of the feature: “This way, it’s less likely that the target has already changed by the time you’ve decided to switch and pressed L1/LB.”
Modifier activated: Almost a whole input behind
In fact, the – by default – activated reaction time modifier slows down menus and gameplay. It probably triggers a so-called “controller response delay”. In the first few days of the Early Access of FC 25, various content creators and pages have already pointed out to the community that the setting causes the problems described. We quickly tested the difference between it being activated and deactivated ourselves.
To do that, we first went to the settings. You can find these in the main menu in the form of a small cogwheel in the top left of the screen or in-game when you request a pause. There you go to “Game Settings” and stay in the sub-item “Gameplay”, which opens automatically. Here you have to scroll down a bit until you find the options to “Switch”, where you will also find the “Reaction Time Modifier”.
And indeed: both the menus – especially in career mode – and the gameplay run much smoother when the reaction time modifier is switched off. For example, with constant, rapid changes of direction, the virtual professional is almost one whole input behind when the slider is activated at the default setting. It is therefore highly recommended to set the reaction time modifier to “off” – at least until EA SPORTS possibly retrofits it.
Incidentally, the developer had already introduced a new feature in FIFA 24 that made the game significantly less fluid: AR graphics. Our gameplay test also shows that FIFA 25 still suffers from one or two teething problems despite the improvements.
