EA SPORTS FC™ 25

News Article

EA SPORTS FC 25 | Nintendo Switch Deep Dive

September 26, 2024

Hello everyone and welcome to the EA SPORTS FC™ 25 Switch Pitch Notes! I'm Kush Mathur, Assistant Producer on the FC Team and I’m excited to provide an overview of the key new features and updates coming to Nintendo Switch in EA SPORTS FC 25.

Nintendo Switch Specific Features

Touch Screen Zoom & Touch Screen Navigation

When playing the game in handheld mode, you will be able to interact with the screen and zoom in and out by using the pinch to zoom technique:

Touch the screen with 2 fingers
To zoom in, move your fingers away from one another, while touching the screen.
To zoom out, move your fingers closer to one another, while touching the screen.

Releasing the screen will maintain the zoom % at the current level for 5 seconds after which it will default back to 100%.

You can also navigate through the menus, or set up match instructions just by using the Touch Screen support. Simply tap on any interactive button or element within the game to select it.

Touch Screen support does not extend to gameplay, and both options can be turned on or off by going to the Accessibility Settings.

Screenshot of the Accessibility menu in FC 25. The Touch Input setting is set to "On".

Screenshot of the Accessibility menu in FC 25. The Touchscreen Zoom setting is set to "On".

Single Joy-Con multiplayer

Split Joy-Con support allows you and your friends to play multiplayer co-op or 1v1 using a single set of Joy-Con controllers.

The feature can be enabled in the Select a Side screen by pressing the Y button

Screenshot of a FC 25 Nintendo Switch controller pairing screen. The four tiles for paired users are empty.

From here, you can change the controllers by pressing the SL and SR simultaneously on each Joy-Con.

Screenshot of a FC 25 Nintendo Switch controller pairing screen. The first two tiles indicate the paired Joy-Con Controllers.

Once you’ve settled on the desired configuration, you can press ready on each Joy-Con to return to the game.

Screenshot of a game launch screen in the Nintendo Switch version of FC 25.

Local Seasons

Local Seasons is a unique mode on Switch that allows you to play with another Switch player if you are within close proximity to one another (10 metres).

It relies solely on the Switch's built-in WiFi so that you can play even if you’re not connected to a network, making it a great way for you and your friends to enjoy EA SPORTS FC 25 while travelling or in remote locations with limited network availability.

To access the mode you can go to Local Seasons in the Main Menu and select “Enter seasons” at the same time as the other console.

Screenshot of a welcome screen for the Local Seasons mode in FC 25. The text reads "Take on a friend 1v1 on Nintendo Switch"

Once the matchmaking occurs, make your selections and you can proceed to gameplay.

Screenshot of a dashboard screen for the Local Seasons mode in FC 25, listing settings, stats and achievements.

FC IQ

This overhaul of tactical foundations across the game is intended to deliver greater strategic control and more realistic team movement, while a new AI model powered by real-world data influences player tactics through all-new Player Roles.

Digital rendition of Zinedine Zidane seated in an office with documents and a FC IQ mug.

Tactical Revamp

Team Tactics positioning is upgraded at both ends of the pitch and changes how every team plays based on their real-world style, making matches feel fresher and more unique.

A Team Tactics screen showing a cards with player names in a team tactical formation. The 4-3-3 Attack preset is selected.

Player Roles

More than 50 new Player Roles will guide the way every player thinks and behaves on the pitch, resulting in more authentic tactical intelligence and movement off the ball.

Smart Tactics

New real-time suggestions and D-Pad functionalities make in-game tactical decision-making more accessible and intuitive, and new broadcast features allow you to better experience the changes as they take effect.

For a full breakdown of all the new gameplay features and updates coming to FC 25, be sure to check out the FC 25 Gameplay Deep Dive.

An aerial view of a game in FC 25, with overlays displaying suggested tactics and the game score.

FC IQ In Ultimate Team

FC IQ informs the Ultimate Team experience in a variety of ways. Manager Items will feature the manager’s real-world tactical preferences, authentically influencing how your team plays on the pitch. Player Roles are also part of each player Item and available from the very beginning of the Ultimate Team season.

A roles screen in FC 25 showing a player item of Phil Foden and the list of possible roles applicable to Foden.

FC IQ in Career

From creating a squad that fits your selected Team Playstyle, to pre-match analysis of your opponent’s style defined by their manager’s real-world tactics, FC IQ influences core Career Mode features for a more comprehensive matchday and tactical experience.

Digital rendition of a coach explaining a game plan on a white board, using red and blue markers for players of each team.

For an in-depth look at FC IQ, be sure to check out the FC 25 FC IQ Deep Dive.

Football Ultimate Team™

Football Ultimate Team™ in EA SPORTS FC 25 will let you team up with friends in 5v5 Rush, unlock new levels of strategy in 11v11 with Player Roles and FC IQ, and introduces some community requested features.

Ultimate Team Rush

Bring your favourite player Item from your Ultimate Team club, team up with up to 3 friends, and hit the pitch in intense, locked-to-player 5v5 matches. Rewards earned in Ultimate Team Rush can be used to improve your own Ultimate Team roster in the 11v11 experience.

New Stadium and Match Experience

The Ultimate Team match experience is refreshed with newly designed stadiums and more engaging live broadcasting sequences. New presentation elements highlight lineup decisions and both teams’ unique players. Larger away sections allow you to bring more of the home stadium experience on the road.

Aerial view of a football stadium, showing an ongoing match and a crowd of patrons.

Cosmetic Evolutions

The Player Item shell has always held the spotlight in Football Ultimate Team™, but now you can make it your own in unique ways. You can upgrade Player Item shells with all-new cosmetic Evolutions that include backgrounds, borders, effects, and more.

For a full breakdown of all the new features and updates coming to Football Ultimate Team, be sure to check out the FC 25 Football Ultimate Team Deep Dive.

Rush

5v5 in EA SPORTS FC™

Team up in the 5v5 Rush gameplay experience for fast-paced, small-sided gameplay. Build your dream 5-a-side squad in Ultimate Team™ Rush, take on the world in Clubs Rush, and control your Manager Career Youth Academy in 5v5 Rush tournaments.

Football Ultimate Team™ Rush

Bring your favourite Player Item and team up with friends in locked-to-player 5v5 matches. Don't forget that some rewards you earn in Rush can also be used to improve your own squad in the 11v11 experience.

A screenshot of FC 25 Ultimate Team mode with various player tiles and game objectives.

Clubs Rush

Squad up with friends and take your Clubs experience to the Rush Pitch.

Every win contributes a Victory Point to your club's progression and improves your individual Rush rank taking you one step closer to exciting seasonal rewards.

Screen showing results of a FC 25 match showing Blue FC winning 3-2 against Red FC. Stats and rewards are displayed.

Career Mode Rush

Get closer to your Youth Academy development throughout the season with new playable 5v5 Rush tournaments.

Screenshot of the Academy screen listing the tiles for Youth Tournament, Youth Squad and Youth Scouts, with relevant stats.

For an in-depth look at Rush, be sure to check out the FC 25 Rush Deep Dive.

Career Mode

Live Start Points

All-new to both Manager and Player Career modes, Live Start Points bring you closer to your favourite clubs and leagues, allowing you to live out the biggest storylines from the real-world during the 2024/2025 football season.

We’ll be kicking off Live Start Points* later in 2024 and you can keep checking in through the season for new Snapshots and game weeks right up to the end of the season. Stay tuned for an announcement soon on when this is coming.

Screenshot of FC 25 interface with tiles for "Fresh New Season" and "Live Start Points". The latter has a Select button below it.

Women’s Manager Career

In a first for any football game, players now have the option to play Manager Career in five of the top leagues in women's football. Women’s Manager Career has all of the Men’s Manager Career features, plus unique challenges that exist solely within the women’s game.

Digital rendition of a locker room, with multiple women athletes in pastel orange jerseys gearing up for a match.

For an in-depth look at all the new features and updates coming to FC 25, be sure to visit the FC 25 Career Mode Deep Dive.

Clubs

Clubs Rush

Enjoy a more social experience with 5v5 Clubs Rush. Lobby up with friends or fly solo as you squad up with other players of your skill level. Every win earns a Victory Point to your club's tally, boosting your Rush rank on the road to exciting seasonal rewards.

Screenshot of a player crossplay matching screen in FC 25, with avatars of four players joining for a match.

The Clubhouse

Welcome to the Clubhouse, your home for social interaction and customisations in Clubs. The Clubhouse is a hub for your team, showcasing your Club’s identity along with your clubmates who will appear in the locker room when they join the mode.

A digital rendition of a Clubs waiting arena in FC 25 with some players sitting at a distance.

Club Facilities

Grow your club and unlock higher facility budgets via the club’s reputation system. Allocate that budget towards different facilities like a weight room, new PlayStyles, or even a shooting coach.

EA SPORTS FC 25 Pitch Notes - Facilities

League Updates

Relegation returns to the Clubs League. Losing matches decreases your number of division chances. Lose them all and take part in a Relegation Battle, one single match that will determine whether your Club will beat the drop, or be sent down a division.

For an in-depth look at all the new features and updates coming to FC 25, be sure to visit the FC 25 Clubs Deep Dive.

*To be released with a post-launch update. For more details & availability, visit https://www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-fc/fc-25/disclaimers.

Thanks for checking out our Nintendo Switch Pitch Notes! We’re very excited to share with you all the changes that are coming. We look forward to you experiencing all the new changes and additions coming to FC 25.

The EA SPORTS FC Team

EA SPORTS FC™ 25 is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch

Stay in the conversation on all things EA SPORTS FC™ by following us on our official Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, our Dev twitter channel @EASFCDIRECT, on the EA SPORTS FC Tracker and participating in the official EA SPORTS FC Forums.