Look Sports Media – As the EA FC 26 esports season heats up with the FC Pro 26 Open, the debate rages on: how good is the game competitively? looksports.media caught up with Ninja in Pyjamas’ Nicolas "nicolas99fc" Villalba, the world’s top-ranked player, and Lucio "HHezerS" Vecchione, fresh off a loan move to Hellas Verona, to get their unfiltered thoughts.
Both pros acknowledged the initial learning curve each year, with nicolas99fc stating, "You have to learn new things and new mechanics… adapt to your gameplay, but also to the other guy’s gameplay." HHezerS echoed this, emphasizing personal adaptation and working with coaches to evolve his playstyle.
However, the conversation quickly shifted to the impact of post-launch patches. Nicolas99fc lamented the constant changes, stating that the game changes "like every three weeks," requiring continuous readjustment. HHezerS agreed, adding, "You have one month where you adapt to a patch, you are feeling really good in the game and then the game changes everything."
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When asked about maintaining long careers at the top, both players cited hunger and discipline as key. Nicolas99fc emphasized pushing oneself even when successful, while HHezerS highlighted the importance of mental fortitude and a constant drive for improvement.
Addressing his success as the highest-earning EA FC pro, Nicolas99fc reiterated the need to handle pressure and maintain a relentless desire to win. HHezerS discussed his excitement about representing Hellas Verona, emphasizing the unique opportunity to learn from a traditional football club.
Regarding the competitive state of EA FC 26, Nicolas99fc expressed concerns about the balance between manual defending and AI assistance, suggesting it can lead to inconsistent results. HHezerS, however, offered a more positive outlook, calling it "one of the best games that we have had in the last couple of years," while also acknowledging that "a patch could make it even better."
The pros also weighed in on whether EA Sports had achieved its goal of a higher skill gap. Nicolas99fc suggested that EA sometimes prioritizes casual players over pros when implementing patches, hinting at a potential need for separate balancing for FC Pro mode.
HHezerS went further, stating, "I think that, honestly, the game at the start was close to perfection." He attributed the shift away from perfection to the release of stronger cards, leading to increased randomness and a diminished skill gap.
On the topic of the esports scene’s health, Nicolas99fc noted a decline in mainstream viewership compared to earlier FIFA titles, suggesting it’s become more niche. HHezerS proposed a tournament format inspired by tennis majors, aiming to increase viewership by ensuring consistent participation from top players.
Both pros agreed that EA FC esports are pay-to-win to some extent, particularly at the beginning of the game. Nicolas99fc acknowledged that a free-to-play player could still compete, but that the top players would likely remain the same regardless.
Finally, Nicolas99fc criticized the current state of Evolutions (Evos), arguing that they are overpowered and often used for meta players rather than personal favorites, detracting from the enjoyment of using preferred players.
As the FC Pro 26 season unfolds, these insights from top pros offer a valuable perspective on the state of the game and the challenges and opportunities facing the competitive scene.
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