While we often vent frustration towards EA, it’s essential to acknowledge that the community around this game can be just as, if not more, problematic. Instead of supporting one another, we often treat fellow players as adversaries, whereas the true adversary should be the publisher exploiting us year after year. Day after day, I witness disrespectful behavior from opponents, some of which should be considered griefing.

During a recent Weekend League match, an opponent acted as if he was conceding the game by holding the ball on his goalkeeper. However, instead of scoring an own goal or allowing me to score, he played the ball out of bounds and then promptly quit. To add insult to injury, he messaged me, refusing to give games to players with expensive teams and labeling me a pay-to-win (P2W) player, despite my team consisting of untreatable SBC players and Joe Cole, amounting to a modest 300k FC 24 Coins.

Instances of kick-off glitches, corner glitches, and unsportsmanlike behavior, such as celebrating when the opponent is willingly giving them the game, have become increasingly common. It’s disheartening to see such behavior in what should be a gaming community, and many participants act in a manner that seems immature and thoughtless.

The FIFA community, like many online gaming communities, has undergone a significant shift in the past 4-5 years. The emergence of a grind culture, where players chase rewards and points, has replaced the enjoyment of playing the game itself. Everything now revolves around the ‘meta,’ with a rush to find the most game-breaking ‘meta player’ every time a new Evolution is released.

This iteration of FIFA has been particularly frustrating, with issues such as the OP cutback, corner glitches, overpowered overhead kicks, kick-offs being broken, and the dominance of the 71-depth meta. These problems, coupled with various game-breaking bugs, contribute to a sense of dissatisfaction with the overall gaming experience. For some, the game has become a relentless pursuit of rewards, overshadowing the joy and creativity that once defined online gaming.

It’s disheartening to witness this evolution from playing for fun and enjoying unique teams to a win-at-all-costs mentality. The community, and online gaming as a whole, seem to have lost sight of the essence of playing for enjoyment and personal expression.