FC 26 v1.2.0 patch notes – AI tweaks and more

EA Sports has announced the patch notes for FC 26 v1.2.0 update, and it’s going to have a significant impact on the gameplay.

Much of the new patch involves how the AI works across all the game modes. While it has been slightly buffed in some areas, EA Sports has also nerfed its marking capabilities to some extent. Let’s quickly go through the significant changes you should keep in mind.

Complete FC 26 v1.2.0 patch notes

AI has been an area of contention for a long time in the community. While some feel that its impact is too much, others have sought more reliance. Here are some of the significant gameplay changes related to AI that you can expect as part of the new patch.

Attacking

• Further reduced the accuracy of Acrobatic shots taken right after a flick.
• Slightly increased frequency of AI attacking runs into the box.
• Strikers were sometimes not supporting counterattacks after making a pass.
• Wingers could have sometimes dropped back during attacks instead of running into open space.

Defending

• Slightly reduced how tightly AI defenders will mark pass receivers on the edge of their box.
• Improved defensive man marking during short corners.
• Improved through passing and crossing to better respect your aim input.

Goalkeeping

• Goalkeepers were sometimes punching on crosses when it would’ve been more beneficial to catch the ball.
• Improved goalkeeper logic when determining if they should dive at the ball when a dribbler is nearby.
• Improved instances of the goalkeeper overcommitting to one side when attempting to save a first-time far-post shot.
• Remapping controls will no longer affect Be A Goalkeeper default inputs.
• Known Issue: remapped controls may incorrectly display on the Be A Goalkeeper UI; this is a visual issue only.
• CPU AI goalkeepers could’ve sometimes taken unnecessary touches instead of passing the ball.

It will be interesting to find out the exact impact of the AI changes that EA Sports has made. However, a massive list of changes has also been inserted into Ultimate Team. Here are some of the key changes.

Ultimate Team

• Added the ability to View Available Evolutions for a selected Player Item.
• After selecting the Actions menu on a Player Item you’re interested in upgrading, you can view a filtered Evolution menu showing the specific Evolutions your Player Item is eligible for.
• Using Claim All on a favourited Objective Group could have caused the group to be removed from favourites.
• Updated pack opening walkout logic to reduce instances of lower-rated Player Items walking out when higher-rated ones were available.
• A visual issue could have occurred when entering Rivals, showing rewards for a previously earned bounty.

More changes have also been applied across game modes like Career Mode, Clubs, and Kickoffs. You can read the full patch notes here from EA Sports’ official Trello.