If You're Struggling With Input Delay in EA Sports FC 25, Play the Old-Gen Version

EA Sports FC 25 has had a rocky first couple of months. From hackers plaguing the PC version to lackluster live content (albeit Black Friday has been promising) and frustrating meta gameplay mechanics, fans have had plenty of reasons to be less than thrilled with the state of the game.

And while there are other problems like the high tactical depth triggering offside traps automatically, the overpowered finesse shot playstyle seeing goals come from nowhere, and successful tackling from behind all being elements of the poor gameplay, it’s the input delay that’s been top of mind for many players.  

You May Be Playing The Wrong Version Of EA Sports FC 25

The problem with delay is that it accentuates the issues with FC 25’s gameplay. Countering automatic offsides with manual runs and quick passing is a lot more difficult if the passes are rarely performed when you want them to be. The less than intelligent offensive AI in this year’s game is also a massive problem in creating this feeling.

All that players want is for their button presses to lead to an action in-game shortly after they press it. In FC 25, that doesn’t happen as it should, and the issue is worse than it has ever been before.

It’s not something that’s affecting everyone, but complaints are more widespread than ever before. Afflicted players are looking for a solution — any solution.

A Downgrade Is Actually An Upgrade

Just when I was ready to give up, I stumbled on a video from Nepenthez, an EA Sports FC content creator. In the video, he tried the previous generation version of FC 25 to see if it solved any of the input delay issues. For him, it did. While not perfect, the delay was nowhere near as bad on PS4 as it was on PS5. I decided to try it for myself, coming to the same conclusion. The better FC 25 experience is on the last-gen version.

That doesn’t mean you need to get the PlayStation 4 out the cupboard — you can play the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One version directly from your modern console. You just need to download it from your library or the store.

It shouldn’t be the case, but FC 25 is significantly smoother on PS4 than it is on PS5. Passing, movement, shooting, player switching, and pretty much everything else happens more in line with when you press the button than in the same situation on PS5. 

It’s next to impossible to put any science to it, timing the delay or describing the difference in any detail. You simply feel more in control of your players and matches flow more naturally. That allows you to put your own style of play into action and take advantage of how you’ve set your team up.

Not Without Its Problems

That’s not to say playing on the old-gen version changes the gameplay dramatically. You’ll still encounter the same tactics you did on PS5, the same strange physics when players jostle for the ball, and the same stupid attacking AI. It’s the same game, just smoother and more enjoyable as a result.

If graphical quality is something that’s important to you, the old-gen version really is quite a downgrade. From the crowd to the grass on the pitch itself, the game is a lot less detailed. It’s not the spectacle the modern versions are. You’ll even see the old school opponent team screen before matches in Ultimate Team — which I miss, if I’m honest.

Why Is This Happening?

There’s plenty of speculation about why this is happening, but I think that visual and technical difference is a big part of it. Less is happening on screen at any time in the PS4 version. There are fewer animation intricacies and objects for the game to render. While I’m no game technician, that could be why the older version is so much smoother. Is the new game struggling under its own weight?

That could also explain why the game seems to be getting worse year on year, as more gameplay mechanics are added. We’ve seen PlayStyles, Roles, FC IQ, and HyperMotion all added in the last few years, on top of what was already a pretty complex game. Maybe the game is finding it hard to keep up.

Why this is happening doesn’t really matter, though. Until there is a significant improvement in the input delay on PlayStation 5, I’ll be playing FC 25 on PlayStation 4, and you should do so as well.