FIFA 23 massively nerfs pressing tactics and players are stunned

Lloyd Coombes
Antonio Rudiger in FIFA 23 next to logo

FIFA 23 pressing just got hit by a massive nerf as EA Sports attempts to balance this year’s football sim.

FIFA 23 players expecting to press their way to victory may have to update their tactical plans after EA Sports dropped a huge change via its Live Tuning update today.

As shared on the FIFA subreddit, EA has “increased Stamina Decay by up to 41% for Constant Pressure, Press After Possession loss, and Press On Heavy Touch Defensive Custom Tactics.”

The update also takes aim at the velocity and accuracy of the ball from fully powered corner kicks, something the game’s community had been rallying against for some time.

EA Sports nerfs pressing tactics with surprise Live Tuning update

Check out the post below:

Responses to the post have been, as you can imagine, divided between the pressers and those who have been trying to play out of a pressing pattern since the game launched.

“My whole playstyle just got ruined. Great change!” said one commenter, while another said, “wow, rare W”.

Some pointed out other issues in FIFA 23 that still need looking at, notably the Trivela shot which many have decried as overpowered, and glitches that cause the game’s pitch view to vanish in the second half of matches.

Still, it’s interesting to see EA Sports being confident enough to make a sizeable change in this update and put the process of regaining the ball back in the hands of players. By ensuring pressing players expend more stamina, players are less likely to be able to transition quickly to attack once their team regains possession, while also ensuring players can’t just switch to a mode where the AI can do the dirty work for them.

Has this upset your FIFA 23 team’s rhythm? If so, be sure to check out our custom FIFA 23 tactics page for some alternative options to keep you winning games.

Related Topics

About The Author

Lloyd was formerly Dexerto's Games Editor. He can regularly be found playing Destiny 2 or any game that involves shiny loot.