February 5 – Nearly one in five EA Sports FC 25 players are quitting matches mid-game, as frustrations over unbalanced matchmaking and glitches make sports games a surprising contender in the world of rage quitting.
For those unfamiliar with the term, “rage quitting” describes the act of deliberately abandoning a match out of sheer frustration – a phenomenon that has been part of online gaming culture since the early 2000s.
A new report by Uswitch reveals that first-person shooters (FPS) remain the biggest culprits, with 40% of players citing them as their most frustration-inducing genre. Call of Duty leads the way, with 41.5% of players admitting to rage quitting, largely due to the game’s high-stakes competition and precision demands. Fortnite, another competitive juggernaut, sees 27% of players quit in frustration, often blaming lag or the high-pressure nature of Battle Royale gameplay.
However, EA Sports FC 25 is not far behind.
The flagship title of EA’s rebranded post-FIFA era has seen nearly 20% of its player base rage quit over poor matchmaking and game-breaking bugs since releasing in September. The impact isn’t just on-screen; 10% of surveyed gamers confessed to smashing or breaking their controllers in frustration – a costly habit at $60 a pop.
The bigger concern for EA, though, is financial. Last month, the publisher sent shockwaves through investors by slashing its fiscal 2025 forecast, shifting from a projected mid-single-digit growth in live-service net bookings to an unexpected decline.
The market reaction was swift and brutal – EA’s stock nosedived nearly 17% after a day, its worst single-day drop since 2008, followed by a further 1.7% decline 24 hours later, leaving shares at $116.56.
The main culprit was EA Sports FC 25’s underwhelming performance. Despite a solid launch last September, mounting player complaints forced EA into action, culminating in what the company called “the most significant mid-season gameplay overhaul in history” at the end of January.
The overhaul has, at least, been well received. The FC Pro Open Finals in London on Saturday showcased the improvements, as RBLZ Gaming’s Anders Vejrgang secured his third major title in 12 months and a hefty $532,000 pay day.
Speaking on the update, EA Sports’ Senior Director of Football esports Sam Turkbas told Inside World Football: “It was really important that we listen to our players- they were asking for updates and I believe we delivered on that. The feedback across the board is that players have really enjoyed the play update.
“The defensive side of the game has changed into something a little more manual, giving players a bit more control whilst making it more possible to score and more satisfying to defend.”
EA released a regularly-scheduled update to its FC25 title on Monday, but left the actual gameplay mechanics untouched for the first time since release – a positive sign.
Whether this momentum can restore player trust and stabilise EA’s financial outlook remains to be seen—but for now, at least, the game has stopped breaking controllers.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1741753753labto1741753753ofdlr1741753753owedi1741753753sni@g1741753753niwe.1741753753yrrah1741753753