- Passing is now more accurate and stat-based, with new controls like the Pass Search Guide.
- Defensive AI and goalkeepers react smarter and faster, improving overall match realism.
- Dribbling and first touches feel tighter, making gameplay more responsive.
The latest eFootball 2025 v4.4.0 update is packed with new features and improvements, and boy, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t hyped. Well, yes, new features in eFootball 2025 are surely exciting, but for me, the gameplay changes with the v4.4.0 update are something I’m happy about.
See, there are a lot of changes that KONAMI has listed on the official site. Some are minor yet important, but here, my case will be discussing the five important gameplay aspects that we have seen with this update.
Five important gameplay changes with the eFootball 2025 v4.4.0 update
1. Passing just got better and effective
One of the most noticeable overhauls in this update is how passing works. First off, there’s a brand new control setting called the Pass Search Guide. It helps you better understand where your pass will go, which is especially handy for those precise through balls and crosses.
On the technical side, the stats of your players now matter a lot more. If a player has a high Low Pass stat, they’ll now deliver quicker and more accurate low passes, low crosses, and through balls. The kicking motion is also faster for those players.
The same logic applies to lofted passes and crosses, which are now influenced more by the Lofted Pass and Curl stats. Crosses now curve more depending on the Curl stat, and players with the Through Passing skill will bend low through balls better.
2. Smarter Positioning and Better Reactions during defending
Defending has seen a lot of attention in v4.4.0, especially for players not directly under your control. AI defenders are now programmed to apply moderate pressure right after a pass, rather than diving in too aggressively or leaving too much space.
The Defensive Engagement stat now plays a bigger role, too. Players with a higher stat will move smarter when trying to block passing lanes. Plus, the timing of block animations has been improved; you can now match an opponent’s shot more precisely.
3. Responsive Goalkeepers
Oh yes. OH YES! This was the need of the hour, it was so irritating to see GKs doing nothing sometimes when they need to make a save. Even if there is a slow shot rolling, your keepers will respond to it, although again, they might not save it.
In addition, goalies will now react faster, especially when backtracking to their goal. Just like defending, awareness stats for keepers have also seen an update. It now determines how quickly your keeper decides to rush out and intercept passes, so better judgment and speed in those 1v1 moments.
4. Smarter attacking runs and movements
Okay, another interesting point I read and noticed. The runs of players are easier to track now, and actually feels realistic. The AI now makes more intelligent forward runs, especially when you’re setting up for crosses. Your forwards will look to exploit the space better.
Supporting runs also got improvements; your midfielders and wingers will position themselves more realistically and avoid those annoying zigzag moments that confused everyone, including you. Even when they’re offside by a tiny margin, players will now keep dashing forward instead of hesitating.
5. Dribbling facelift and touch improvements
Dribbling has finally received fixes that make it feel tighter. Two key issues have been addressed. First, players no longer randomly lose the ball when trying to take on a defender, which used to feel like the game was punishing you for being ambitious.
Second, when attempting a dribble past an opponent, your player will now maintain closer control of the ball, instead of weirdly being separated from it. Pretty necessary change where dribbles now have the responsiveness to back them up.
With this, the devs have tuned how traps or first touches work to fix those frustrating moments where players would fumble the ball. Now, your players will actually control the ball more reliably after receiving a pass, especially in tight situations.
Some of us might not get the hang of the gameplay at first, for sure, but noticeable changes like these surely lift the spirits. Happy that KONAMI is looking towards improvements in the gameplay side of things.
Read related eFootball 2025 content:
- eFootball 2025: The complete Booster Crafting and Tokens guide
- eFootball 2025: Playstyle guide for Forwards
- eFootball 2025: Playstyle guide for Midfielders
- eFootball 2025: Playstyle guide for Defenders
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