From constant pausing to using Real Madrid in every game, Fraser Gilbert highlights the most irritating user behaviours
The concept of ‘rage quitting’ - abandoning a game when you're just downright infuriated - has been prevalent in the FIFA community for years. Nowadays, it’s most commonly found in online multi-player modes, where competitors’ habits can tempt players to concede defeat in irritating circumstances.
Whether you’re a FIFA veteran or a newcomer to the series, you’ll likely have encountered at least one of the following scenarios. And if you’ve faced them all but still managed to refrain from the act of rage quitting, we salute you...
1. Spamming the dab
Whether you’re a fan of the victory dance or not, the constant spamming soon begins to grate regardless
For obvious reasons, the dab is one of FIFA 17’s most popular celebrations. But unfortunately it seems to be the only celebration many players bother with. Whether you’re a fan of the victory dance or not, the constant spamming soon begins to grate regardless.
If you’ve just conceded due to a lucky goalmouth scramble, the last thing you want is to be faced with yet another Pogba-inspired dab, followed by an unskippable replay. At least if it’s a local game, you can snatch the controller out of your opponent's hands.
2. Watching every replay
It’s understandable if your opponent's scored a worldy, but being forced to watch a dull rendition of a simple penalty may just drive you over the edge
Speaking of unskippable replays, the act of watching every post-goal cut-scene is one of FIFA’s biggest irritations. The series’ online gameplay allows for instances in which a competitor must agree to skip, or you’ll both be forced to suffer through a slow-mo recap.
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Although FIFA has significantly limited the amount of non-skippable replays in recent years, they can still prove anger-inducing. It’s understandable if your opponent's scored a worldy, but being forced to watch a dull rendition of a simple penalty may just drive you over the edge.
3. Passing around the back
The other team’s AI can struggle to adapt to the scenario, even when using the highest amount of pressure
In theory, there’s nothing wrong with passing around the defence in FIFA. In practice, the other team’s AI can struggle to adapt to the scenario, even when using the highest amount of pressure. As a result, it becomes very difficult to regain control of the ball.
And yes - there are players who engage in this tactic to protect a lead on a game-by-game basis. You’ll soon grow frustrated at its effectiveness, as well as its ability to suck the enjoyment out of any multi-player session.
4. Show-off skill moves
In the worst cases, they’ll wait until they’re 1-0 up before doing time-wasting keepy-uppys with their goalkeeper
The ability to pull off a skill move successfully in FIFA is admirable, but not when it’s abused by an opposing player. Instead of carrying out a well-timed roulette or rabona to burst past an opposing defender, players often resort to performing skills at wholly inappropriate times.
In the worst cases, they’ll wait until they’re 1-0 up before doing time-wasting keepy-uppys with their goalkeeper. Alternatively, they might just stand on the spot and perform all manner of tricks that serve no purpose other than to show off.
5. Constant pausing
There’s nothing quite as frustrating as a player pausing in the most crucial of scenarios, such as being one-on-one with the goalkeeper
Some FIFA players count themselves lucky if they can fit in one or two games a week – so the last thing they want is to be matched up with an online opponent who spends half their time sitting in the pause menu. Unfortunately, it’s a common occurrence.
There’s nothing quite as frustrating as a player pausing in the most crucial of scenarios, like being one-on-one with the goalkeeper. If they then decide to pause three times in a row, you may just end up quitting out of pure restlessness.
6. Using the same team
Unless they’re willing to experiment with a variety of teams, their FIFA skills will always be in doubt
We all know that one FIFA fanatic who uses the same team in every scenario. Whether it’s offline or online play, their insistence on using Real Madrid, Barcelona or any other top-flight team can become wholly frustrating when it offers them an unfair advantage.
It’s particularly irritating when they outright refuse to try a different side. They’ll continue to claim they’re the better player, but unless they’re willing to experiment with a variety of teams, their FIFA skills will always be in doubt.
7. Delayed kick-offs
They’ll usually follow this up with a trip to the pause menu after the game is forced to start
Once you’ve found an online game, picked your team, set your tactics and progressed through the loading screens, you’re finally set to begin. But then your opponent seemingly forgets how to press the pass button, and you’re faced with an extended wait for them to kick off.
They’ll usually follow this up with a trip to the pause menu after the game is forced to start, which may persuade you to reconsider and seek a different opponent instead. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
8. Rage quitting
When opponents rage quit for no reason other than their inability to win games, it soon becomes the most annoying of all the series’ bad habits
FFT can understand the temptation to throw in the towel as a result of another player’s unsportsmanlike actions in FIFA. However, when opponents rage quit for no reason other than their inability to win games, it soon becomes the most annoying of all the series’ bad habits.
When combined with the other irritations on our list, an 89th-minute disconnection may just see you resorting to offline play or even shutting down the game entirely. The moral of the story? If you’re going to rage quit, you better have a good reason...
