Does FIFA handicap exist?
What is FIFA handicap and why is it mentioned in the FIFA community? Basically the thought by many that there is something in the Ultimate Team game of FIFA which makes teams full of amazing Team of the Season/Team of the Year/Man of the Match/In Form players not play as well as average gold players or even silver players. Even to the point where people think silver teams will normally beat normal gold teams. Quite a few people have made videos on this and we have linked the best ones at the bottom of the page. We decided to investigate ourselves as we had never actually used a full Team of the Season team in Ultimate Team. Had a couple of players in teams before and they have played well for us over the last few FIFA games. So are one or two good but lots not? Only one way to find out. Thanks to our followers we borrowed two different TOTS teams. Then we recorded all the games and testing which was 4 days of testing and around 20 hours of footage. Obviously we have taken the most important parts and tried to fit as much into the two videos as possible.
Anyone could say there is handicap because they used a TOTS and lost lots of games online but do better with normal players. So we made sure we played some games against the same people using and also against the TOTS. Also playing the same players with our gold and their gold teams. Then we could see if actual differences. Also playing in the same online division with and without it on the same days and same time period. Below are the two videos we produced on the investigation. Watch part 1 and read our thoughts and then the final part which is really interesting to watch.
FIFA TOTS Handicap investigation video part 1
In part 1 we were using what we thought would be an amazing Team of the Season team. As it is similar to the normal gold team people use to win games. Pace and power and just seems to be overpowered. However the players seemed sluggish compared to Gold teams we normally use. Not reacting well, not sprinting as quick as some 70 rated silver players we had used. All very strange. And we played Klutch who is a very good player and the difference between playing with a gold team and TOTS was really noticeable. Had to try twice as hard with TOTS and they weren’t winning tackles or making good passes. Check out part 2 below to see lots more evidence on if handicap exists or not.
FIFA TOTS Handicap investigation video part 2
So after part 1 we needed more evidence and a better test. We borrowed a second TOTS team this time BPL with some very strong attacking players like Bale and RVP. But we struggled even more than with the German TOTS. Passing was shocking, Bale was missing shots his normal card would smash in. Normal Ben Arfa would smash in the shots he missed. Which was really disappointing. The defenders weren’t winning headers especially at corners and we know they are slow but they were being burned every few minutes. The regular cards didn’t seem to position themselves so badly or react so slow. To make really sure we weren’t just being unlucky we created the original German TOTS team as a standard gold and set out in Div2. We’ve never struggled in that division before and using the normal gold team we destroyed people with 2 people quitting inside the 1st half. The difference was big. Passing great, defending great, attacking great. We still have no idea why the TOTS version was so bad. Our conclusion that there is FIFA handicap is disappointing as we actually thought there probably wasn’t at the start. Having used 1 or two TOTS etc players in teams before they have always played really well. MOTM Lavezzi in FIFA12 and 82 Mertens in FIFA13 were just insanely good when in gold teams. So what have EA done wrong? Must be an error as surely to sell more packs (I know they sell a lot anyway) the better players should actually be better. When you watch on youtube and twitch.tv the best players stay away from full TOTS teams because they don’t trust them. The classic example and most famous FIFA player @KSIOlajidebt https://twitter.com/KSIOlajidebt lost his full TOTY in a pink slip game v @Bateson87 who was using the German gold sweat team. As shown below.
I miss some facts here. How many matches were played in each scenario? Exactly which scenarios were there? Exactly how many matches did you win, how many goals did you score in each of those matches?
In terms of scenarios, I wonder why you didn’t just play 20 matches against player X (squad Y) with the regular gold team and them another 20 matches against player x (still squad Y) with a TOTS team. If I understand the applied method correct, you also swapped over and let the opponent play with the TOTS squad etc.
Regarding the matches played in online seasons, I’m curious to know whether you recorded the division of the opponent and perhaps his XP-level. Although you did play at the same time in both scenarios, there is a good chance that you didn’t get the same level of opposition.
It wasn’t our TOTS team to play that many matches with unfortunately. Otherwise would have done as you suggested. Up to you if think this info not helpful.
But could you be more specific on the numbers? How many matches did you play with each team? What was fhe results? Did the opponent play with the same team?
Interesting stuff.
Is there also something in FIFA where sometimes for 2-3 games in a row everything goes against you??
I’ll dominate a few games, then 2-3 I’ll get destroyed. In these losing games everything I try is intercepted, blocked, deflections go the opponents way, etc….
After reading this article, I descided to try on my own.
So I built a regular gold bundesliga team and I was amazed how easy I won all of my 2nd division games.
My main team was a TOTOS/TOTY team.
Trade for 3 months consantly and dedicated to much time and effort just to bild a more commetitive team.
Now I now that EA is not fair and only scams their costumers with all this TOTS, TOTYS INFORMS etc.
I can tell you this: go with a regular team, do not waste time, money and hope building a better team. FIFA TOTS are a scam
Interesting… Going onto the point of one or two inform/tots, this is my team http://www.futhead.com/fifa/squads/build/14096320/
I play quite alot and know which players are worth using. So i bought tots mata so that i could use his finishing and passing attributes.
So yeah one or two informs do improve your team and it gets boring using a whole team of overpowered players like esswien, muriel emineke etc. Yes i do have some in my team and i believe it necessary due to the way fifa 13 UT is setup. For instance Luiz… overpowered for 4k and i have used some tots defenders worth 200k plus that are rubbish .
http://www.futhead.com/fifa/squads/14035549/ wrong link above
Yeah I also think there is something of a handicap. I saved for a while to buy the TOTS version of my CF: Suarez. in a 4-2-3-1. I mainly play with my cousin online. Before the TOTS player I was leading by 5 games I bought him and found myself loosing by 3 games! The TOTS was just horrible, sometimes doing his thing but sometimes missing unbelievable shots, I was getting a huge amount of shots hitting the post, etc. So I sold the guy, went back to normal suarez and tada!! Back on top winning !!
The handicap is really bad because I was really looking forward to playing with TOTS suarez! I have seen some people try to ‘balance it’ using silver players also ? I do not know if this works though.
Yeah the handicap curse does indeed exist,i was happily in div 1 with 5 more games which i only needed to win only 3 more to be champion when i started to build a german based squad with 3 tots and 3 IFS since some of those players were a bargain and proceed to finish the remaining games online, guess what i never in my life felt this low when i lose all the way to div 4 and still losing nomatter what as long as its an online match then i start to realise those players fucked me up real bad and i sold everything in my club and start afresh with a bundes squad with a mixture of rare and non rare players and this time when i took it online i fucking swear it’s my opponents turn to feel those handicap moments ive been through and now your investigation videos proof that im not alone but ive still got a question for all of u guys, if i plan to get just 1 IF player for my squad will it effects anything or better just stay with that player’s ordinary card? Lastly thank you fifaaddiction for those tips,tutorials and your time for this beautiful website
Yeah I also think there is something of a handicap. I saved for a while to buy the TOTS version of my CF: Suarez. in a 4-2-3-1. I mainly play with my cousin online. Before the TOTS player I was leading by 5 games I bought him and found myself loosing by 3 games! The TOTS was just horrible, sometimes doing his thing but sometimes missing unbelievable shots, I was getting a huge amount of shots hitting the post, etc. So I sold the guy, went back to normal suarez and tada!! Back on top winning !!
The handicap really sucks because I was really looking forward to playing with TOTS suarez! I have seen some people try to ‘balance it’ using silver players also ? I do not know if this works though.
Great video, thanks for sharing. There’s definitely been a lot of talk about rumoured handicap features with Team of the Season players and your video does seem to show some strange behaviour. Looking forward to part two!
Part 2 is now live!