You can tell there's new cards to be had in Rivals....

[ajaxgeezer]

.... all the level droppers are out in force. Can't beat people in their own division, so drop to make the game unfair to lower division players.

Why do EA encourage this level dropping?  There are many, many reasons that people are in the lower divisions.. casual players, older players, people with learning difficulties, children, people who are just genuinely not good, and others.   When high players drop levels and know they will win, they showboat against these less able players, which feels toxic. By encouraging level dropping, EA encourages this behaviour. It could stop this bullying of children, people with learning difficulties etc by simply taking objectives out of Rivals.   Why should, say, a young child or someone with learning difficulties have to sit there and watch 20 full replays, celebrations, cut aways... just because some a-hole can't be bothered to play a few extra games in his/her own league?

Why do the admins here refuse to recognise it? Do you too encourage this bullying of minority groups? I expect not, but can't think of another reason you all ignore the issue.

FIFA20 is a brilliant game, I love playing it... but it is totally ruined by the level dropping. 

When Manchester United really need 3 points, they aren't allowed to simply drop from the Premier league into League Two to get those points from Walsall. So why should here be different?

It's a fantastic game ruined.

[Izzy_FUT_Dubs]

@ajaxG FIFA doesn't encourage division dropping. Cheaters encourage division dropping. The best we, as a community, can do about it is report people openly admitting to division dropping and report any toxic behavior.

I understand your frustration, but if we don't report people for this EA can't do much about it. The reason why objectives aren't in SB's is because it's an unpopular game mode, and can be too easy for some people.

[ajaxgeezer]

@Izzy_FUT_Dubs With absolute respect... cheaters aren't going to open up a message and just offer up that they are cheating. And why would a nice person want to begin dialogue with someone who has just been rabidly toxic on the field with them?  It's a ridiculously unfair transfer of responsibility that can only make a bad situation worse.

EA knows that this bullying of children, potentially disabled ppl, casuals etc etc happens because of objectives in Rivals. EA has not stopped putting objectives in Rivals. That's clearly EA encouraging it with actions but then denying it with words.

As for it being "too easy" in squad battles, that's their whole point. They want it to be as easy as possible, that's why they drop in the first place.

I have shown on this forum (and even tagging you personally and other admins into it) evidence of someone admitting to level dropping.  I didn't even get a reply. That's the face of EA in this problem.

[SumFiiin]

@ajaxgeezerit is an unfortunate side affect of having very valuable players available in rivals over a short space of time. The bottom line is that it is quicker to drop at least a couple of divisions than complete the objectives at your skill level.

I have already proposed a reward system, on these forums, to be implemented in rivals where we earn tokens from all objectives (similar to icon swaps but for any rivals/squad battles objective players) throughout the game that can be spent on the new players objectives to purchase them through gameplay However this would reduce the number of division droppers but would never eliminate them without some form of penalty or temporary ban as it is the time saving factor that people are exploiting.

When Man united need 3 points they are allowed to drop divisions to get it but they could lose a lot of points along the way - thing is they only need 3 pts from anywhere.

[ajaxgeezer]

@SumFiiin Exactly the point. There is no reason at all for the new cards to be in Rivals. It is absolutely the worst place for objectives.   Squad Battles is the place so everyone can do them without being forced out of the game.... and make no mistake, not being able to find a genuine match and instead being beaten 12-0 every match is forcing people out of the game.

EA know it's happening, and they know that objectives in Rivals is the cause. @Izzy_FUT_Dubs by choosing not to stop it, they choose for it to happen. Vulnerable people are being bullied.

On one hand EA rejects the under-age gambling argument of buying packs, saying that it's a family game..... and on the other they watch while children and vulnerable people are bullied, when they could stop it in the click of a finger.  They can't have it both ways.

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@SumFiiin wrote:

@ajaxgeezerit is an unfortunate side affect of having very valuable players available in rivals over a short space of time. The bottom line is that it is quicker to drop at least a couple of divisions then complete the objectives at your skill level.

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[SumFiiin]

@ajaxgeezer i still think the objectives could be in rivals aswell as squad battles. As a player i bet you have no problem with completing your gold weekly objectives, for example score with brazil and assist with argentina in rivals. Objectives don't cause division dropping to the extent it currently occurs. However offering a 400k player as a reward that needs to be completed within a few days does affect rivals. That is why i suggest a currency you earn through all game modes. say you earnt a swap player for completing gold weekly objectives each week then could spend these swap players on summer heat ferlan mendy whilst having a few straightforward objectives to complete also like win 6 games with la liga players, i think this would eliminate the panic and urgency to save time and drop divisions.

Fifa points and gambling is a very different point. i believe fifa points are banned in Belgium (and maybe elsewhere), so EA are very aware of what they can and can not do and where, with it's payable loot box system. Currently in UK the government are looking into banning EA from continuing this system but nothing has been decided yet.

[ajaxgeezer]

@SumFiiin Well, those 400k players you talk of are objectives. Aren't they? Are they called something different? I don't just mean the weekly ones from Friday onwards, but the player ones too, such as Semedo one at the moment.

Wednesday/Thursday night, Rivals was a good place to be. All the games I had were fairly close, and it was obvious that the other players were appropriate for the level. Hey, I even won a couple.   Come Friday night though, it was back to toxic square one 'cos the Semedo card was out.   The messages came as I was being hammered by obvs higher level players  "You suck bro" ...or  "Why don't you just quit ffs".   Silly spinny skill moves and ball juggling all over the place.It's absolutely toxic when you're on the wrong end of it, and it's only because of objectives/cards in Rivals.

And no, I still need a win for the Forwards Finish one.

And my comparison to loot boxes wasn't direct, it was to highlight how EA's hypocrisy around being a game for all ages.  It's not inclusive, vulnerable groups are chased away by EAs encouragement of bullying.

[SumFiiin]

@ajaxgeezer400k players - yeah exactly, ferlan mendy would easily be worth that, semedo probably over 200k, etc. you have to complete objectives to earn them.

You are right there are a lot of toxic players, arrogant and childish but i tell you if you need help with objectives you can message your opponent at the start of the match and ask them and you will find that a lot, and i mean a lot of players will help you - especially if you trade them the win for getting your assists and goals etc. this enables you to make some progress against corrupt players. you have to use the ps app to message, otherwise fifa will time you out and disconnect you if you are on a non fifa menu screen. i've had players even asking me for the win, and i knew what objectives he was doing and it was really hard so i gave it him.

You just have to gauge the level of toxicity and helpful community spirit at certain times so you don't suffer for nothing

[SumFiiin]

@ajaxgeezer also if anyone messages you toxicly without provocation, report them to sony and they will recieve a warning. don't get shy over this, the less idiots playing video games the better!

[ajaxgeezer]

@SumFiiin I have done that a couple of times, but have nothing to trade.  As soon as they realise they are up against a genuine Div10 player, they say no to letting me score.  What's in it for them, after all? They know the win is theirs anyway. The last time I asked was last night... the reply is attached, at least it's one of the polite ones.

You have hit the nail on the head. I have to gauge when is a safe time for me to play the game.  Do you read that, EA?  @Izzy_FUT_Dubs  ?    It's suggested that for their own good, vulnerable players and children should only play the game when it is safe to do so, and only because of EA's policy of objectives in Rivals.  How the hell can this be right?

Also, the abusers always stop short of messaging something that will get them a warning. Reporting the messages I quoted to you would be more likely to get me a warning for malicious reporting.