Whether it’s lag during matches or games ending abruptly, EA servers have come under constant fire from the FIFA community.

But speaking to Dream Team Gaming, EA SPORTS’ lead gameplay producer Sam Rivera says steps are being taken to make these issues a thing of the past in FIFA 18.

“There have been decision in the past about putting servers around the world – and people who are far from the servers will experience some lag,” he said.

“So, now what we are doing is that there is a group of people just specifically working on connectivity – and they are working very hard to try and provide the best experience.

“Obviously because of geographical reasons, it’s not easy but we are aware that some people are experiencing bad things – especially with competitive gaming.”

He added: “Even losing one game because of a disconnect could mean you do not qualify for the regionals – so we know that, and are working on it. It’s just technically, it’s hard.”

Your internet connection may not be the only thing contributing to lag – your TV could be doing you no favours, either.

Follow these steps to make sure your ready for FIFA 18 Ultimate Team.

Hunt down your TV’s ‘Gaming’ preset

If you’re playing on your TV straight out of the box, chances are it’s got a host of flashy picture processors turned on.

Sadly, these can affect input delay, so most now come with a ‘Gaming’ preset.

These can be hard to find, but are usually found in the ‘Picture’ section of the ‘Settings’ menu.

‘Game’ mode works by turning off a load of these processors, which lowers input lag substantially. There are some reports that delay can be cut up to 50 per cent.

Note that some ‘Game’ modes still keep a few things, such as ‘Motion Blur control’ and ‘Noise Reduction’ switched on, so go through and double check they’re all deactivated.
If not… well, you know what’ll happen.

Turn off ‘Eco mode’ and reduce the backlight

Look away now, energy savers.

‘Eco’ mode in TVs automatically adjusts the picture depending on light – but it’s way too aggressive and leads to an unnatural look that can strain your eyes.

This doesn’t affect lag, per say, but switching it off is a quick way of creating a much more colour rich, detailed image – enhancing the overall experience.

To improve contrast, make sure the backlight (if your TV has one) is set to 0 and contrast is NOT set to maximum.

The latter will lead to less detail in darker and brighter scenes.

You’ll be able to play FIFA 18 on the go

The Switch has already proven itself as a brilliant handheld companion, so being able to play the full game (not just the Web App) on the go will give this version the edge.

Thankfully, FIFA has been ‘custom built’ for Nintendo’s new hardware.

It may not use the latest Frostbite technology but gameplay is sleek, responsive and runs at 60FPS.

Plus, you’re able to detach the Joy Con controllers and play a friend – although this can be a bit fiddly.

A battery life of up to six hours makes it perfect for long journeys.

It has Ultimate Team

As long as you have Wifi you’ll be able to play Ultimate Team and buy packs as you normally would.

Champions won’t feature but that’s not the end of the world.

Graphics and presentation

Sure, it’s not as crisp as the Xbox One, PS4 and PC versions of the game – but FIFA on the Switch is by no means ugly.

EA producer Andrei Lazaresco told Eurogamer about how they made the most out of Switch’s Nvidia Maxwell-based Tegra X1 chip.

“We’re using physical-based rendering,” he said.

“The crowds are 3D. The grass is 3D. The lighting is new. And on top of that you’ll have Ultimate Team for the first time on Nintendo – and for the first time you’ll be able to take it on the go.

“You’ll be able to play on a plane, on a bus, even from just a hotspot.”

Sounds like a winner to us.

It’ll be easier than ever to meet new players

Right now, if you want to add a friend on the Switch you need to use an annoying 12 digit Friend Code. But that’s all about to change.

Nintendo confirmed to Polygon that more ways to add pals are on the way – using the likes of Twitter, Facebook and the simple Nintendo Network ID.

Expect FIFA 18 to have a custom interface for adding players – although no details of this have been announced.