FIFA 13 Update: First Touch Control

When I tested out the adidas Predator LZ's, the first lethal zone we tried to activate was the first touch zone. A ball launcher, one of those tripods with two spinning tires, sent long balls toward of a line of (let's face it) nerdy journalists, and we all prayed these ball control boots would live up to their name. The few non-nerdy journalists in our group managed to get the toe out and have the ball bounce off the first touch zone and neatly a few feet in front of them. Me, the ball hit my shin guard and launched ten yards north-west.

Which is all to say, first touch isn't as easy as all that. It takes foot eye coordination as you watch a long ball to a specific spot on your foot and hope to control the ball just in front of you. In past editions of FIFA, all you had to do was hit your marker (easier done than said if you had pass assist on) and the ball would be glued to your target's feet.

This new video from FIFA shows that's no longer the case. With First Touch Control, controlling the ball is going to mean dropping the ball in a playable zone. There's going to be a lot more separation between ball and player initially, which should create a much more realistic experience. But don't take my word for it: