The popular soccer game, Rematch, has achieved a milestone of 5 million players. A new patch has now been released, introducing various features and adjustments. However, the previously announced cross-play functionality is still absent.
Developer Sloclap stated in a blog post that this Rematch update brings “numerous enhancements across all areas, designed to improve the game in various aspects.” Regarding the anticipated cross-play and netcode refinements, Sloclap noted that these tasks necessitate “specialist expertise.”
Sloclap clarified, “We cannot dedicate all our resources solely to these issues to expedite their completion.” Nevertheless, the studio hinted at “significant progress” and promised further announcements soon.
The update introduces a new colorblind mode for Rematch, providing a team color toggle to assist players with deuteranopia, protanopia, or tritanopia. The player progression interface has also been redesigned for better readability. Among the fixes, the ball indicator will now correctly track the ball, and problems with the social panel have been resolved.
Rematch now includes a new gamepad remapping option, currently described as “fairly rudimentary.” Sloclap plans to gradually enhance this feature, promising a “more advanced version soon.” The update also refines the goal validation system for instances where the ball is on the line. Sloclap explained, “Goal decisions now incorporate a delay to assess potential deflections or catches and to account for network latency before confirming the goal.”
Detailed patch notes are provided below.
Sloclap also announced the creation of Test Servers for future updates, noting that they require more development time before becoming ready.
Matches / Core Gameplay Improvements
Major Changes / Updates
Gamepad Remapping
- This initial version is quite simple (it doesn’t allow creating combinations of inputs), but we chose to let players experiment with mapping now before releasing a more sophisticated version soon.
Better Hit Detection
- Addressed an issue where the ball was deflected instead of being caught by the goalkeeper in certain situations, due to incorrect ball speed evaluation for catch vs. deflect decisions.
- Note: Future design adjustments to catch vs. deflect parameters are also planned.
- Improved goal validation when the ball is caught on the goal line: the system now uses a delay to check for potential deflect/catch scenarios and accounts for network variations before confirming a goal.
- Other general netcode improvements and fixes.
Major Fixes
- Multiple camera fixes during goal replays, eliminating jitter.
- Improvements to `hindering` (physical contact between players): `body blocking` opponents should now be more effective.
- Fixed the end match screens skip function (finally!): the scoreboard can now be reviewed without automatically returning to the ranking screen.
- Fixed pause menu toggle in any match stage: the pause menu should always be accessible during matches.
- Resolved various crashes occurring during the post-goal sequence.
- Numerous animation improvements and fixes:
- New static tap animations.
- Polished volley shot animations.
- Polished dive player animations.
- Polished pushball animations.
- Minor animation improvements and fixes.
Minor / Misc. Fixes
- Fixed an issue where goalkeepers were not reacting to opponents` collisions: goalkeepers will now react to other players` physical presence similar to other players (this does not alter invulnerability rules against tackles).
- Resolved several issues concerning the physical and visual state of the ball in menus and at match kickoff.
- Shots deflected by an outfield player`s defense mode now have a wider angle, except against goalkeeper or sweeper shots.
- On mouse and keyboard, when performing a tap, camera control is returned slightly sooner than before (more news on M&K tap aiming coming soon!).
- Fixed an issue with Ball Camera Lock while using mouse and keyboard where the camera would teleport back to the previous position when shooting.
- Fixed an issue where pushball would not retain the last inputted direction when quickly returning to neutral.
- Increased communication/ball call cooldown from 0.8 to 1 second, to slightly reduce communication spam.
- Shots now trigger a rumble during the shoot preparation.
- Goal Bursts are now correctly stopped after goal replay.
- Multiple VFX fixes and improvements during and after goal replay.
- Fixed pause menu footer display in match.
- Fixed missing move input in spectator mode.
- Fixed spectator icon on match livefeed.
- Fixed ping icons legibility: icon and background colors switched.
- Fixed opponent nametag in match stats screen: color corrections.
- Display player number for opponents in scoreboard.
- Fixed scoreboard input actions display in footer.
- Audio update for the UI SFX of post-match screens.
- Update on music integration during the start section of a match.
- Various audio updates on animations.
- Fixed a bug where the music playing at the beginning of a match was not the expected one.
- Multiple environment and lighting improvements and fixes.
- Multiple minor fixes to tutorials and workshops.
Menus & Interface
Additions and Updates
- Colorblind mode: When activated, this option will adjust team color selection at match start, catering to the three main types of colorblindness (deuteranopia, protanopia, tritanopia). In the next patch, this feature will be further enhanced to apply a filter across the entire screen.
- Visual update of player progression screen – improved readability and UI feedback.
- Added voice channel parameter choice on the custom match parameter screen, allowing communication with all players in the lobby, which is useful for training with friends on both teams.
Fixes
- Fixed ball indicator arrow orientation, which was not always following the ball correctly.
- Fixed navigation focus and camera in customization menu.
- Fixed social panel navigation and display issues.
- Fixed “`Some players in lobby are still in a match` pop-up” not being displayable simultaneously with the reconnect prompt.
Misc. Fixes
- Fixed options footer display.
- Fixed matchmaking search panel visibility.
- Fixed input action text `Leave lobby` in custom match matchmaking.
- Fixed reconnect state being applied to players leaving a server after a ranked game was deemed incomplete.
- Fixed mouse navigation in custom match parameter screen.
- Fixed purchase popup toggle in customization menu.
- Fixed item thumbnail background in store menu.
- Fixed focused state lost on clicking spin wheel buttons.
- Fixed `Press any key` display in launch screen.
- Fixed rank icons in player profile menu.
- Fixed custom keyboard mapping preset selection.
- Fixed keyboard custom profile input modifier option showing as enabled by default.
- Fixed reconnect pop-up overlap.
- Fixed missing status when a friend is in a custom match lobby on Xbox.
- Fixed warning message overlap.
- Fixed victory mood thumbnails display.
- Fixed player card customization screen display.
- Fixed currencies packs order.
- Fixed language options not being properly saved on first launch.
- Fixed User Agreement not being translated in languages other than English.
- Fixed Xbox version missing rich presence when a friend is currently in a custom match lobby.
- Special skins now have an assigned voice.
- Various audio fixes within the menus.
- Audio and voice language option settings are now correctly saved.
- Update on SFX for the tutorials and workshops.
- Multiple localization fixes and improvements in the options menu.
- Multiple UI fixes and improvements.
- Multiple fixes in tutorials.
- Lighting improvement in Player Profile menus.
Art / Rendering
Additions and Updates
- Added detail mods for small actors on levels and VRs.
- Added new Balls to Prologue (ball customization coming soon!).
- Added crowd spawn / distribution textures for stadiums.
Major Fixes
- Increased minimum LOD in low settings for Customization menu.
- Fixed head sections.
- Fixed corrupted crosshair on certain actions.
- Fixed crowd LOD bias.
- Fixed UI material AA.
- UI textures improvement.
- Cast shadow, WPO, and VSM optimization on VRs / Stadium.
- Mesh fixes and optimization on levels.
- Optimized minimap and line textures.
Minor Fixes
- Fixed material time period.
- Fixed accessories material on the Ponytail hairstyle.
- Fixed Jelly Tails and Golden Flyaways hairstyle materials.
- Fixed Eyelashes material.
- Fixed Characters textures compression settings.
- Updated goal reaction behavior for smokes and flash flares.
- Playable Intro lighting optimization.
- Forced LOD on certain sequences in playable intro.
- Cast shadow optimization on VRs.
- Minor material and math optimization.
- Minor update for Eye material.
- Character parts: disabled cast shadow on specific parts.
Known Issues
- During kick-off, the ball sometimes emits loud wind sounds until it is kicked.
- Audio is abruptly cut when pressing a button during the start screen.
- Tackles occurring immediately after a player controls the ball may cause rollbacks for the tackling player.
- In some instances, a goalkeeper diving into another player controlling the ball will trigger the dive catch feedback without actually catching the ball.
- Consoles: ball position may be desynced for some players after hitting a goalpost.
- Achievement unlocking issues are still present on all platforms; investigations are ongoing.