Mastering the Art and Controversy of the Fake Dive in FIFA 22 on PS5
Executing a well-timed, dramatic fake dive in FIFA 22 on PS5 can earn your attacking players dangerous set pieces in the final third. But excessive flopping to the ground at the slightest touch can destroy your reputation and lead to disciplinary action. There‘s an art, skill and risk/reward judgement involved in using simulation effectively. Here‘s an in-depth guide on mastering fake dives, when to deploy them, and navigating the heated debate around this controversial skill move in FIFA gameplay.
Step-by-Step Guide to Performing a Fake Dive
To execute a fake dive in FIFA 22 on PS5, follow these steps:
Come to a complete stop with your attacking player. You can‘t be mid-dribble or making a pass.
Hold L2 button to take control and stabilization.
Quickly spin the right analog stick with small, tight circles in either direction.
Flick left stick diagonally down and left or right relative to player‘s direction. Time this just as spinning motion stops.
Release all controls as player dramatically splays out on pitch.
The quick circular motion followed by flicking the left stick tricks the game into initiating a skill move stumble followed by an awkward falling play animation. Combined together quickly, it looks like a dive from contact that ‘clips‘ the player‘s heels or causes them to lose balance at speed.
Controller Tips for Perfect Fake Dive Timing
Spin right stick between 180° to 360° range for ideal speed. Too fast starts a different skill move, too slow won‘t trigger fall animation.
Flick left stick in final quarter-turn of spin or just after full revolution. Reactively flick left when you feel spin motion end.
Let go of L2 early if struggling with coordination. Holding L2 throughout can override subsequent skill moves.
Avoid sprinting or accelerating prior to executing dive. Need stable footing established for maximum control.
Use the Practice Arena to drill your timing and make the combo feel natural. With enough reps, you can sell the fake dive instinctively in a match situation when you spot an opportune moment.
Best Situations to Attempt a Dive
While a well-executed fake dive anytime inside the 18-yard box has a chance of earning a penalty, you‘ll want to be selective on when to unleash your dramatic acting chops. Assess the following factors when judging whether to take the plunge:
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Space behind defense | More ground between you and defender offers chance referee assumes off-ball contact occurred. Don‘t dive when tangled in traffic. |
| Last defender between you and keeper | Added pressure on ref to make pivotal call deep in box. |
| Late desperation challenge | Lure defender into rash tackle then demonstrate contact by flopping despite no touch. |
| Cutting with pace across box | Sell loss of balance when making speed turn under pressure. |
| Angles favor AR catching view | Assistant referee more likely to assume contact from their wider, trailing viewpoint. |
| Referee‘s strictness and card rates | Adjust flopping frequency based on ref tendency to book and reputation for swallowing whistle. |
You also want to avoid attempting fake dives when calls seem less likely, such as:
- Directly in front of referee with clear sight line
- Already on a yellow card yourself
- Referee has proven very lenient/hesitant to call fouls
- Challenge comes from behind (tough to sell sudden loss of balance)
- Opponent timed challenge well and pulled out of tackle
While risk of yellow card for simulation exists, reputation hits for excessive flopping without sufficient in-game punishment has led the practice to become more normalized. Selling the call convincingly is now a necessary attacking skill at higher levels of play.
Risks and Effects of Overusing Fake Dives
Unfortunately in FIFA 22, the risks around abusing fake dives feels minimalized without proper in-game consequences. Reputational impacts exist but rarely influence matches enough to deter the behavior:
- Yellow card risk ~5% – Lack of post-match review means only most egregious flops draw punishment.
- Commentator disdain – Audio criticism for dishonest play from announcers but no material impact.
- Opponent frustration – May trigger more aggressive challenges but often still results in extra set pieces.
With big potential reward of dangerous free kicks or even a penalty, yet little downside, exploiting simulation often feels encouraged by the game mechanics.
Many players argue without more frequent and immediate booking punishment integrated into FIFA 22‘s programming logic, the low-risk, high-reward nature means fake diving will remain rampant online.
Controversy Around Incorporating Fake Dives
Opinions sharply diverge around whether mastering the fake dive skill should be considered a legitimate tactic or shameful manipulation of poor refereeing oversight.
| Perspective | Argument |
|---|---|
| Simulation is Cheating | Flopping with no contact goes against ethics of sport. Breaks immersion from authentic play. |
| Part of the Game | Selling contact to refs has long history in football. No different than other play acting tactics. |
| FIFA Should Punish More | Lack of consequences encourages bad behavior. Too effective low-risk move. |
| Refs Responsibility | Onus is on referee programming to better detect embellishment and book. Players will always exploit. |
The debate ultimately stems from differing perspectives on whether the priority should be ruthlessly gaining any possible advantage or adhering to ideals of fair play and honesty – even in a video game context.
Diving in Football – Rules and Analysis
While no one disputes attempts to deceive referees breaks the formal Laws of the Game in football, the practical reality has seen simulation grow as an epidemic in the modern game:
- 134 high-profile dives analyzed over 3 seasons in the English Premier League from 2012-2015.^1
- Dives occurred roughly once every 3 matches on average.
- Only 16 dives punished with a yellow card over entire sample (>90% go unpenalized)
- Up to 61% success rate of dives gaining an advantage for the offender‘s team
The data shows while technically illegal, diving is in practice a highly effective tactic given the difficulties officials face in making accurate judgements at full speed of play.
Without steps to provide additional post-match video review and stiffer fines or suspensions as deterrents, players have little incentive to avoid the unsportsmanlike theatrics.
Alternate Strategies to Gain Set Pieces
If manually executing fake dives feels at odds with your ethics, several legitimate tactics can still earn your team dangerous restarts around box:
- Call for close-range presses to force errant collision challenges
- Engineered set piece plays to isolate aerial mismatches
- Exploit lag input delay on defense to draw reflexive shirt grabs
- Precision dribbling to maneuver defenders into desperation slide tackles
- Sprint into space to tempt poorly timed recovery challenges
While less guaranteed, disciplined offensive pressure can perturb defenses into making mistakes and conceding fouls honestly. But mastering the dark arts of deception admittedly remains extremely effective.
Final Thoughts
Selling simulated contact has an undeniable history within the traditions of football gamesmanship. While technically illegal, the low risks and high rewards in generating goal-scoring set pieces ensure the tactic continues to thrive. FIFA 22 does little to curb this behavior or enforce an ethical standard of play.
As a player, exploiting every advantage within the coded mechanics of the game feels reasonable, even as the spirit of simulation contradicts ideals of fair competition. Each gamer must weigh these factors based on their personal standards. Mastering the fake dive ultimately provides one more offensive weapon to customize your playstyle.
Whether more stringent disciplinary consequences get incorporated into future FIFA titles, exploiting refereeing errors of judgement remains an effective, if controversial, attacking ploy on the virtual pitches we compete on. Use this guide on to hone your skill, timing and selection for incorporating fake dives while navigating where you stand on its ethical implications.
- David Forrest, Kevin McHale. "Simulation in soccer". University of Liverpool, December 2016.
