Thorstensson: Player feedback will shape Goals’ updates

Andreas Thorstensson, CEO of the studio behind soccer title Goals, said the team will respond to player feedback after a mixed launch that nevertheless generated strong early uptake. The game exceeded one million installs in its first ten days and drew criticism after a defensive balance change in early July.

Thorstensson acknowledged that launch technical issues produced negative reactions and that the studio moved quickly to fix them and start iterative updates. “Overall, we’re very happy. We unfortunately had some technical issues at launch that resulted in some negative feedback early on, but we’ve worked hard to address them quickly,” he said, noting the install figures showed clear interest in the project.

The early-July patch that altered defensive play prompted sharp player responses on social platforms, with some users saying the update “ruined” the game and made it resemble other soccer titles. Thorstensson accepted that some criticism was fair and said the team is using the feedback to refine gameplay and to explain design choices more clearly. He added that the studio will weigh player views while retaining a set vision for the title.

The development team has set a regular update cadence. Hotfixes will address urgent bugs and small balance changes, while monthly patches will introduce larger gameplay adjustments, new systems and features. Thorstensson highlighted movement, passing, attacking AI and overall responsiveness as priorities for upcoming updates and mentioned plans to add modes such as 5v5.

Community input will inform changes but will not determine every design choice. The studio filters feedback to identify recurring problems and implements fixes aligned with the intended game feel. “Some of our best ideas come directly from the community,” Thorstensson said, while also pointing out that conflicting opinions require the team to focus on the majority view.

Thorstensson has outlined longer-term ambitions, including support for a competitive esports ecosystem tied to the title. For the short term, the company is concentrating on stabilizing the experience and refining core systems players have repeatedly flagged.

Industry observers noted Goals attracted more players early than many recent newcomers in a market led by large franchises. Thorstensson attributed the rapid install numbers to a clear product concept and active engagement with players, and said the studio will continue frequent updates and public roadmap communication as it refines the game.