EA holds a patent for an AI system that automatically makes games harder or easier based on a player's past behavior, with the stated goal of keeping players engaged longer. The patent specifies the adjustment should be undetectable to the player. EA says this technology has never been used in its sports games' online modes.

Filed in 2016 and granted as US Patent 10,807,004 in October 2020, the Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment system uses a machine learning model trained on historical player data to predict whether a player is likely to stop playing, then adjusts game parameters to retain them. A class-action lawsuit (Zajonc v. Electronic Arts, filed November 2020) alleged the system had been used in FIFA, Madden, and NHL Ultimate Team to nudge players toward spending on microtransactions. The case was dismissed in March 2021 after EA provided engineer access and technical documentation. EA's official statement reads: "That technology never was in FIFA, Madden or NHL, and never will be."