Tiebreak Updates: One Month Later – Has It Improved?

It’s been almost a month since the “full release” of Tiebreak—and I say “full release” with some serious hesitation.
Since then, the developers have been hard at work dropping small patches, tweaking gameplay, making the CPU more challenging, and adding new content such as players and costumes.

After taking a break from the game for a while, I’ve jumped back in to see if the game has actually gotten any better with so many Tiebreak updates. So, here are my thoughts on where the game stands now.

You can also watch “Tiebreak 1 Month of Updates” in a video version on our YouTube channel, by clicking the below link:

Grading devs: “b” for effort, “D” for results

To be fair, we have to give credit to the developers for at least trying. The team at Big Ant Studios is clearly putting in the effort to fix the game, by releasing many Tiebreak updates.
However, the unfortunate reality is that while these patches may improve one aspect, they tend to break something else.
For instance, they’ve made gameplay harder and tweaked the CPU logic, but it doesn’t quite add up to a better experience.
I start to believe that developers in Big Ant Studios are either not fans of tennis at all, or lack skills necessary to translate sport knowledge into fun video game experience.

This may seem harsh, so let me tell you why’s that the case.

The Difficulty ‘Fixes’:
A Step Forward, Two Steps Back?

One of the biggest complaints about Tiebreak at launch was that the game was too easy. Big Ant Studios took this feedback seriously and have been working to make it more challenging. Every patch since release has included tweaks aimed at toughening up the CPU.
But here’s the thing: while the game is harder now, it’s not harder in a rewarding or fun way.

Let me explain.

The core issue with the AI wasn’t its level of difficulty, but how poorly it played. The CPU made far too many errors, especially near the net, and would often lose points on easy shots. Instead of addressing these fundamental flaws, the developers made the AI spam flat, super-fast shots aimed almost exclusively at three spots on the baseline.
The result? Matches feel frustrating and monotonous, with the AI repeatedly going for the same predictable shots. And if your shot doesn’t line up with the AI’s flat-shot pattern, it’ll often return a weak block shot that usually ends up in the net.

Not only that, but the AI now seems to have pinpoint accuracy, regularly hitting the lines with zero risk, while player-controlled shots—especially the most aggressive ones—no longer hit those lines as they used to. It feels like the game is handicapping the player in an attempt to make it more difficult, but it just makes the whole experience feel cheap and skewed.

So, is the game harder now? Sure.
But is it fun or rewarding? Absolutely not!

Ball Speed: Too Fast, Too Furious

Another issue that’s surfaced since the recent patches is the insane ball speed. Tiebreak has begun to resemble a high-speed arcade game more than a real tennis match. The ball moves so quickly that it’s starting to break the immersion of playing tennis.
In fact, couple patches ago, some slice animations for players couldn’t keep up with the speed of the ball leading to awkward block shots in place of proper slices!

Take a look at the gameplay in my video, and you’ll notice that it’s just constant rapid-fire shots with little variation in pace.
This might keep you alert in the short term, but in the long run, it doesn’t feel authentic or fun.

Movement Changes:
The Good, the Bad, and the Unresponsive

Thankfully, not all the recent changes have been negative. Big Ant Studios introduced some solid improvements to player movement, especially with the new control scheme options. You can now use a single trigger for scramble mode instead of holding down two, which makes things simpler and more intuitive.

But despite these improvements, scramble is still in the game—and until it’s removed, I’ll continue to criticize it. Scramble mode, in my opinion, is one of the biggest problems with mechanics in Tiebreak, and removing it would be a huge step toward improving the overall gameplay.

Another positive change is that player movement has been slowed down, particularly in scramble mode, making it feel less like you’re racing the ball across the court. Additionally, there’s now more inertia when changing directions, which makes movement feel more realistic. But this improvement is undermined by Tiebreak’s excessive use of animation locks. These locks negate many of the benefits of the movement mechanics by allowing players to perform superhuman actions that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

And speaking of movement, there’s a new issue that’s popped up: unresponsiveness. Sometimes your player simply doesn’t react to your inputs. It’s not a case of being wrong-footed—it’s like the game just ignores your commands. This inconsistency is frustrating and makes it hard to rely on your player’s movements during crucial points.

Shot Balance: A Welcome Improvement

One area where Tiebreak has seen genuine improvement is in shot balance. In earlier versions, the game struggled with this, but now it’s much better. Both topspin and flat shots are viable options, with neither dominating the gameplay.

However, flat shots are still mostly limited to playing through lower parts of the net, and trying to aim for higher points will almost always result in hitting the net. Slices, while improved, still feel more like drop shots than actual slices, making them less useful than they should be.

From my experience, the best way to win in Tiebreak right now is by rushing the net and using volleys.
If you can get to the net, you’ll have a good chance of winning, whether you’re playing against the AI or online opponents.

Career Mode Fixes:
Progress, But Not Perfection

One of the long-awaited additions to Tiebreak has been the introduction of training in career mode. You can now participate in training sessions to boost your player’s stats, which is a welcome feature, but one that should have been there at the full release. After all, it’s quite a basic aspect of career modes in sports games.
Also, I would have preferred a simpler system where you could just assign points via a menu rather than being forced to complete mini-games. Especially since some of these mini-games can be quite frustrating to complete.

Another addition is the ability to play through multiple seasons in career mode, which adds more depth to the experience.
But there’s still a glaring problem with how animations are unlocked. Charity events, which are the only way to earn new animations, are limited to just five per career.
Miss out on them early on, and you’re stuck with generic animations for the rest of your player’s career. This feels incredibly restrictive and reduces the flexibility of customizing your character.

Statistics: A Work in Progress

The developers have been gradually improving how stats work in Tiebreak.
Initially, the only stats that mattered were running speed and shot power. Now, stamina plays a more meaningful role in gameplay, with tired players showing more fatigue during rallies.

However, other important stats like precision and spin still don’t seem to have much impact, making them feel somewhat useless in practice.

Content Additions: Players and Outfits

On the content front, Tiebreak has seen some nice additions. New players and outfits have been added to the game, including official U.S. Open gear, which is always a fun touch. If Big Ant Studios can manage to fix the gameplay issues (and that’s a BIG “IF”), there’s a solid amount of content to enjoy.

But, as things stand, the gameplay problems take priority. The game already has plenty of content; now it’s time to focus on fixing the core experience.

Conclusion: A Month Later, What’s Changed?

After a month of updates and patches, Tiebreak is still nowhere near living up to expectations.
Yes, there have been improvements—especially in shot balance, movement, and the addition of training in career mode—but the game’s biggest issues remain.

If you’re someone who values gameplay or realism, Tiebreak is still not the tennis game you’re looking for. It’s fast, frustrating, and at times, feels downright cheap.
However, if all you care about is cool graphics and licensed players, then maybe Tiebreak is worth your time.

Let me know what you think about the current state of the game in the comments! And as always, thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video!