What was FIFA 12’s new physics-based collision system called?

FIFA 12’s new physics-based collision system was called the Impact Engine.

The technology was designed to make player contact more varied and physically believable. Instead of relying only on pre-made collision animations, it calculated how bodies reacted when players challenged for the ball, collided, or fell.

EA Sports presented the Impact Engine as one of FIFA 12’s defining gameplay changes. It could produce more realistic tumbles and reactions, although early versions also became known for occasional unusual animations that players nicknamed “collision” or “Impact Engine” moments.

The Impact Engine should not be confused with the Frostbite engine, which later powered several FIFA titles, beginning with FIFA 17. It was also separate from FIFA 14’s Precision Movement and Pure Shot systems, which addressed movement and shooting rather than physical collisions.