EA College Football Game: The Game Changer You've Been Waiting For

Highlights

EA Sports College Football has gained the licensing support of most major colleges, a crucial step in reviving the franchise after a decade of dormancy due to legal issues.

The progress of the game is going smoothly, with licensed colleges secured and promising gameplay. This suggests that fans can look forward to learning more about the return of college football to gaming in the near future.

The game might embrace a live service platform model, providing constant updates and introducing new players over time, much like other popular titles in the gaming industry.

EA's CEO has provided an update on the development of the new EA Sports College Football game. The NCAA Football series, which started as Bill Walsh College Football in 1993, has been a well-known annual sports gaming franchise alongside EA's popular Madden NFL series.

In early 2021, EA Sports announced their intention to bring college football back to the gaming world after a ten-year hiatus due to legal concerns about using players' likenesses without compensation. Now, EA has confirmed that college players who choose to participate will be remunerated for allowing their names and images to be used in the game. This commitment has paved the way for the legal progress of EA's new college football game. With more than two years since the initial announcement of EA Sports College Football, it is time to delve deeper into the upcoming revival of college football in the gaming industry.

In a Q1 2024 earnings call, Electronic Arts' CEO Andrew Wilson discussed the progress of EA Sports College Football. Wilson revealed that EA has successfully secured licensing agreements with the majority of America's major colleges, as mentioned in the call. Additionally, he highlighted ongoing collaboration with undisclosed organizations to ensure accurate inclusion of college athletes, along with appropriate compensation. This particular aspect holds significant importance in revitalizing EA's college football franchise, considering the discontinuation of EA's NCAA Football series due to unauthorized usage of players' information without their names or faces, in order to avoid providing compensation.

Wilson's mention of including college athletes in EA Sports College Football suggests that the game will be continually updated, unlike the annual releases of EA's Madden NFL franchise. This aligns with the trend of live service games in the current gaming industry. Many believe that Madden NFL should have adopted this approach earlier, making EA Sports College Football's potential adoption of a live service platform model a promising development.

While real players have not been added yet, progress is being made on EA Sports College Football, particularly in securing college licenses. Wilson also expressed confidence in the gameplay. With the extensive experience gained from developing Madden NFL, it is highly likely that this new college football title will deliver a realistic experience, despite the long gap since NCAA Football 14. Considering the time that has passed since the announcement of EA Sports College Football, it shouldn't be much longer before fans receive further updates on the game's return to the gaming world, especially now that significant portions of college licensing have been obtained.

EA Sports College Football is in development.

Source: VGC