EA Sports College Football 25
| EA Sports College Football 25 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | EA Orlando |
| Publisher(s) | EA Sports |
| Series | EA Sports College Football |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 5 Xbox Series X/S |
| Release | Summer 2024 [1] |
| Genre(s) | Sports |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
EA Sports College Football 25 is an upcoming video game based on college football developed by EA Orlando and published by EA Sports. It will be released in summer 2024 as the twenty-first game in the EA Sports College Football game series and the first such game since the July 2013 release of NCAA Football 14.[2]
Development[edit]
History and hiatus[edit]
Following the release of the series' previous entry in 2013, Electronic Arts (EA) settled a lawsuit brought by former college football players who argued their name, image, and likeness (NIL) were used without permission or compensation. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), whose brand was licensed by EA, had a history of resisting attempts to financially compensate its athletes.[3] As a part of the settlement, EA announced it would stop producing college football video games.[4]
The 2021 United States Supreme Court case NCAA. v. Alston deemed the NCAA's precedent of avoiding compensating athletes impermissible.[5] Following the ruling, the NCAA reversed its position, creating rules for likeness compensation.[6] In 2023, after the implementation of these changes, EA announced that player likenesses would be featured in their next college football game.[7] In February 2024, EA revealed that they would pay each athlete a flat $600 payment and a copy of the game for allowing the NIL to be used; athletes who decline to allow EA to use their identity will be replaced in-game with a generic, auto-generated character and EA would block players from creating and inserting the athlete into the game manually.[8][9] By early March 2024, EA had secured NIL opt-ins from over 10,000 athletes; notable opt-outs were reported to include Texas quarterback Arch Manning.[10][11] Similarly, the Heisman Trophy and the various bowls will appear in the game, but the National College Football Awards Association requested that their awards and trophies not be included.[12][13][14]
Release[edit]
In February 2021 EA announced that the College Football series would return.[15] EA Orlando, developers of the Madden NFL series, was announced to be creating the game.[16]
On February 15, 2024, EA confirmed the game's title as EA Sports College Football 25 and revealed a trailer for it, promising to provide further information in May 2024.[17]
On February 22, 2024, EA Sports confirmed in a post on X that all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs would be featured in EA Sports College Football 25 but the 128 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs would not be included at launch.[18][19] That same day, ESPN's lead college football commentary team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit announced that they would be featured as commentators.[20][21] Herbstreit was a commentator in EA's original NCAA Football series until its hiatus after NCAA Football 14. ESPN studio host Kevin Connors confirmed his involvement on X the same day,[22] along with ESPN College Football studio and game analyst Jesse Palmer[23] and former College GameDay analyst David Pollack.[24]
References[edit]
- ^ "EA Sports College Football 25: Yeah, It's Really Happening". Electronic Arts Inc. 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
- ^ "EA Sports to launch college football game in'24". ESPN.com. 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ Tepen, Luke (2021-01-01). "Pay to Play: Looking Beyond Direct Compensation and Towards Paying College Athletes for Themselves". Washington University Journal of Law & Policy. 65 (1): 213–246. ISSN 1533-4686.
- ^ "EA settles lawsuit, to leave college football". ESPN.com. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "NCAA v. Alston". Harvard Law Review. 135 (1): 471–480. 2021-11-10. ISSN 0017-811X. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "NCAA adopts interim name, image and likeness policy | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ McDaniel, Mike (2023-05-17). "EA Sports Announces Decision on Real FBS Players Being in New College Football Video Game". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ Rothstein, Michael (February 22, 2024). "Players can start opting in to EA Sports College Football 25". ESPN.
- ^ Kryska, Ryan (February 22, 2024). "EA Sports College Football 25 to block gamers from manually adding players who reject NIL opt-in". Associated Press.
- ^ Lawler, Richard (March 5, 2024). "EA Sports College Football 25 has signed up over 10,000 athletes". The Verge.
- ^ Backus, Will (March 5, 2024). "Arch Manning unlikely to appear in EA Sports College Football 25 as Texas QB will not opt into video game". CBS Sports.
- ^ Ubben, David (March 8, 2024). "College Football 25 won't include some major awards after NCFAA rejects EA offer". The Athletic.
- ^ Polacek, Scott (March 8, 2024). "Heisman Trophy Will Be in EA Sports' College Football 25; Other Awards Opt Out". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Bowl games will reportedly be included in EA Sports 'College Football 25'". Fox Sports. March 12, 2024.
- ^ Ballard, John (2021-02-09). "Why Electronic Arts' Return to College Football Is a Big Deal". The Motley Fool. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ Sentinel, Austin Fuller | Orlando (2021-02-09). "EA Sports College Football will be built in Orlando, perhaps bringing more jobs". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "EA Sports College Football 25: Yeah, It's Really Happening". Electronic Arts Inc. 2024-02-15. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ "They're in the game. College Football 25 will feature all 134 FBS schools #CFB25". February 22, 2023.
- ^ Backus, Will (February 2024). "EA Sports College Football 25: How players will be compensated as all 134 FBS schools join video game relaunch". CBS Sports.
- ^ "I'm in the Game! Today, I can finally make it official. I am honored to be one of the voices in #CFB25 ! Wait until you see this game! #EAPartner". February 22, 2023.
- ^ "I'm so excited to FINALLY announce that I'm part of @EASPORTSCollege. I'm proud to be a partner and one of the voices of the game once again - my 14th year in that role. #CFB25 #EAPartner". February 22, 2023.
- ^ "I'm in the game! So honored to be part of this incredible team — and a voice in a game I literally grew up playing! @EASPORTSCollege #CFB25 #EAPartner". February 22, 2023.
- ^ "I'm in the game! Excited to be one of the voices in #CFB25 and to see all the players have the opportunity to be in the game! Congrats @EASPORTSCollege! Bringing back some amazing memories. #CFB25 #EAPartner". February 22, 2023.
- ^ "I'm in the Game! Go Dawgs! @EASPORTSCollege #CFB25 #EAPartner". February 22, 2023.