The NCAA College Football video game is making a return, only without the NCAA in the title. The new game will be EA Sports College Football 20XX. Currently, we only know that the game is making a return sometime in 2023.
The game was discontinued in 2013 when the NCAA decided not to renew the contract with EA Sports due to the ongoing legal battle at the time surrounding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
Although, with the game returning there are a few programs still on the fence about being on the game. Notre Dame, Tulane, and Fresno State in 2021, after EA announced the return of the iconic game, made statements that they will not be apart of it.
Since that time, the rules surrounding Name, Image, and likeness have been released. Players across the country have the opportunity to make money in college from their NIL deals. It would be speculation, but expected that EA Sports will give a percentage of the profits made from the game to each player represented.
What to expect from the game?
Well, the NCAA College Football 2014 version of the game was considered to be the best football game made at that time. Some still consider it to be the best football game made even to this day. Although graphics have improved, many would want that same game with just some upgrades.
The game will be on released on the new generation consoles like the PS5 and XBOX Series X, but there are some talks of the game being released to the PS4 and XBOX One. With so many supply chain issues surrounding obtaining the new consoles, having the game released on the previous generation consoles would feed into the history of what EA has done before.
As far as the game play, that is still up in the air. Some of the Madden developers have been tasked with helping with the new game. So, some of the things you see in Madden could be expected to show up in game.
What features should be in the game
While it is early, it wouldn’t be early to ask for these features in the game.
- Upgraded Dynasty mode where you are basically recruiting the current recruiting class and the class right after. So the recruiting process for a recruit is two years long.
- Customization of programs uniforms after playing the dynasty mode for at least a 10 year time span. Just like getting a badge for completing a goal, customizing uniforms should be a feature you unlock.
- Stadium Builder. This should be a top priority feature for the game. When you decide to build a terrible small school program up into a powerhouse, you should be able to unlock the ability to upgrade your stadium and facilities.
- The added bonus of the Transfer Portal.
- Coaching Staff adjustments would be a nice addition as well. Anytime you have a bad coach or need to hire a coach, it would be nice to add a coach who has the ability to develop the players in that area of need.
Since 2013, College football has had many changes, but I believe the new EA Sports College Football game will meet most if not some of our expectations. It’s only 6 months to a year away from reality.