EA Sports: It's in the (College) Game, Again

 

EA Sports: It's in the (College) Game, Again

EA Sports College Football 25 is finally here, marking the highly anticipated return of college football gaming after an 11-year hiatus. The game, released Friday, is the first collegiate football video game since NCAA Football 14 in 2013. The return is causing a buzz among fans and players alike, capturing the attention of longtime followers and even real-life college athletes.

Shortly after the game’s release, streamer Logan Nutzman went live, broadcasting gameplay to an enthusiastic audience that included a few unexpected viewers — the very players represented in his game. During the stream, players from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), including tight end Kaleo Ballungay, chimed in with live play suggestions. “To have the actual players…telling me what play to run…was really, really crazy,” Nutzman said. “Collegiate players accurately reflected in game…that’s something we’ve never had before.”

For die-hard college football fans, EA Sports College Football 25 brings back a unique way to experience the game. NFL video games have dominated the market with the Madden series, but fans have eagerly awaited a college version. “I have been waiting…for the college football game to come back for the last decade,” said Nutzman, a devoted player who jumped at the chance to buy the game’s deluxe edition, which offered early access.

The discontinuation of EA’s NCAA Football series in 2013 followed legal issues around the use of athletes’ likenesses. At the time, the game modeled players on real collegiate athletes without explicitly naming them, which led to lawsuits from former players and ultimately ended the series. However, in a landmark 2021 Supreme Court ruling, the NCAA was found to have violated antitrust laws by barring college athletes from profiting off their name, image, and likeness (NIL). This decision has transformed the landscape of college sports, paving the way for the return of collegiate games and for athletes to be fairly compensated.

EA Sports capitalized on this shift by reintroducing college football gaming with more than 11,000 players, each compensated a minimum of $600 to be part of the game. EA Sports has put popular college athletes, such as Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Michigan’s Donovan Edwards, and Colorado’s Travis Hunter, front and center on the game’s cover.

The game has been met with a warm reception, both from the gaming community and from college athletes. Popular streamers like Kai Cenat and Sketch have drawn millions of viewers to their gameplay, sharing the excitement of the new release. In just its first few days, football analyst Warren Sharp noted on X (formerly Twitter) that over 660,000 players had already logged in. Social media has also lit up with praise for the game’s lifelike graphics and polished controls, with Timothy Martin, a former quarterback for Mayville State University, calling the gameplay “more realistic than we’ve ever had.”

Fans are especially enjoying the game’s multiple modes, which include “Road to Glory,” “Dynasty,” and “Road to the College Football Playoffs,” mirroring the current structure of the NCAA season. Players can compete online or against the game’s AI, giving fans the chance to relive their favorite college rivalries or experience the thrill of building a team from scratch.

The release of EA Sports College Football 25 is a dream come true for fans who grew up with the series. Nutzman, a long-time fan, describes it as “the spiritual successor to [NCAA Football]” and shared his nostalgia for the game’s influence on his love of sports. “Having it come back after 11 years…it just feels so awesome.”

With its impressive graphics, enhanced gameplay, and deep respect for college sports traditions, EA Sports College Football 25 is shaping up to be a celebration of the college football experience and a testament to how far gaming and college athletics have come in the last decade.

SOURCE: NMR (Journalist)