EA Sports College Football 25: Release Date, Platforms, and What to Expect

Anticipation is at an all-time high as fans prepare for the triumphant return of one of college football’s most beloved video games. EA Sports College Football 25 marks the revival of the series after a hiatus that began in 2013. Here’s everything you need to know about the game, including its release date, available platforms, and key features.

Release Date and Early Access

EA Sports College Football 25 is set to be released worldwide on July 19, 2024. However, fans who pre-order the Deluxe Edition can get early access starting on July 16, 2024, three days before the official launch. Preloading for the Deluxe Edition and EA Play users begins on July 14.

Available Platforms

The game will be available on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Unfortunately, EA Sports College Football 25 will not be released on older generation consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, nor will it be available for Windows PC.

Why the Hiatus?

Electronic Arts (EA) was forced to discontinue college football video games due to the Keller vs. EA (2013) case. The court ruled that players' likenesses could not be used in the games if the athletes were not being compensated, as this violated their rights.

The NCAA v. Alston case, however, led to a Supreme Court ruling in favor of player compensation. Now, players can be paid for their name, image, and likeness (NIL). 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. Initially, player names and likenesses were not to be included in the game. Because of this, several schools, including Notre Dame, Tulane, and Northwestern, refused to join the game until NIL rules were finalized. EA Sports responded by stating "player name, image and likeness is not currently planned for the game. However, we are watching the developments in this area closely and are prepared to take steps to include players should that opportunity arise." At the time, the NCAA had delayed and not voted on new NIL rules, but over two dozen states had either passed or proposed laws so that institutions couldn't enforce the NCAA's NIL rules.

Read also: NCAA Football Betting Strategies

Key Features and Gameplay

EA Sports College Football 25 promises an authentic and immersive college football experience. On May 31, EA Sports released a YouTube video with a deep dive into gameplay for College Football 25, the long-awaited new installment of the video game franchise. In the video, ESPN announcer Kirk Herbstreit details several aspects of the game include in-game wear and tear on players, homefield advantage and playbooks unique to each school. Florida, Florida State and Miami are among the teams shown. In addition, a blogpost outlining aspects of the advanced gameplay also landed. It was the latest news to land for the game which is due out in July. Players will have mental and physical attributes that will help in various situations. Homefield advantage will be paramount and even more so depending on the team with each program having a unique playbook befitting its offensive and defensive philosophies.

CampusIQ

CampusIQ offers an authentic, fast-paced college football experience, featuring an all-new composure system, player Wear & Tear, homefield advantages and dozens of diverse playstyles across all 134 FBS teams.

Iconic Atmospheres

Authentic soundscapes fully immerse you inside legendary stadiums, from The Big House to The Swamp, from Tuscaloosa to College Station, complete with all their iconic rituals and traditions.

All 134 FBS Programs Included

On February 22, 2024, EA Sports announced 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. All 135 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams will be available to use in College Football 25. That includes Florida State, the University of Florida, Miami, UCF, USF, FIU and FAU.

Commentators

That same day, ESPN's lead college football commentary team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit announced that they would be featured as commentators. Herbstreit was a commentator in EA's original NCAA Football series until its hiatus after NCAA Football 14.

Licensed Music

Other licensed music appearing in College Football 25 includes "Sandstorm", "Mo Bamba", "Kernkraft 400", "Welcome to the Jungle", "Wave on Wave", and an instrumental of "Talkin' Out the Side of Your Neck".

Player Compensation and NIL

The return of the series was made possible by the changing landscape of college sports, particularly the ability for players to be compensated for their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

Game Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses

EA Sports College Football 25 is available in multiple editions, each offering different perks and bonuses:

Standard Edition

The Standard Edition of College Football 25 will cost $69.99.

Deluxe Edition

The Deluxe Edition will go for $99.99. Players that purchase the Deluxe Edition will receive 4,600 College Football Points and a Heisman Hopeful Ultimate Team Pack, available only to pre orders made prior to June 27. For digital pre-orders, Product will be available to download once early access period begins on July 15, 2024 4:00 pm Eastern Time. Early access will not be available if you redeem after July 18, 2024. All other pre-order content will not be available if you redeem after July 19, 2025.

MVP Bundle

The MVP Bundle will sell for $149.99. The MVP Bundle will give players the Deluxe Edition of both College Football 25 and Madden 25, which will release in mid-August. It also gives players three-day early access to Madden.

Pre-Order Content Details

This promotional offer expires upon release of EA SPORTS College Football 25. Good only for new purchases of EA SPORTS College Football 25 (“Product”) at participating retailers. You must redeem your single-use code (if a code is required), log into the game, and log into Ultimate Team mode while connected to EA servers (together these steps are referred to as “redeem”) to access pre-order content (Alma Mater Ultimate Team Pack [Choice of 1 out of 134 player items]; Cover Athlete Ultimate Team Pack [choice of 1 of 3 player items]; and Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item). All pre-order content for use with one EA account and is non-transferrable. All player items and packs for use in College Football Ultimate Team (“CUT”). All CUT player items are non-auctionable and non-tradeable. CUT items also may require logging into the CUT in-game store. Some content may require gameplay to unlock. Access to content may require registration with a single-use code. Consult your retailer for distribution details. Pre-order content will not be available if you redeem after July 19, 2025.

This promotional offer expires June 27, 2024 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Good only for new purchases of EA SPORTS College Football 25 Deluxe Edition (“Product”) at participating retailers. You must redeem your single-use code (if a code is required), log into the game, and log into Ultimate Team mode while connected to EA servers (together these steps are referred to as “redeem”) to access pre-order & Deluxe Edition content (Heisman Hopeful Ultimate Team Pack [Choice of 1 out of 5 Player Items]; Alma Mater Ultimate Team Pack [Choice of 1 out of 134 player items]; Cover Athlete Ultimate Team Pack [choice of 1 of 3 player items]; Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item; 4600 College Football Points; and up to 3 days early access to Product). All pre-order & Deluxe Edition content for use with one EA account and is non-transferrable. All player items and packs for use in College Football Ultimate Team (“CUT”). All CUT player items are non-auctionable and non-tradeable. CUT items may also require logging into the CUT in-game store. Some content may require gameplay to unlock. Access to content may require registration with a single-use code. Consult your retailer for distribution details. For retail preorders, see retailer for early access distribution details and pick-up time.

Noteworthy Details

Stadium Entrance Clip

UTEP football coach Scotty Walden said he became familiar with the Miner program years ago by playing them on EA Sports College Football, where he presumably had more success than the team often did on the field. It's easy to see the attraction to UTEP in the 25 version of the game, which released a stadium entrance clip on Instagram where the Miners run onto the Sun Bowl field for a game against Charlotte (UTEP actually did play Charlotte in the Sun Bowl in 2019 and may never play them again in real life). In the clip the stadium appears sold out, with a close up of fans in body paint. "Welcome to the West Texas town of El Paso," the announcer exclaims. As the Miners move down the tunnel there is a clear view of the backs of Sione Tonga’uiha and Dorian Hopkins. Then it appears Emari White leads the team on to the field, behind the flag bearers and between the marching band in formation, to wild enthusiasm from the Miner fans.

Cover Athletes

The cover features Texas' Quinn Ewers, Michigan's Donovan Edwards and Colorado's Travis Hunter Jr., with the Cotton Bowl as the backdrop.

Toughest Places to Play

EA Sports' list of the top 25 toughest places to play for the upcoming game:

Texas A&M: Kyle Field
Alabama: Bryant-Denny Stadium
LSU: Tiger Stadium
Ohio State: Ohio Stadium
Georgia: Sanford Stadium
Penn State: Beaver Stadium
Wisconsin: Camp Randall Stadium
Oklahoma: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
Florida State: Doak Campbell Stadium
Florida: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
Oregon: Autzen Stadium
Clemson: Memorial Stadium
Tennessee: Neyland Stadium
Auburn: Jordan-Hare Stadium
South Carolina: Williams-Brice Stadium
Michigan: Michigan Stadium
Virginia Tech: Lane Stadium
Utah: Rice-Eccles Stadium
Texas: Darrell K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium
Iowa: Kinnick Stadium
Notre Dame: Notre Dame Stadium
Michigan State: Spartan Stadium
Arkansas: Donald W.

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