EA Sports College Football 25: Release Date, Early Access, and Key Features
College football fans have eagerly awaited the return of the EA Sports NCAA Football series, which has been on hiatus since 2013. Electronic Arts (EA) is set to launch College Football 25 worldwide on July 19, 2024, marking the series' comeback after more than a decade.
Background and Development
Following the release of the previous entry in 2013, EA settled a lawsuit brought by former college football players. The players argued that their name, image, and likeness (NIL) were used without permission or compensation. This settlement initially led to a decision not to include player names and likenesses in the new game. Several schools, including Notre Dame, Tulane, and Northwestern, initially refused to participate until NIL rules were finalized. EA Sports responded by stating that player name, image, and likeness were not currently planned for the game but that they were closely monitoring developments and prepared to include players if the opportunity arose.
At the time, the NCAA had delayed voting on new NIL rules, but numerous states had passed or proposed laws to prevent institutions from enforcing the NCAA's NIL rules. The 2021 United States Supreme Court case NCAA v. Alston further influenced the landscape.
On November 22, 2022, EA Sports vice president and general manager Daryl Holt announced that the game would be released in the summer of 2024. He stated that this date would allow them to meet or exceed player expectations and cover the breadth and scale of what they wanted in the game.
Inclusion of FBS Programs
On February 22, 2024, EA Sports announced that all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs would be featured in EA Sports College Football 25. However, the 128 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs would not be included at launch.
Read also: Read more on College Football 25
Commentary Team
The same day, ESPN's lead college football commentary team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit announced their participation as commentators. Herbstreit was a commentator in EA's original NCAA Football series until its hiatus after NCAA Football 14.
Gameplay and Initial Impressions
A 21-minute gameplay trailer was premiered on July 8, 2024, featuring YouTuber Bordeaux and cover athlete Donovan Edwards. They played two games, with Edwards winning both, showcasing raw gameplay. An Ultimate Team Deep Dive was posted the day after the trailer release.
On July 12, 2024, YouTubers and Twitch streamers in EA's Creator Network program gained access to a nearly final edition of the game. They uploaded and streamed rebuilds, player careers, and raw gameplay on various platforms.
Music
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".
Early Access Details
College Football 25 launches worldwide on July 19th, 2024. To play early, fans can pre-order the Deluxe Edition or the MVP Bundle. Conditions and restrictions apply, so it's essential to check the disclaimers for specific details. You can pre-order the Standard or Deluxe Edition of College Football digitally on your platform’s online store, or at any local or online retailers that sell College Football 25.
Read also: UCF Application Strategies
NIL and Player Compensation
EA Sports has made efforts to include real FBS players in the game. Over 10,000 athletes have signed up to have their name, image, and likeness included in the game. However, gamers will not be able to manually add players who reject the NIL opt-in.
Awards and Bowl Games
While the Heisman Trophy will be included in EA Sports' College Football 25, some major awards will not be featured after the NCFAA rejected EA's offer. Bowl games will reportedly be included in the game. The Lou Groza Award has opted-in to EA Sports College Football 25.
Reception
Upon release, "EA Sports College Football 25" received generally favorable reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the PlayStation 5 version of the game holds a score of 79/100 based on 24 critics, while the Xbox Series X version has a score of 77/100 based on 13 critics.
Jason Guisao of Game Informer gave the game a score of 8.5/10, writing, "I’m ecstatic EA Sports College Football is back, and I hope it sticks around for a long time. It's not perfect, but it's a strong foundation and a fun game, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves in the coming years." Andrew McMahon of GameSpot gave the game a score of 8/10, praising the gameplay and Dynasty mode. Will Borger of IGN gave the game a score of 7/10, writing, "College Football 25 is a competent, if somewhat uninspired, return to the gridiron." Ben Wilson of GamesRadar+ gave the game a score of 4.5/5 stars, writing, "Cancel any summer commitments because Dynasty is going to rule your life."
Sales
The $100 version of EA Sports College Football 25 paid off for EA, with 2.2 million early access players. By December 18, 2024, EA Sports College Football became the US' best-selling sports game of all time.
Read also: College SAT Deadlines
Awards and Nominations
"EA Sports College Football 25" was nominated for the Golden Joystick Awards 2024. At the New York Game Awards 2025, the game won the Statue of Liberty Award for Best World. It was also nominated for Sports Game of the Year at the 28th Annual DICE Awards.
tags: #ncaa #25 #early #access #release #date
