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Travis Hunter knows how to keep a secret.
Hunter, the versatile player from West Palm Beach, has been a critical figure for the Colorado Buffaloes.
However, when EA Sports approached the defensive back to feature him as one of the three college football players on the cover of the highly anticipated College Football 25 video game, Hunter kept it under wraps, adding another feather to his cap.
“I didn’t tell anybody, so nobody knew it,” Hunter said with a smile.
Given the reaction from friends, family and teammates once it was announced he was on the cover along with Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Hunter offered a simple response for downplaying his approach.
“They wanted to know why I didn’t tell anybody,” he said, laughing.
Hunter joins a long list of players to have graced the cover of some version of EA Sports’ college football video game, including Nebraska’s Tommie Frasier, Florida’s Danny Wuerffel, Michigan’s Charles Woodson, Texas’ Ricky Williams and Florida’s Tim Tebow.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be on the cover, so I just went straight to work and did everything they told me I needed to do,” Hunter said.
College Football 25 is set to make a global comeback on July 19, exclusively for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game’s previous edition was unveiled almost a decade ago, thus heightening the anticipation and making this reveal one of the most thrilling events in the gaming community.
The details of the game have been shrouded in secrecy and guarded with the utmost care. Those granted access to them have been compelled to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, underscoring the level of confidentiality and the game’s highly anticipated nature.
When EA Sports Orlando hosted a private event last week for some of the top games and journalists to get a sneak peek of the game and its details, attending members were asked to sign NDAs and agree not to photograph or video any game material.
Few details have been made public about the game, which has been a labor of love for many of those who work at EA Orlando Studios.
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Rob Jones, senior production director, returned to work on the new college football game after spending time developing games such as Madden NFL and NBA2K.
“I was super excited because, like everybody else, I was extremely disappointed when the series went away,” Jones told the Orlando Sentinel. “This was also a brand-new challenge for me. I had done NFL, NBA, and college basketball, and then having a chance to shape what college football could be like from an experience was a brand-new thing.”
When Jones returned four years ago, his first job was assembling a team to bring life to the game. A lot has changed in the decade since NCAA Football 14 — the game’s last version — was released.
The most significant change came in 2021 as athletes were allowed to be financially compensated for their name, image and likeness (NIL). That allowed EA Sports to step back into the business of making college football games.
Football Bowl Subdivision players can now be represented in the game, with 13,000 already signing with EA Sports through an NIL deal.
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The schools also reached licensing agreements for stadiums, uniforms, cheers, fight songs and other components to create the most comprehensive and lifelike college football game possible.
“The schools leaned into this, and the response has been amazing,” said Jones.
“Passion is what you’ll see in this product,” said Daryl Holt, senior vice president and group general manager at EA Sports.
EA Sports teamed up with ESPN broadcasters such as Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer and Kevin Connors to record hundreds of hours of audio.
Fowler spent two and a half years working with the design team, recording 115 hours. He was also forced to keep his role in the game a secret before sharing a few videos on Instagram that drew reactions.
“I was initially surprised because I couldn’t talk about this for a long time,” Fowler said. “I couldn’t even say I was in the game. It got out there kind of and it wasn’t a very well-kept secret, but I couldn’t talk about it and when I finally did that first video, it just blew up.”
The challenge was bringing the same passion he’s used to displaying on television into the game: 750 player names needed to be spoken, and calls needed to be made for almost every play imaginable.
“The routine plays are not that big deal, but the touchdown calls are what people remember in any video game,” said Fowler. “So you want to get that part right.”
EA Sports has always prided itself on the realism of its games, and fans can experience the ins and outs of college football whether as a team builder, a coach, a player or a high school recruit.
The various levels, such as Dynasty, Road to Glory, Road to the College Football Playoff and Ultimate Team, allow the participant to experience the game at a whole new level.
For Jones, it’s been a labor of love for himself and his team, which he credits.
“The right people in the right place make magic, and that’s what I think we were able to create,” he said.
Hunter, who played the game for the first time during last week’s event, would agree.
“It’s a better game for sure,” Hunter said.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com.
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