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For the first time since 2014, EA is releasing a college football game–and people are pretty excited about. EA Sports College Football releases in July behind a mountain of hype and some notable changes.
First up, EA is no longer working with the NCAA, which is why the series has changed names. In another big step, the game features real player names and likenesses thanks to the Name, Image, Likeness, (NIL) program in college sports. Players are being paid for their appearance in the game.
While the NCAA is not involved in EA Sports College Football, EA has separately struck deals with the relevant rights-owners to secure 134 FBS schools, including their stadiums, fight songs, mascots, and thousands of players.
In this post we’re rounding up everything we know about EA Sports College Football 25, including the game’s release date, platforms, new gameplay features, and more.
EA Sports College Football 25 releases on July 19. People who buy the Deluxe Edition can start playing on July 16. Additionally, there is a free 10-hour trial that begins on July 16 via EA Play.
EA Sports College Football 25 is available now to pre-order, and there are a number of different editions to choose from. For more, be sure to consult GameSpot’s EA Sports College Football 25 pre-order guide.
There is no gameplay footage yet, but you can watch the overview announcement trailer for EA Sports College Football 25 below.
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EA Sports College Football 25 will be released across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. There is no version of the game for PS4/Xbox One or PC.
The new college football game is priced at $70 for the standard edition, $100 for the Deluxe edition, and $150 for the MVP bundle. Head to GameSpot’s EA Sports College Football 25 pre-order guide to learn more.
The first thing fans may notice is that EA Sports College Football 25 simply looks a lot better than the last entry in the series. After all, it’s been 10 years–which is an eternity in the video game space.
EA says player ratings are constantly changing throughout the game, so players will need to leverage their strategy skills and execution on the sticks to win. The game also has a “wear and tear” system, so when “the hits add up, players wear down.” You will have to to manage your players’ health, fatigue, and injuries to lead your team to victory.
A “pre-snap recognition” feature is now in the game, too, which means every snap matters more, EA said. What’s more, EA Sports College Football 25 has a homefield advantage system that makes it harder for away teams to win at the toughest arenas.
In terms of game modes, EA Sports College Football 25 has a Dynasty mode that has players creating a coach and controlling a team through a season. This includes fine details like creating a coaching staff and even using the transfer portal. Then there is Road to Glory, which is a mode where players create a player and take them through all facets of the game, from getting a solid GPA in the classroom to excelling on the field and potentially winning a Heisman.
Of course, EA Sports College Football 25 has an Ultimate Team component. Similar to how it works in EA’s other roster of sports games, players can build a “dream team” and put their teams to the test in single-player challenges or against the community online. This being Ultimate Team, it can be safely assumed this mode will feature a wide array of microtransactions and loot boxes.
There is also a Road to the CFP mode that gives players a “new way to play competitively” as they try to take their favorite team to the College Football Playoffs and ultimately the National Championship.
EA Sports worked with the NCAA on numerous college football games over the years, but the partnership ended with 2013’s NCAA Football 14 due to a variety of issues, including player lawsuits. A decade later, EA opted to break off its relationship with the NCAA and instead sign licensing deals with the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) and others to get the rights to the 134 FBS schools in the game, along with team-specific elements like stadiums, fight songs, mascots, and more. Fans of college football know that the “gameday experience” includes much more than just school names, after all.
The cover of EA Sports College Football 25 has three athletes on it: Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas QB Quinn Ewers, and Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. These athletes are on the standard and deluxe covers. The MVP bundle, which includes copies of EA Sports College Football and Madden NFL 25, doesn’t have any specific cover stars.
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