EA Sports College Football 25: A New Era for College Football Gaming
After an 11-year hiatus, college football has triumphantly returned to the video game world with EA Sports College Football 25. Launched on July 19 for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, the game has already become a top seller in the US, marking a significant moment for sports gaming enthusiasts.
A Long-Awaited Return
The last college football game before this was 2013's NCAA Football 14 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The absence of new college football games was due to legal troubles. EA and the NCAA faced a lawsuit from football players arguing their likeness was used in NCAA Football 14 without compensation. A 2021 Supreme Court decision and the resulting new NCAA compensation policies allowed EA to once again make a college football title with the likeness of players in it.
Explosive Popularity and Early Success
Mat Piscatella, executive director and video game industry advisor at market research firm Circana, announced on July 17 that the game had soared to the #3 spot for Xbox daily active users and #4 for PS5. This data was drawn before the game even left early access and launched for everyone who purchased the game on Friday. That means the players who helped EA Sports College Football 25 hit this milestone were all folks who spent $100 to preorder the Deluxe Edition of the game - and also that its daily active users count will likely skyrocket even higher now that buyers of the standard $69.99 edition can jump in.
Notably, this data was drawn before the game even left early access and launched for everyone. That means the players who helped EA Sports College Football 25 hit this milestone were all folks who spent $100 to preorder the Deluxe Edition of the game - and also that its daily active users count will likely skyrocket even higher now that buyers of the standard $69.99 edition can jump in.
Historically, sports games have always been popular, but even with that in mind, the explosive success of EA Sports College Football 25 stands out. There's a good reason for it, though: there hasn't been a college football video game in over 11 years, with the last before this one being 2013's NCAA Football 14 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. That makes publisher Electronic Arts' (EA) new game a uniquely special release, and one that fans have waited more than a decade for.
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The Road to Release: Overcoming Legal Hurdles
The reason behind the hiatus is a legal one; after NCAA Football 14's release, EA and its licensing partner, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), faced a lawsuit from college football players who argued their likeness was used in the game without compensation. As part of its settlement, EA said it wouldn't make new college football games, but after the US Supreme Court ruled the NCAA's tendency to avoid fiscal compensation was a breach of antitrust law in the 2021 NCAA v. Alston case, the NCAA created new rules for likeness compensation. In 2023, EA then spoke with ESPN, announcing that players would have the option to opt into appearing in a new 2024 college football game and that they would be compensated for doing so.
With both this context and the extreme popularity of college football in the US in mind, it's easy to see why EA Sports College Football 25 is blowing up. Note that while there aren't publicly available player counts at the time of writing, Piscatella posted a humorous GIF on Friday that makes it clear the game is performing very, very well.
Platform Availability and Game Pass
One disappointing thing about the new game is that it's not available on Windows PC through any platform or service, which I'd guess is due to concerns about mods and licensing (perhaps the game will come to PC eventually; after all, Madden is on it). Its exclusivity to Xbox Series X|S and PS5 does make it something of a system seller for those consoles, though, as unlike most new EA Sports games, it's not playable on the last-gen Xbox One or PS4.
EA Sports College Football 25 is also not available on Xbox Game Pass, which is Microsoft's buffet-style subscription service that gives members access to hundreds of games for a monthly fee. It is, however, discounted by $7 for EA Play members, which you get with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for no additional cost (in time, it may also become fully playable through EA Play). Sony's PlayStation Plus does not include EA Play in any tier, so if you have Game Pass Ultimate already, Xbox is the best place to play.
Game Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses
EA Sports is usually more discreet with special editions and tends to have only 2. This time we have EA Sports College Football 25 Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition. The former will arrive with a price tag of $69.99 on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 at $69.99, while the Deluxe Edition comes at $99.99. Both editions feature Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, and Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. There are some pre-order bonuses that both games have, so let’s take a look:
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Standard Edition
- College Football 25 game
- Alma Mater Ultimate Team Pack
- Cover Athlete Ultimate Team Pack
- Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform
- Price: $69.99
Deluxe Edition
- 3 Day Early Access
- 4600 College Football Points
- Alma Mater Ultimate Team Pack
- Cover Athlete Ultimate Team Pack
- Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform
- Heisman Hopeful Ultimate Team Pack
- Price: $99.99
And for those who want to live American football 24/7, there’s also the EA Sports MVP Bundle, which includes both EA Sports College Football 25 and Madden NFL 25 in a bundle that includes both deluxe editions for just $129.
Features and Gameplay
From The Big House to The Swamp. From Tuscaloosa to College Station. Set a new standard for college football greatness in classic modes like Dynasty and Road To Glory. With the new Wear & Tear system as the hits add up, players wear down. Pre-Snap Recognition makes the decision behind every snap matter more. Do you trust in your high-skill seniors, or take a risk with your untested freshman? Game-altering homefield advantages rattle your rivals in college football's toughest places to play. Create a coach, take control, upgrade their abilities and build a powerhouse college football program. Live the life of a student-athlete with your created player and take home the Heisman as you build an unforgettable college football legacy. Build your dream team of college football stars and legends. Play Solo Challenges or H2H Seasons to upgrade your squad and take on the toughest contests.
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tags: #NCAA #25 #Xbox #Series #S #release
