After over a decade of waiting, EA Sports releases a new college football video game this week.
The original EA college football video game franchise ran from 1998 until 2013. Moving from the Bill Walsh College Football moniker to NCAA Football, the annual game was eventually discontinued.
Lawsuits emerged, most notably former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and 19 others’ decision to sue the NCAA , arguing the organization violated United States antitrust laws by not allowing athletes to make a share of the revenues generated from the use of their in broadcasts and video games.
For the first time in the game’s history, athletes’ name, image and likeness will be included. Up to 85 players for all 134 FBS schools will initially appear on rosters in the game.
“It was always a question of when,” EA Sports senior vice president Daryl Holt previously told On3’s Andy Staples . “Not a question of if.”
On3 is breaking down everything to know about EA Sports College Football 25 , from when early access begins to game modes and who is in the game.
The wait will officially end this week. Gamers must have a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S to play the game. EA Sports is selling three versions of the game, with a standard edition priced at $69.99 with play starting on Friday, July 19.
The deluxe version ($99.99) and MVP bundle ($149.99) are available to be digitally pre-ordered until Wednesday, July 18. Fans who purchase those editions will have access to the early access period. The MVP bundle includes early access to EA Sports College Football 25 and Madden 25 .
When does early access begin?
EA Sports announced on its website that Tuesday, July 16 is the preorder release date, however, fans who have purchased the game have seen early access begins at 4 p.m. ET on Monday. This includes fans who have preordered the deluxe edition or MVP bundle. EA Play is also offering a 10-hour early access trial to subscribers.
Who is in the game?
More than 14,000 college football players have opted in, pushing EA past its goal of 85 players per roster. EA informed athletes last month if they would be in or out of the first edition of the game. Developers created the game to allow for updates to rosters throughout the season.
As previously reported, all athletes who are in the game will receive $600 plus a copy of the game, typically valued at $70. Names like Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe , Georgia quarterback Carson Beck , Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter , Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers have all inked partnerships and will be in the game.
Some notable freshmen could be missing if they have not enrolled yet or received a school email, which is needed to register. Some late transfers who are still in the process of enrolling may also be missing at release time.
Nearly every major star in the sport has opted in. Texas quarterback Arch Manning , who previously decided not to opt in, announced he would be in the video game last week. He appeared in a commercial with his uncle, Eli Manning , to announce he would be in the game. EA Sports paid Manning between $50-60K to promote the game, a source told On3.
Army , Navy and Air Force athletes cannot accept compensation for participating in the game, however, EA is expected to include players from the service academies.
What will gameplay be like?
EA has gone all out in bringing college campuses to life in College Football 25. The band of each of the 134 FBS teams is in the exact formation in the game the real-life band would be. Tennessee will run through the perfect T.
That’s only a starting point, though. All 10 FBS conferences, including the College Football Playoff , are in the game. Institutions have sent thousands of image and audio assets schools have sent to EA ahead of the video game, such as pictures of mascots, cheerleaders, uniforms and historic school items. The company spent time recently on-site on campuses taking 3D scans of stadiums.
“How far did designers go to capture the atmosphere?” Staples wrote after spending time in Orlando with EA’s developers. “They hired stunt people and built a custom two-story ramp at their Vancouver motion capture studio to accurately portray Clemson players running (and leaping) down the hill at Memorial Stadium . They built wooden replicas of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy , Floyd of Rosedale , the Illibuck Trophy and dozens of other trophy-game prizes in that same motion capture studio.”
As for the actual gameplay, EA is adding some features. College Football 25 will have the “Wear & Tear System.” According to EA, gamers will have to manage their players’ health, limit fatigue, assess the risk of injury and avoid on-field mistakes by using strategic substitutions.
The Campus IQ features ensures the importance of individual players and their abilities, emphasizing the differentiation in talent. With 134 FBS teams, EA wants the game to feel like there are 134 ways to play.
“The difference between the best player and the worst player is far bigger in college football than it is in the NFL,” design director Scott O’Gallagher told On3.
Staples played the game in Orlando, noting it is easier to see individual blocks develop, and ball carriers react quickly enough to stick presses to slide through open holes. Designers explained that the way blockers and defenders act has been completely redesigned.
Another notable tweak was the way the read option plays out.
“For instance, on read-option plays the controls have been modified so that a gamer must press X to make the quarterback pull the ball to keep it,” Staples wrote. “Press nothing and the QB will hand off during his mesh with the back. In previous games, players had to press X quickly to hand off and kept if they pressed nothing. The reason for the change? The QB keep is the less frequent outcome in real life, and the new command allows players more time to read the unblocked defender to determine the correct course of action.”
What modes are in the game?
Dynasty Mode is back. Players can create a coach, pick one of the 134 FBS schools in the game and build up a program. Recruiting will include high school and transfer portal recruits. Gamers can also create a new school through teambuilder.
EA’s research into the coaching side of college football came up with three conclusions that will be featured in the game. Those include no coach is great at everything, coordinators and choosing the right staff matters.
Full details of Dynasty Mode
As expected, Road To Glory is also making the return. Players can create an individual player and live the college experience. Similar to past games, players will manage weekly schedules, GPA and images. Coach Trust will be imperative for playing time. And in a new wrinkle, players can enter the transfer portal and ink NIL deals .
Road To Glory in EA Sports College Football 25 is based on four pillars. Those include living the life of a college athlete, week-to-week experience, fast to fun and highly repayable and foundation for the future.
Full breakdown of Road To Glory
A new mode included in the game is Road To The College Football Playoff , an online format playable across consoles. Ultimate Team will also be available. Players can build teams with current stars and legends of the game.
TeamBuilder is back, allowing gamers to create a new school and take it through a dynasty. EA is expected to release a breakdown of the TeamBuilder on Monday.
EA Sports released the top 100 players in College Football 25 last week, headlined by Michigan cornerback Will Johnson , LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell and Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon who all have a 96 overall rating.
Here is the breakdown of the top 25 teams in the game at initial release:
1. Georgia – 95 OVR
2. Ohio State – 93 OVR
3. Oregon – 93 OVR
4. Alabama – 92 OVR
5. Texas – 92 OVR
6. Clemson – 90 OVR
7. Notre Dame – 90 OVR
8. LSU – 90 OVR
9. Penn State – 88 OVR
10. Utah – 88 OVR
11. Michigan – 88 OVR
12. Florida State – 88 OVR
13. Miami – 88 OVR
14. Texas A&M – 88 OVR
15. Ole Miss – 88 OVR
16. Colorado – 87 OVR
17. Oklahoma – 87 OVR
18. Wisconsin – 87 OVR
19. USC – 87 OVR
20. Virginia Tech – 87 OVR
21. NC State – 87 OVR
22. Kansas – 87 OVR
23. Arizona – 87 OVR
24. Oklahoma State – 87 OVR
25. Iowa – 87 OVR
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