EA Sports College Football 25 Drops Teaser Ahead of May Reveal
Today, EA Sports dropped an unexpected and long-awaited teaser trailer for its most anticipated title. After an eleven-year hiatus, the ubiquitous sports gaming giant announced that a full reveal of its reimagined college football video game will come in May: for devout fans of the game, it will be an agonizing three months. While essentially a modern version of its predecessors, the series has been re-branded from “NCAA Football” to “College Football.” Cryptic messaging from EA Sports since 2021 regarding the newest iteration of the game has had enthusiasts in constant anticipation.
The teaser, featuring actor Brandon Brown and the famous Rose Bowl Stadium, has created a firestorm on social media. Fans continue to rejoice after witnessing what is the most official announcement of the game yet seen.
In 2014, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in the O’Bannon v. NCAA case held that the unpaid representation of student-athletes’ Names, Images, and Likenesses by EA Sports was not protected by law, leading to what many thought was the death of the franchise. In the wake of changes to NCAA NIL policy in 2021, legally, the game could be reborn –– so long as the athletes receive a cut.
Without any significant movement by EA Sports in the thirty months of the NIL era and reported legal setbacks in group licensing agreements, many fans became skeptical of the rumored plans to bring back the franchise. After today, many of those doubts have been subdued. With a full reveal scheduled for May, it is probable that for the first time, fans can see in-game footage and who is honored with being on the cover.
The game's anticipated release is less specific than the reveal: currently, EA Sports indicates that the game will hit shelves sometime this summer. Reports have suggested that the spring transfer portal will need to be resolved before rosters can be finalized and payments can be made to players who will be featured. With minor logistical concerns ahead, the notion that a new college football video game is on the immediate horizon has never felt more real.
