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EA College Football (NCAA Football returns!)

Dr. Shats Basoon

Closed mouths don't get fed
The game, and this forum, are on the way up folks. Get in on the ground floor

Everything you need to know about the return of EA Sports' college football video game
EA Sports is rebooting its college football series for Next Generation consoles, announcing Tuesday that it will end the hiatus the game has taken since then-Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson appeared on the cover of NCAA Football 14.
There's still a lot to sort out about what the game will look like, what its structure will be and even when it will be available. But college football is (eventually) coming back to gaming consoles.
Here's what we know and what we don't.
Why is EA Sports bringing the video game back now?
Since the last edition of the game in the 2013 season, there has been discussion within EA Sports about relaunching it. At the time of its discontinuation, it was a very popular title, and its return remained high on the priority list at the company.
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EA Sports actually dropped a few Easter eggs pointing to the possibility. In the past two editions of Madden, some college football programs were included as part of the "Face of the Franchise" story mode of the game. EA Sports vice president and general manager Daryl Holt told ESPN that while it wasn't a conscious decision to do that as a test run for the return of a college football game, there was positive feedback and returns, particularly in those college markets.
"That was another just check mark to go -- we know [fans] are itching for it and we know we can develop and deliver a great college football experience," Holt said. "So why are we waiting?
"So the question may be not so much 'why now' versus 'why not now?'"
EA Sports recently started putting together a strategy and development team, which led to Tuesday's announcement.
When can I play the game?
To be determined.
At this point, no one from EA Sports would commit to when the game could return or even a date to announce a launch date. For now, consider this news to be a commitment for the game to return at some point.
One thing is certain, though: Holt said it won't happen this year.
What will be in the game?
That's still unclear. It's very early in the process.
EA Sports is working with the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) -- the licensing partner for many schools -- on securing the use of the stadiums, uniforms, mascots, traditions and names for over 100 teams in the FBS. Holt said the game itself will be "a deep, immersive experience that has true wide-open game play for college football." What that looks like is still to be determined and might depend on the continued technology on Next Gen gaming systems PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
It could have an eventual tie-in to Madden -- in prior iterations, for example, you could import draft classes from NCAA Football into Madden. Holt said EA Sports is looking at things in terms of what is part of a football career, but the company is still in experimentation mode.
Holt said EA Sports is starting with the game play, making sure that is strong then going from there.
"Whether that's a reimagining or an evolution of things that were in the game before or new things and new ways to play, I don't want to get into the details of what we're already planning and what we'll put in that," Holt said. "But it will be something that our core fans, if they appreciated and loved NCAA 14, they will love this game because that's just the starting point."
Otto the Orange just might be returning to a video game, as EA Sports plans to relaunch its college football series. Elsa/Getty ImagesDoes the NCAA need to change its rules before the game can return?
No. Current NCAA rules prohibit EA Sports from paying players to use their names, images and likenesses in the game. If those rules are still in effect when the game is released, EA Sports plans to include real details such as team names, mascots and uniforms but not anything that would resemble the real players on those rosters.
EA Sports announced it would stop making its college football game in 2013 shortly before the company agreed to pay part of a reported $40 million to former college players to settle a lawsuit filed by former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon. The lawsuit argued that it was illegal for EA Sports to sell a game with characters that looked strikingly similar to real athletes without paying those athletes.
While O'Bannon was sometimes mistakenly blamed for the game's demise, the company said at the time that it stopped production because the NCAA and some conferences were no longer interested in licensing their logos and names to the game makers, which prevented them from creating an authentic experience. Those schools are again willing to partner up with EA Sports. Holt didn't comment on why those partnerships have been revived, but he insisted there is nothing that currently prevents EA Sports from producing the game.
How will the current debate around name, image and likeness (NIL) rules impact the game?
While real players don't have to be included in the new version of the game, they could be included if future legislation makes it possible for college athletes to negotiate as a group. The NCAA -- prompted by pressure from state and federal lawmakers -- is in the process of changing its rules to provide athletes some opportunities to profit from endorsements in the future. It's not yet clear if those new opportunities will include the ability to organize for group licensing deals.
For pro sports video games, the game maker typically negotiates with the league's union on a price for the NIL rights of all players. The union then makes sure each player gets a piece of the total payment. The NCAA says players shouldn't be allowed to form a union because they are students, not employees. While a traditional union isn't essential to setting up the organization needed for collective bargaining, NCAA leaders have so far tried to steer clear of any kind of arrangement that would create a mechanism for athletes to negotiate as a group.
But the NCAA might not get to set the terms of future NIL rules. Congress is expected to address college sports reform and compensation in some way in the relatively near future -- most likely before EA Sports would be ready to roll out its new game. At least two of the proposals that will be considered by the Senate aim to guarantee the right to collective bargaining for future college athletes. If either of those options is signed into law, the door would be open for EA Sports to negotiate with players to create more realistic rosters.
"We'll just keep tabs on everything as it develops, and we'll be ready," Holt said.
What will the game be called?
The name is changing. Gone is the NCAA Football series name. In its place will be EA Sports College Football. That, Holt said, is the branding the company is working with and planning on using.

"It all starts really with where we see college football as going," Holt said. "There's a lot of things happening and there's a lot of things happening in sports. EA Sports College Football gives us a name and a brand to kind of work around for some things that might evolve as well as what we're focusing on really out of the gate, which is really the FBS Division I school and the road to the College Football Playoff and College Football Championship.
"So EA Sports College Football, we just felt, is the right name for the product for not only now but also as we move forward."
What else still needs to be determined?
Holt said the early focus at EA Sports is on building out a team to develop the game and working on its design.
"Right now, it's been more of a focus on the partnership with CLC, the design aspects, early on innovations that we're working on that might have a long tail on them," he said. "And then building a team and pulling the team together both internally and externally to make a great game."
 

goblue96

Disney and Curling Expert
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kella

Low IQ fat ass with depression and anxiety
Staff member
Administrator
Operations
Yeah I mentioned that elsewhere as well. It's gonna be totally random players, maybe even randomized conferences. Looks like they are looking to initially license around 100 schools but they simply cannot get away with WR #6 for Alabama who is clearly Devonta Smith.

They're gonna slough off all the roster work onto the community lol
 

Mr. Radpants

Trog Five Standing By
Yeah I mentioned that elsewhere as well. It's gonna be totally random players, maybe even randomized conferences. Looks like they are looking to initially license around 100 schools but they simply cannot get away with WR #6 for Alabama who is clearly Devonta Smith.

Kaldenberg is ramping up his fallen gamerosters.com empire as we speak! Giants in the playground...

16991
 

kella

Low IQ fat ass with depression and anxiety
Staff member
Administrator
Operations
Seriously though are you'll going to list this as a FOOTBAW forum again and receive new members or keep us in our little corner of the internet we are now? I don't think either is wrong, just wondering.

Good question. I haven't seriously tried to run this thing as a real forum in YEARS. We have no SEO and with the rise of Reddit I doubt there's much room to attract new members with this. It would help if threads about the game were in the right forum (AP21 would agree) and had actual non meme-ish titles.

I imagine once the game launches and we've got people playing it and some leagues forming up (serious leagues and otherwise) we'll generate some new traffic. At that point it may be worth putting together a punch-list of improvements and paying someone with more time/interest to open us back up for business.
 

adchester

A-1 From Day 1
Good question. I haven't seriously tried to run this thing as a real forum in YEARS. We have no SEO and with the rise of Reddit I doubt there's much room to attract new members with this. It would help if threads about the game were in the right forum (AP21 would agree) and had actual non meme-ish titles.

I imagine once the game launches and we've got people playing it and some leagues forming up (serious leagues and otherwise) we'll generate some new traffic. At that point it may be worth putting together a punch-list of improvements and paying someone with more time/interest to open us back up for business.
It's still the third result for "ea college football forum" on da google for me but that might just be due to my browser history lol
 

kella

Low IQ fat ass with depression and anxiety
Staff member
Administrator
Operations
@Irishman 's slush fund Those server costs don't pay for themselves

Donations + what I kick in take care of the server costs. As I said in the other post, Xenforo is actually pretty complicated and I haven't the time or interest to fully upgrade it and outfit it properly to help generate traffic and new members. This would likely be something I'd have to outsource to someone on their community site.
 

fried rice

Who wants to sex Mutombo?
This is perfect. I think I've jumped the gun and written the first post of a new CFB dynasty I've wanted to start. Granted this is not coming out for a few years, so might be a better idea to try to buy NCAA 14 somewhere.
 

bruin228

Well-Known Member
NCAA Moderator
I am honestly shocked anyone here is actually looking forward to this absolute piece of shit franchise coming back.
 

hayvis

Will-Gnome Member
This is fucking amazing. Hopefully they can make it as good as Madden. If not I am not buying this.
 

Mr. Radpants

Trog Five Standing By
That doesn’t seem right. Every sports game has editable players and shareable rosters. You can download draft classes in Madden.
 
That doesn’t seem right. Every sports game has editable players and shareable rosters. You can download draft classes in Madden.
But all of those would be pro sports games now, correct? With the lawsuit about player likeness, I guess they saw that as a loophole that could lead to more lawsuits.
 
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