Back in the long ago of 2021, EA stunned and delighted football fans and college players alike when they announced that they would be releasing a new College Football game, a full decade after the previous title. The series, formally titled NCAA after the association itself, was never as big as Madden in either popularity or sales so EA is returning to it after so long as a surprise for sure.
Then, there was nothing. For almost an entire year, we had no updates about the game of any kind, other than a few leaked scraps. Only recently has EA given us even a little information, leaving a lot of fans wondering if the game is really coming at all.
What we know so far
The good news first – the information we’re getting basically confirms that the game is indeed coming somewhere in 2023, which is just in time to see new markets looking forward to it. Aside from keeping college players happy who are looking for a bit of spotlight, changes in how betting is treated means that Ohio sportsbooks amongst others will have more leeway for esports wagers. If Madden is anything to go by, College Football will also prove popular in betting circles like the real league, and with it being fresh off the press, it’s perfectly timed to get started. Comparison sites like this help communities find the best promos too.
A small, limited number of features have also come to light. The match commentary team has been confirmed to be from the ESPN coverage over the FOX hosts, and one of the few highlights that EA has given us is that they’ve integrated specific college traditions into the game. This includes specific dances and celebrations unique to each college for that extra atmosphere.
What we don’t know
The short version is, everything else, including a set release date or any kind of cover design. We do that both the Road to Glory and Dynasty modes are confirmed to return, but whether they’ll look like the NCAA 14 versions is anyone’s guess.
There’s been no word at all on the fan-favorite Team Builder and Mascot Mashup modes making any kind of return. The ability to export draft classes from College up to Madden was a feature included in NCAA 14 and gave the whole system a really authentic feeling, but no information there either.
One tiny note that makes an export feature more likely to have a comeback is that the new College Football game will run on the same engine as Madden, for better or bugs. With that said, the previous series entries weren’t squeaky clean on that front either.
While it’s also not been mentioned by EA, having an Ultimate Team mode in the game is more than likely, given that it’s their highest earner across their sports titles. EA also just recently confirmed that they’re going to stick with Ultimate Team for FIFA 23 despite some controversy around it in the past few years.
So, is College Football 24 still on the way? By all accounts, it almost certainly is. However, what exactly it’s going to look like, or what features will actually make it into the game is still entirely up in the air.
