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EA Sports College Football still targeting summer 2023 release

By Matthew Liebl

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 10: Alabama Crimson Tide against the Georgia Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 10: Alabama Crimson Tide against the Georgia Bulldogs at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 10, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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About a year ago, Extra Points publisher Matt Brown filed a series of Open Records Requests for updates that EA Sports, or the Collegiate Licensing Corporation were sending to NCAA schools about the revival of the EA Sports College Football video game franchise. Those documents seemingly confirmed a targeted release date around July 2023.

Fast forward a year and Matt Brown is back with another update regarding the highly anticipated game. First and foremost, it appears EA is still targeting a summer 2023 release window.

The latest record request obtained by Brown, which is dated February 25, 2022, confirms that “game development is in full swing.” Now obviously this is far from confirmation that EA Sports will be able to deliver the game by next summer. After all, games are delayed quite frequently these days.

Brown also provided some additional information about the game, specifically regarding gameday environments. It seemingly isn’t enough for EA to just have the school logo and branding. They want to go all out with a gameday atmosphere and have asked schools to provide stadium assets such as “band songs, crowd chants and cheers.”

Part of what makes college football so special is, of course, its unique gameday environments. There’s nothing quite like the college gameday atmosphere — it’s unmatched by any professional sport.

Creating an authentic gameday atmosphere was one of the main points of focus in Madden NFL 22, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see EA adopt a similar mentality towards college football where it’s even more prominent. With over 120 institutions reportedly already signed on for the game, it would be quite impressive for EA to create an authentic gameday environment for each one.

There still seems to be a hold-up regarding player likeness in the game. Although EA wants to include player likeness in the game and pay the athletes to do it, there’s no college football player union or collective bargaining union, making it more difficult for EA to secure a group license. But with Topps having announced plans to launch college football and basketball player trading cards, there’s optimism that something could get done in time. It’s very unlikely that every single college football player will be featured in EA Sports College Football, but if EA could secure at least secure most players from Power 5 conferences, then I’m sure that’ll suffice.

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