The return of virtual college football is still a ways away
Electronic Arts’ return to college football is still a ways off. EA Sports confirms it’s aiming for a summer 2024 revival of its college football series.
Speaking to ESPN, EA Sports VP and general manager Daryl Holt said the timing is due to how much of an undertaking this will be.
“That’s the best date for us to bring the game that we think is going to meet or exceed our player expectations,” Holt told ESPN. “And cover the breadth and scale of what we want in the game. We’re trying to build a very immersive college football experience.”
Part of this involves use real college football players in the game. Before, using players’ likeness in a new EA Sports college football seemed like a non-starter. But as Holt describes it, “the road’s open now, but it’s still under construction.”
This echoes some comments from July 2021 about the possibility of using real players in the virtual experience. An EA source told ESPN that players will be compensated if they appear in-game.
Back to school
EA first announced back in February of 2021 that college football would be returning to the EA Sports fold. Alongside today’s window, EA also confirms that both Road to Glory and Dynasty modes will be in store for the new series.
Since we’ve been without virtual college football since 2013, this news probably sparks some hope for fans of the sport. That being said, player likenesses and compensation still seem to be a lingering question mark. At the very least, a summer 2024 window gives Electronic Arts some time to figure it all out.
