EA Sports' College Football Comeback: College Football 25's Success
EA Sports' College Football Resurgence: A Game-Changer
Reasons for the Comeback
EA Sports had previously stopped making college video games due to a lawsuit in 2014. Former UCLA men's basketball player Ed O'Bannon named both Electronic Arts and the NCAA as co-defendants over the NCAA's use of student-athletes' images and likenesses for commercial purposes. However, the NCAA vs. Alston case in 2021 led to the implementation of NIL deals in college sports, opening the door for EA Sports to resume making college sports games.
The release of College Football 25 in July was met with great anticipation. Since then, the game has undergone numerous patches and updates to ensure a smooth and bug-free gaming experience for users.
Game's Sales and Rankings
According to data from Circana, as reported by Mike Straw of Insider Gaming, College Football 25 now holds the title of the highest-selling sports video game ever, surpassing NBA 2K21. Additionally, it ranks as the highest-selling video game of any genre in 2024. This is a remarkable achievement considering the long hiatus of the series and the high expectations among sports fans.
When comparing viewership numbers between the NFL and college football over the years, it is surprising to see the College Football series performing better than the Madden series this year. This success presents EA Sports with various possibilities.
Future Implications
Student-athletes agreed to a licensing deal that included a flat $600 payment and a free copy of the game. Over 10,000 student-athletes chose to have their name, image, and likeness included. There is hope that in the future, student-athletes may receive a royalty deal if the College Football series continues to thrive in the video game space like Madden has for years.
The success of College Football 25 not only benefits EA Sports but also has potential positive impacts on student-athletes down the road. While the exact sales number is unknown, its favorable position among other video games this year is a significant milestone.
