A day after announcing the release date for the upcoming EA Sports College Football 25 video game, fans will get their first glimpse at the actual game.
The video game company dropped the official reveal trailer on YouTube at 11 a.m. ET on Friday morning. The franchise has been dormant for more than a decade and is slated to be released on July 19. College football fans have waited nearly 11 years for the game’s return since it last hit shelves in 2013.
EA unveiled the cover for the game on Thursday, marking the first time current athletes are featured. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter and Michigan running back Donovan Edwards are all featured. The game will also include all 134 FBS teams and the name, image and likeness of current players.
Available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, EA announced gamers will have three editions to pick from. The standard base game costs $69.99. The deluxe edition allows three-day early access and a slew of perks, priced at $99.99. The MVP bundle is priced at $149.99 and includes an early release for EA Sports College Football 25 and Madden. The video game will not be offered on PC.
“It’s just a blessing to be able to be on the cover,” Hunter told ESPN. “We grew up watching this and looking at the covers, and now we’re on it. When I was young, I waited till 12 o’clock to get every NCAA. It was my favorite game by far. I still play the old NCAA 14 to this day.”
Every player in the game will receive $600 plus a copy of the game. Cover athletes and other college football stars who promote the game have inked endorsement deals with EA. A group of college athletes — male and female — have inked endorsement deals with the company to promote the game. The cover athletes also signed separate contracts with the EA.
Over 12,800 athletes have opted into the game, which is significantly more than the number of roster slots. EA previously announced its goal of fielding an 85-man roster for every 134 FBS team. The original EA college football video game franchise ran from 1998 until 2013. Moving from the Bill Walsh College Football moniker to NCAA Football, the annual game was eventually discontinued. Lawsuits emerged, most notably former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and 19 others’ decision to sue the NCAA, arguing the organization violated United States antitrust laws by not allowing athletes to make a share of the revenues generated from the use of their in broadcasts and video games.
What to expect in EA Sports College Football 25?
The National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) declined an offer to be in the game, meaning the Bednarik, Biletnikoff, Davey O’Brien, Doak Walker, Grozo, Jim Thorpe, Maxwell, Outland and Ray Guy awards will not be featured. The Heisman Trophy, which is operated by the Heisman Trust, will be included in the game.
In a teaser trailer released this winter, EA showed development images of the gates at Beaver Stadium, the Gator head that Florida players touch when running onto the field at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and Notre Dame players touching the “Play Like A Champion” sign.
EA also announced the ESPN broadcast crew, which includes Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler, among others. ESPN also has a halftime crew and the College GameDay crew featured.
The transfer portal, which has dominated the sport with its one-time transfer rule recently, will also be included. NIL will play a role, too. With conference realignment and an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, the game will surely have a different feel than NCAA 14, the last time the game was released.
Thursday morning’s release pricing bundles heavily emphasized Ultimate Team packages, but sources tell On3 that EA developers have focused heavily on Road to Glory. The ever-popular Dynasty Mode will be featured, too. More news is expected to come later this month surrounding the game, and EA will continue to drop news about the game in the coming weeks.
Schools have submitted thousands of assets to EA since development began roughly three years. Stadium photos, jerseys, fight songs, traditions and more. Fans will also have their first look at the 12-team College Football Playoff, which is being included in the game.
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