As most have heard by now, on February second, EA sports announced the highly anticipated return of the college football video game. Although they just announced this, the game will not be ready for release in about two to three years, but this doesn’t seem to bother most people due to the jubilation they are experiencing due to the news of its comeback.

The game is now called “EA Sports College Football”, whereas it used to be called NCAA Football, but that seems to be the only huge difference between the two besides graphics and team options.

Just like the old version of the game, the new one will not have the name of the student-athletes, their likenesses, or images due to these athletes not being able to be paid and benefit from it. The last release of the game was on July 9, in 2019. NCAA 14 featuring Denard Robinson as the cover athlete. After seven years of many people playing the same game over and over again, and downloading locally made updates and draft classes, they now have something to look forward to.

NCAA 14 sold over 1 million commercial copies. From those sales, the players in the game were not compensated, which would lead to EA sports being sued due to using the players likenesses and images without paying them.

Although this is the reality now, the hope for the future of the game and players is that the student-athletes will be able to be compensated for being in the game. Many believe once the game is released, the players and community will push even harder for compensation and endorsements. Players can and will say whatever they want on the matter but that doesn’t and hasn’t changed the way the system of them not getting paid has worked.

Image courtesy of Maize & Blue Nation.