Collegiate Licensing Co. CEO: 'Hope' Is College Football Video Game Drops Summer 2023
December 9, 2021
Sports fans who have been lamenting the loss of EA Sports' NCAA Football video game series could be in luck.
Per Brandon Marcello of 247Sports, EA Sports is "aiming" to bring back the college football video game in the summer of 2023.
Cory Moss, CEO of Collegiate Licensing Co., told Marcello that 2023 is "the hope" as to when a new series would be launched.
After Moss' comments, EA Sports pushed back on that timeline, saying it would confirm a launch "at a later date."
Matt Brown of Extra Points obtained a copy of a proposal from EA Sports and the Collegiate Licensing Co. to FBS schools that indicates the video-game developer has a plan in place to release officially licensed games annually for four years starting on July 1, 2023.
Matt Brown @MattBrownEPGot another copy of the EA Sports/CLC proposal to FBS schools, dated Jan 15, with fewer redactions than previous copies. Here's a bit more info on the money schools may make from the game:<br><br>Appears to be a four year license proposal <a href="https://t.co/tVNegAXd8P">pic.twitter.com/tVNegAXd8P</a>
There has been an expectation that the NCAA Football game franchise would return after the NCAA adopted name, image and likeness rules for student-athletes that took effect on July 1.
EA Sports teased fans about a new release with this tweet posted on Feb. 2:
When that announcement was first made, Eddie Makuch of Gamespot reported the game was being made without the NCAA's involvement.
"We love the energy, tradition and pageantry of college football and I am beyond thrilled to say we are back in development," Cam Weber, EA Sports executive vice president, said in a statement. "We have a lot of really exciting work ahead of us, and a great team that is eager to bring a new game to players in the next couple of years."
As part of the Madden NFL series, EA Sports has included licensed college teams as part of its storyline mode. This year's game featured 10 college teams that gamers could use in Superstar KO as part of a limited-time event.
Players on those teams were made up of legends who played for the program. For instance, USC's roster had Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer as its quarterbacks, Reggie Bush at running back and Marcus Allen at fullback.
The college football series has been dormant since the release of NCAA Football 14 in July 2013 because of legal issues over whether players should be paid for use of their likeness.
EA Sports didn't use player names in the games, but things like jersey numbers, height, weight and in-game biographical information matched that of the player the avatar was based on.