EA Sports College Football Video Game Will Let Players Earn NIL Money from Likeness

EA Sports will allow every eligible FBS player to have their likeness represented in the college football game that's scheduled to launch next summer, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein.

The players who opt in will receive compensation, the amount of which hasn't been finalized.

Those who don't opt in will have a generic name and avatar in their place.

In the past, EA Sports was unable to use specific names but would employ clear identifiers for each player. Bryce Young would have been listed as "QB #9" on Alabama's roster with an avatar somewhat resembling his likeness, for example.

NCAA Football 14 was the last iteration, with college sports video games more broadly getting shelved due to issues relating to compensation for student-athletes who would be represented in the games.

Fans were understandably overjoyed when EA Sports announced in February 2021 it was reviving its college football video game series.

The dawn of the NIL era broke down obvious barriers, but significant hurdles remained. The absence of a collective players' union or an overarching authority across FBS meant EA Sports couldn't sign all-encompassing licensing deals. That added to the challenge of building an entirely new game.

Daryl Holt, EA Sports' vice president and general manager, confirmed to Rothstein in November the game was heading toward a summer 2024 launch. He added the company was still working to ensure each FBS school would be featured.

"We expect more will join, but we can only commit to what we have got in the hopper right now," Holt said. "And we'll have more information to share as we move forward along that evolving landscape. But we'll put as many schools as we possibly can put into the game."

Rothstein's newest report is another sign of progress toward achieving the kind of authenticity fans will hope to see.