College Football 26 Latest on Dynasty Mode, Gameplay, Cross-Play, More from Previews

EA Sports announced several additions and enhancements to the upcoming College Football 26 video game on Thursday.

In conjunction with the release of the official trailer, EA laid out some of the improvements gamers can expect compared to last year's College Football 25, which was the first college football video game in 11 years:

Arguably the biggest change relates to Dynasty Mode, as it will now support cross-play on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, meaning friends who own different consoles can now compete in the same online Dynasty.

EA Sports also touted gameplay improvements, including the addition of dynamic substitutions and 2,800 new plays, as well as "custom zones and improved blocking and coverage logic."

The Wear & Tear system, which was introduced in College Football 25, has also been changed up, as it is now "fully customizable to fit your play style."

College Football 26 will also enhance home-field advantage with more pronounced Stadium Pulse effects, such as a "more intense camera shake, new heads-up display visuals, and clock distortion."

The overall presentation will take a step forward as well with new chants, band songs and mascots tailored specifically to certain teams, along with "a new presentation that reflects the importance of each game in the context of your season."

Several major inclusions that were announced previously were confirmed and explained more thoroughly by EA Sports on Thursday as well.

Among them is the addition of real college football coaches. According to EA, the game will feature the names and likenesses of over 300 real coaches.

Perhaps the most-wanted inclusion by longtime college football video game fans is the ability to begin Road to Glory in high school.

While that was a feature in past games, it was not part of College Football 25. However, in College Football 26, gamers can create their own player and guide them from high school to the college ranks and even into the NFL draft for those who also purchase Madden 26.

Other notable features include the ability to import Team Builder teams from College Football 25 into College Football 26, and the creation of a Trophy Room so gamers can show off their accomplishments from Dynasty, Road to Glory and Road to the College Football Playoff.

College Football 26 will be available worldwide on July 10 for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, while those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle can begin playing three days early on July 7.