EA College Football 26 Drops 'Road to Glory' Mode, Features Info Before Release Date

EA College Football 26 released a trailer Friday highlighting the "Road to Glory" mode, offering new insight into its features before the game is released on Thursday, July 10.

Essentially, the changes in College Football 26 Road To Glory address three concerns that players had regarding the last version, according to game producer Chad Walker and Principal Game Designer Ben Haumiller (via EA.com).

"But in listening to our players, a few clear themes emerged. First, players wanted a more meaningful recruiting experience—more agency in deciding where they go to school, and more control over the moments that lead there. Second, while Coach Trust was a strong foundation for getting on the field, players wanted more tension, more rewards, and more to chase once they earned the starting job. And third, players wanted a better way to track their achievements and celebrate everything they’d earned across their career."

Road to Glory offers a chance to take a college football player from the beginning of his career to the potential pinnacle of a Heisman Trophy and/or a national championship by the end.

Players initially pick their starting point, ranging from an elite, 5-star prospect (a la Travis Hunter) or a 2-star underdog with very little adulation who needs to work his way to stardom.

From there, players choose their position (e.g. quarterback) and archetype (e.g. scrambler). They can then customize their appearance and then pick their starting mental ability, which is based on a few different core tenets.

Players then select what's important to them as they go along their journey (e.g. competing for a national title, starting early, etc.) before they choose their school. Fans can view various pieces of information (a school's interest level, their schemes, depth chart, etc.) before choosing where to play.

During the week, players have to choose where to focus their time on weekly activities (academics, health, training, etc.) while also trying to excel in practice and improving their abilities via mini games.

During the overall journey, players could be tasked with scenarios, such as attending a night class (to boost academics) or going to a party (to boost a social presence and brand). There will also be NIL offers, position battles, opportunities to improve off the field, etc.

Gamers, of course, will control their players on game day in hopes achieving their goals. The presentation of the game will be different, with fans closer to the field to better feel immersed in their player's journey. There will be various challenges along the way, including the need to manage players' health on a week-to-week basis.

At the end of the journey, players have the option to export their player to Madden for their version of Road to Glory (Superstar mode).

EA College Football 26 will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. However, preordering the Deluxe Edition or the EA SPORTS MVP Bundle granted early access to play the game on July 7.