EA's juggernaut "College Football 26" is back

The big picture: "College Football 25" was one of the major ways college athletes benefitted from new rules related to name, image and likeness, which were adopted by the NCAA in 2021 — leading to the resurrection of EA's college football game.

• The game gave hundreds of college athletes exposure to millions of gamers, streamers and social media users — as well as celebrities.
• "CFB 25" was no sleeper from a monetary perspective. Early reports during the game's launch suggested it made $500 million within its first month. And EA said in October 2024 that it generated more than $2 billion in revenue in the prior quarter, mostly on the back of "CFB."

'College Football 26' release time, features

It's a no-brainer for EA to bring back the "CFB" franchise. This year's game was first available for early access on Monday, July 7, and launched worldwide Thursday.

• The Alabama Crimson Tide are ranked No. 1 in the game.

What's inside: "CFB 26" smoothed out its gameplay to make it more palatable for its fanbase, and added a slew of in-stadium songs, mascots and celebrations to immerse fans in the world of college football.

• Developers also added dynamic weather, meaning you'll find some classic fall games in the afternoon glow.
• And, true to real-life, gamers playing as college athletes can accept NIL deals, giving them increased stats and traits. That's not a shocker since NIL has been a major factor with the video game in the real world.

'CFB 26' and NIL

"CFB 26" doubles down on EA's support of college athletes, who are benefitting from deals based around their name, image and likeness.

• NIL deals — sometimes worth six or seven figures for recognizable college stars — not only help schools recruit players, but they also impact how college athletes view going pro.
• Arch Manning, the nephew of NFL legend Peyton Manning who features prominently in "CFB 26," is among the highest-paid college athletes from NIL deals.
• Other top paid gridiron stars include Carson Beck of University of Miami and Jeremiah Smith of The Ohio State University.

By the numbers: For last year's game, real-life college players were paid $600 and given a free copy of the game for their NIL use.

• This year, that number has skyrocketed to $1,500.

What they're saying: Scott O'Gallagher, design director for the game, told Sportsbook Review that EA is always watching NIL changes when building their game so it can stay as realistic as possible.

• "I don't know where it's going to go," he said. "These things are constantly changing. We want to stay ahead, but I can tell you we're looking at making changes, and then a rule changes."

Case in point: On July 1, a settlement between the NCAA and college athletes went into effect, allowing colleges to compensate athletes directly, according to ESPN.

• Previously, players made money from third parties or boosters. Now, it can come from athletic departments directly.

Flashback: EA's previous "NCAA Football" series was scrapped in 2013 after former college players sued EA over their right to make money (the case was settled out of court).

• A Supreme Court ruling in 2020 paved the way for NIL usage and the eventual launch of "CFB 25."

EA looks to college basketball next

What's next: The success of the "CFB" franchise has led both EA and Take-Two's 2K Games (which previously published games about college sports) to consider a college basketball video game.

• At the end of June, EA and 2K confirmed they were bringing college hoops to their respective gaming universes.
• EA appears to have exclusive rights to a college basketball video game.