EA Sports to bring back college football video game after 8-year hiatus

In 2013, the NCAA ended its relationship with EA Sports amid legal concerns that college football players’ name, image and likeness were being used in the NCAA Football series.

After eight years, EA Sports announced on Tuesday that it plans on making a new college football video game, although it is unclear if it will be produced in time for the 2021 season.

It is also unclear whether the NCAA will be involved in any way with the new video game. EA Sports said it obtained licenses through CLC, which will allow EA Sports to use the names, logos and stadiums of more than 100 college football programs. EA Sports noted that the new video game will initially not include name, image and likeness of players.

The last college football video game released by EA Sports was NCAA Football 14, which was produced in 2013. In the eight years since, the game has gained a sort of cult following, with users creating their own updated rosters as new players develop.

"We’ve heard from the millions of passionate fans requesting the return of college football video games,” said Cam Weber, EA SPORTS executive vice president and GM. “We love the energy, tradition and pageantry of college football and I am beyond thrilled to say we are back in development. 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.”

Following the NCAA’s decision in 2013 to end its contract with EA Sports, the NCAA reached a settlement with former football and men’s basketball athletes for $20 million as a group of former players claimed they were not compensated for their image and likeness being used in previous video games.