It's been over ten years since the release of EA Sports' NCAA Football 14. The college football fanbase has been rabid for its reintroduction for years. They'll get their first look at the series?' evolution ??soon.

The official EA Sports College Football X account updated its profile today to reveal the franchise's new logo. Alongside that, we also got a College Football 25 teaser trailer ?that announced the game would be fully revealed in May.

We've known since November that EA was targeting this summer for College Football 25's release. However, after previous delays, fans may have been speculative as to whether the college football sim could actually meet its target. Those same fans were playfully called out in today's College Football 25 teaser. "Yeah, it's really happening."

EA's NCAA series was beloved during its run. Many football fans considered the franchise to be superior to its sister series, Madden. Unfortunately, due to complications in college sports around name, image, and likeness, EA shelved it following the release of NCAA Football 14.

The NCAA series was renowned for nailing the authentic atmosphere of college football. The fans, the mascots, the rivalries, the stadiums, all of it faithfully recreated in video game form. The Collge Football 25 teaser trailer seems to hit on all those no??stalgic notes, assuring r??eturning fans that this reincarnation will be worth the patience.

With a reveal in May and release in ?the summer, we won't have to wait much longer to find out.

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License to bring in UK teams for six-year period

As Electronic Arts prepare for a life without the official FIFA branding, the publisher is reportedly already taking steps to ensure the future of its hugely lucrative footballi??ng franchis??e, reaching out to the UK Premier League in order to secure licensing for its teams and players.

According to a report from Sky Sports, EA is in the process of negotiating with the Premier League to come to terms on a partnership for the upcoming EA Sports FC series �essentially the "FIFA" series sans official endorsement from the FIFA organization itself, which officially parted ways with Electronic Arts with the publishing of recent release FIFA 23, bringing an end to an almost 30-year partnership.

The EA x Premier League deal is, according to Sky Sports' sources, in its closing stages, and is said to have a worth of around £488 million (roughly $5??88 million USD). This figure, if correct, is believed to be around double the value of the previous deal between the two participants. The new contract will reportedly last for six years and will see EA retain its role as the lead partner of the Premier League, while also retaining its licensing for the use of 20 UK teams and their corresponding players.

As for FIFA itself, the group has previously suggested that it intends to launch its own football game franchise, and is currently seeking a developer for this as-yet-untitled new series. Ultimately, the long-running and incredibly popular "FIFA" experience lies with the talent of EA Sports, and while the transition period for EA Sports FC will be a little clunky, EA is expected to go above and beyond to ensure that its annual football rel?eases remain a hugely lucr??ative part of its portfolio.

Premier League closes i?n on £500m deal with EA Sports [Sky Sports / GamesIndustry.biz]

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EA and FIFA set to part ways

Electronic Arts announced its financial earnings for its third quarter of the fiscal year, revealing that the latest, and last, entry in its long-running FIFA franchise, FIFA 23, is on? track to be the best-selli?ng release in the franchise's entire history.

Speaking in a conference call, transcribed by VGC, EA CEO Andrew Wilson noted that North American sales of the football sim are up a huge 50% on last year's release, and as such the title is "pacing to be the biggest title in franchise history". As we previously reported, Electronic Arts FIFA 23 had an incredible launch week, racking up an incredible 10.3 millio?n players within one week of i??ts September 30, 2022 launch date.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIW1X2dv0c&??amp;vl=en&ab_channel=EASPORTSFIFA

In a strange irony, what could prove to be the most successful Electronic Arts FIFA title of all time will also be the last collaboration between the game publisher and international football's statutory body. As of next year, Electronic Arts will launch its new brand, EA Sports FC, while the Federation Internationale de F?ootball Association itself is hoping to find success with its own fo??otball simulation series.

Despite the insistence by FIFA president Gianni Infantino that the new, official FIFA game will be "the only authentic, real game", and "best one available for gamers and football fans", I think we know where the development talent and marketing savvy really lie. And, given the skyrocketing success of FIFA 23, The FIFA federation may soon regret pricing itself out of one of �if not the �most consistently performin?g franch??ise in the entire history of video games.

FIFA 23 is available now on??  PlayStation, PC, Xbox, an??d Nintendo Switch platforms.

EA sa?ys FIFA 23 is ??on track to be the biggest title in franchise history [VGC]

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The return of virtual college football is still a ways away

Electronic Arts' return to college football is still a ways off. EA Sports confirms it's aiming? for a summer 2024 revival of its college football se??ries.

Speaking to ESPN, EA Sports VP and general manager Daryl Holt sai??d the timing is due to how much of an undertaking this will be.

"That's the best date for us to?? bring the game that we think is going to meet or exceed our player expectations," Holt told ESPN. "And cover the breadth and scale of what we want in the game. We're trying to build a very immersive college football experience."

Part of this involves use real college football players in the game. Before, using players' likeness in a new EA Sports college football seemed like a non-starte??r. But as Holt describes it, "the road's open now, but it's still under construction."

This echoes some comments from July 2021 about the possibility of using real p?layers in the virtual experience. An EA source told ESPN that players will be compensated if they appear in-game.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTklaI3EAm0

Back to school

EA first announced back in February of 2021 that college football would be returning to the EA Sports fold. Alongside toda??y's window, EA also confirms that both Road to Glory and Dynasty modes will be in store for the new series.

Since we've been without virtual college football since 2013, this news probably sparks some hope for fans of the sport. That being said, player likenesses and compensation still seem to ?be a lingering question mark. At the very least, a summer 2024 window gives Electronic Arts some time to figure it all out.

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Sam Kerr and Marcus Rashford prove key players

Despite having only launched just one month ago, Electronic Arts' FIFA 23 has already seen more engagement and playtime than some games can only dream of in their entire lifespan �Not only is the soccer sim the fastest-selling entry in franchise history, but the commun??ity has already played some 1.7 billion matches over the course of the past four weeks.

EA Sports noted the bewildering figure in a fun stat sheet pertaining to the new title, which launched on PC and consoles on September?? 29. According to the figures, over 200 nations have played for a total of 15 billion minutes, scoring 4.3 billion goals across the 1.7 ??billion matches. The top male goal scorer is Manchester United and England National player Marcus Rashford, while the top female scorer is Chelsea Women's Sam Kerr. Kerr also features on the cover of the Ultimate Edition and is the first woman soccer player to do so.

//twitter.com/EA?SPORTSFIFA/status/1587127376974151688?s=20&t=r1NmmBMRRLW1qa-Z22GOrA

It should also be noted that AFC Richmon?d has racked up one million match wins to date. Good j??ob, Ted.

FIFA 23 will be the final title in the decades-long franchise to feature joint collaboration between developer Electronic Arts and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) brand. Following a complex (and somewhat bitter) licensing dispute, the two billion-dollar juggernauts decided to part ways in 2021. Electronic Arts' future soccer sims will retail under the new name of EA Sports FC, while the FIFA organization has stated its intention on developing its own rival soccer series, which it claims will "remain THE BEST". Hmm.

FIFA 23 ?is available now on PlayStation, PC, ?and Xbox platforms.

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Multi-year partnerships with UWCL announced

This year's final collaboration between Electronic Arts and FIFA, FIFA 23, is the first title in the long-standing series to feature women's club football. And, in addition this long overdue feature in smash-selling franchise, EA Sports has also announced its intention to invest in women's football via a ??series of new in?itiatives.

Firstly, EA will contribut?e $11 million USD via its "Starting XI" fund, which will be invested in women's clubs, leagues, and up-and-coming players. This will be followed in 2023 by a new internship program, which will be extended to all of its women's footballing partners in order to help support and finance new and upcoming players as they begin their journey to glory within The Beautiful Game.

"EA Sports is at the epicenter of global football fandom, and we recognize the role we have in representing and elevating diversity and p?articipation in the sport,�said Brand SVP Andrea Hopelain. “Our commitment extends beyond the pitch in the virtual and real world. The Starting XI Fund reinforces our dedication to unrivaled authenticity and representation in our games, and also showcases our focus on being change??makers for the future of the sport."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIW1X2dv0c

In addition to these investments, EA has entered into a multi-year partnership with the UEFA Women's Championship League (UWCL), to license and include its team's within its future footballing releases, (which will be released under the newly licensed title of EA Sports FC). In alignment with the new UEFA license, EA will become a sponsorship partner for the streaming platform DAZN, which is poised to become the official streaming network for U?WCL matches as of spring 2023.

"We are thrilled to officially announce EA Sports as DAZN’s newest global broadcast sponsor of the UWCL coverage, as part of a budding roster of like-minded brands investing into the ever-strengthening women’s football economic ecosystem," said DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev, C?EO. "W??hat EA SPORTS is doing to advance the women’s game is game-changing, and we look forward to activating this new partnership to collectively reach and engage millions more fans around the globe and inspire the next generation along the way.

FIFA 23 is available now on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. It has already seen the biggest launch in franchise history, pulling in an incredible 10 million players in its launch week.

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1936 - 2021

John Madden, perhaps the single most recognizable personality in the history of the NFL, passed away on December 28 at the age of 85. Madden, who has been involved with the pro football scene for over five decades, might be best known to our readers as the figurehead of Electronic Arts' John Madden Football video game series, which Madden has become synonymous with since i?ts inception in 1988.

Born in Austin, Minnesota in 1936, John Madden first hit the gridiron during his high school years, eventually receiving a college scholarship at the University of Oregon. While Madden would eventually be signed for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles in 1958, severe injuries from his college football career would force his retirement before he ever had the chance to play professionally. Undaunted, Madden would transition into a coaching role in the 1960s, rising to the role of head coach for the Oakland Ra??iders �the youngest coach ever to head up a pro team �and would lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl win in 1977.

After retiring in 1979, Madden moved on to what is perhaps his most iconic role, that of a sports broadcaster and commentator. Broadcasting on CBS, Madden worked alongside fellow commentator Pat Summerall for CBS Sports for over 20 years, before moving to FOX Sports in the mid-'90s, and eventually ending his television career with NBC in 2009. Madden became famous for his larger-than-life delivery style, keen analytical mind, and a slew of commentary gems such as "At the end of the gam?e, the team with the most points on the board is going to win."

Madden's fame and personality pushed beyond the sport itself, and would see the broadcaster make celebrity appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, and even rock band U2's video for "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of." For video game fans, however, John Madden will always be the face of EA Sports' long-running and incredibl??y popular video game series, with the broadcaster leading his name, his likeness, and occasionally his voice to over 30 titles for an abundance of platforms. Madden himself took it with good humor that he was best known internationally as "the guy from the video games" over his impressive list of actual sporting achievements.

Destructoid is not a sports history website, yet ?the fact we have presented an obituary for John Madden shows how intrinsically linked with video gaming he was, as a name and likeness for a blockbuster series. Indeed, it's absolutely fascinating how, when it comes to the branding of sports game franchises, you have "PGA" for golf, "FIFA" for s??occer, "WWE 2K" for pro-wrestling, "NBA 2K" for Basketball, and "MLB" or "RBI" for baseball...

...But when it comes to pro-football video games, nobody call?s it "NFL."

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The big November update is now targeting next spring

Konami's new virtual football game eFootball 2022 has been having a pretty rocky launch. The PES successor was set to receive a big p?atch this month, but today, the development team has announced it's pushing that?? update back to next year.

An update from the eFootball 2022 team says that the version 1.0.0 update scheduled for Nov. 11 will now go live in spring 2022. Additionally, Konami is cancelling and refunding the eFootball 2022 Premium Player Pack pre-orders, and automati??cally refunding anyone who purchased ?it.

"We are working as hard as possible to deliver an experience that our players expect and deserve by Spring 2022," said the Konami team. The mobile version of eFootball 2022 that was planned for this autumn has also been pushed back to spring 2022.

//twitter.com/play_eFootball/status/14564325405085573?15

Konami has been trying to manage expectations of eFootball 2022, as the version that's currently available is supposed to be a smaller version, likened to a demo. That hasn't really stopped fans being either d??isappointed with the result that's publicly available, or chuckli?ng at som??e of the mishaps occurring on-screen, or both.

November's version 1.0.0 update for eFootball 2022 was set to add a significant amount of content to the virtual pitch, so hold??outs are probably disappointed to see it slip. You also can't re-do a first impression, so making that next impression count is pretty important.

Konami as a whole is reportedly gearing up for some big things, too. A recent report says that Konami is ramping up development on new projects across many of its popular old franchises, including Metal Gear, Castlevania, and the Silent Hill series. Reports at the time indicated that this could include a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

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