Let me just say from the outset: This is not blaming anyone or pointing fingers at all.
This is more about figuring how the heck we got to the point where countless college football fans who want to see the long-awaited return of an EA Sports NCAA Football video game were so mad after halftime of the national title game between Michigan and Washington when a trailer for the game didn’t show up.
It left us with so many questions: Is the game still coming at some point? (It seems like it will someday, maybe this year or next?) How did this all happen where fans expected it?
As far as I can tell, there was this story from 247 Sports last week, but do read that second paragraph:
EA Sports is expected to release new details of the video game online to coincide with the College Football Playoff’s national championship between No. 1 Michigan (14-0) and No. 2 Washington (14-0) in Houston on Monday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), sources said.
It is not yet clear if EA Sports will announce Monday a launch date for the title, though the game is expected to arrive in the summer. Previously, EA Sports’ NCAA Football video games were released in mid- to late-July, though that franchise ended with NCAA ’14 in the summer of 2013. The new game will not carry the NCAA name.
Writer Matt Brown cautioned fans about expecting too much on Monday:
I need to go be on the phone and radio for a few hours, before I do, let me share a quick EA Sports update thing, because I'm still getting a TON of DMs, and I think the internet has gotten a little ahead of the actual reporting right now…
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) January 8, 2024
If you want to know when the game is coming out, EA has been telling schools the target is July. That also lines up with recent history.
I gotta be honest, I dont really care about the exact date, but clearly you guys do! If this helps you…plan for July. This July.
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) January 8, 2024
I cannot confirm that EA is going to release an exact date today. The only reference I've seen to that in a reported story comes from a recent 247 post. I think the internet forgot to read the third paragraph. pic.twitter.com/t2LOnXxmXp
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) January 8, 2024
I have been told not to expect some massive announcement today. I would set your expectations to be pretty low. You should not freak out if you dont see gameplay or an exact date or whatever else your heart desires right now. I promise you they're still making the game.
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) January 8, 2024
In Brown’s Extra Points newsletter, he had this to say:
While the exact date has not yet been released, multiple school officials have told me that EA has communicated to them a desire to release the game in July of this year. Historically, EA has published their college football video games in July.
That means that we’re around six months away from being able to download the game…but EA has said precious little about the project. While some developers and communications personnel have confirmed a few details with me and other reporters, the bulk of the known information about the game’s development has come from Open Records Requests and school-based communications.
Do I believe this is a cause for concern?
No.
It seems clear this was a case of fans taking some reporting about the possibility of the trailer/release date/something dropping on Monday and running with it.
