College basketball fans and sports gamers alike were treated to a massive surprise when EA announced the return of theCollege Basketball video game series. Details are sparse, as we still don’t have an official release date, advertised features, or even an official title. But already, speculation has run rampant. And if we’re getting an announcement now, it isn’t a stretch to assume that the game’s release will be in the near future — maybe just in time for the start of the real-life college basketball season in November.
While excitement for College Basketball 26 (we’ll call it this until further notice) is sure to be off the charts, it doesn’t hurt to turn on the critical part of one’s brain and assess what CBB should do and how its first game back can avoid the mistakes of its most recent predecessors. While EA has nailed the landing when it comes to the return of the College Football series, basketball is a completely different animal.
NCAA Basketball 10 Was A Good Game, But Lacked Depth
In retrospect, I was a bit hard on NCCA Basketball 10 when I wrote our piece on EA announcing the return of College Basketball. If you actually judge the game on its merits, it was a good game with a good foundation. That said, there were problems, especially as it pertained to the game’s depth as well as its relationship to its foremost competitors.
By taking a look at the game’s Metacritic page, you’ll see that the few professional reviews NCAA Basketball 10 got were mostly positive. However, they all said pretty much the exact same thing: The game didn’t provide much else in terms of features. The in-game AI left much to be desired as well.
The thing is, at the time of its release, NCAA Basketball 10 didn’t have any competition. Despite being a great series in its own right, 2K’s College Hoops was discontinued after the release of 2K8 in 2007, after which 2K Sports declined to renew its licensing agreement with the NCAA. Because of that, many critics kind of went easy on NCAA Basketball 10 as it was the only game in town.
What College Basketball 26 Needs To Do To Be Successful
So, now that we know where NCAA Basketball 10 thrived and where it fell short, what can the new College Basketball 26 do to ensure it’s not only a commercial success, but builds upon its predecessor’s framework?
For one, it needs to capture the sport better. Again, while NCAA Basketball 10 was solid, it didn’t feel as big and bombastic as college basketball traditionally feels, especially when it comes to March Madness. Whether you’re an ardent follower of college basketball or not, March Madness is one of the most popular and beloved sporting events in the United States. It feels larger than life, not just in the arenas, but on TV as well. If College Basketball 26 is to make a good first impression, nailing that tournament is the number one priority.
Another thing is that it needs to be rich in features, especially as it pertains to any kind of Road to Glory mode. College Football has shown that in order for a college sports game to be engaging, it needs to simulate not just the actual action, but what’s going on behind the scenes. Pipeline recruiting, unique playing styles, fan participation — it all has to be there. On top of that, teams and players will have to be licensed.
Am I oversimplifying things? Perhaps. But here’s the truth. When College Basketball 26 comes out, there will be a honeymoon phase because of how starved college basketball fans have been when it comes to gaming. But that honeymoon phase will only transition into long-term success if the game is not only good, but deep and engaging.
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