EA Sports College Football 24: What We Know & What We Want
The release of EA Sports College Football 24 is getting closer by the day. After nearly a decade since the last NCAA Football title, college football fans are waiting for the best sports game on the market to make its much anticipated return.
While EA Sports College Football 24 will not go by the traditional NCAA Football moniker, it will still hold the features that fans crave. Let’s take a dive into EA Sports College Football 24 and look at what information has been made public while adding a wish list of what we hope to see in the new game.
What We Know
Release Date
The release date for EA Sports College Football 24 has been all over the place, but it looks like a concrete timeframe has been nailed down. Initially, the franchise was announced in February 2021 and, eventually, a release date of July 2023 was made public. That date was later pushed back and the game is now slated for release in the summer of 2024, according to ESPN.
Fans will likely not be happy that game has been delayed a year; however, it is probably for the better. The game is being built from scratch since the property from NCAA 14 is too old to be reused in the new title. More importantly, the majority of sports games do not undergo major changes on a year-to-year basis, meaning EA Sports College Football 24 will serve as a foundation for future games. With that in mind, it is crucial the first game is a success. Needless to say, an extra year of development will improve the game in the long run.
PS5 & XBOX Series X/S Exclusive
In order for college football fans to get their hands on EA Sports College Football 24 they will need a next-gen console. According to The Athletic, the game will be available on the PS5 and XBOX Series X/S. It will not be available on the previous generation of consoles. At this time, it is unknown if it will be available on PC.
Madden Engine
EA Sports College Football 24 is being built on the Madden engine, according to 247Sports. This is not good news for fans as Madden has consistently been a disappointment. On a more positive note, as previously mentioned, the game is being built from scratch, thus it will not be exactly like Madden. The game will feature new animations and gameplay mechanics which will differentiate itself from the NFL title.
Real Players
One of the biggest questions surrounding a new college football is how it will tackle including real players. This is a hot topic as it played a role in the initial franchise being canceled. That question has been answered when it was announced players will have the ability to opt into the game. If they chose to opt in, their name, image and likeness can be used and they will in turn be included in the game.
Those players will be compensated for opting in, though the exact details have yet to be disclosed. For example, we do not know how many players will be included or how much the players will make. Still, it is positive to see the NIL licensing issue get solved.
Dynasty Focus
One of the most recent developments in the creation of EA Sports College Football 24 is that the game is set to focus on dynasty mode. That should get major applause from fans as Dynasty was the mode that built the NCAA Football franchise. It looks like the developers are aware of that and want to ensure it remains a major selling point of the new franchise.
This is outstanding news with modern Madden titles mostly focusing on Ultimate Team mode and less on franchise mode. The fact that EA Sports clarified the future of the College Football franchise should make fans optimistic that it differs from Madden despite running on the same engine.
Transfer Portal
Since the video game’s last release, the landscape of college football has changed immensely. One of the largest shifts has been the addition of the transfer portal. As you would expect, the transfer portal will be added to EA Sports College Football 24, in turn affecting Dynasty and Road to Glory modes. It is unknown how the transfer portal will be utilized, but it will be included in the game.
What We Want
Roster & Recruiting Class Sharing
One of the reasons that NCAA Football 14 was a success was because of roster sharing. People could create rosters and upload them for others to download — a practice still common in sports games today. Simply put, this is a necessary addition to every sports game. It allows users to create historic rosters or update current rosters. That feature is needed in a college football game as users can stay on top of the copious amounts of teams as players transfer or need stat updates.
In EA Sports College Football 24, I would love to see this feature expanded upon. I would love to see players have the ability to create and share recruiting classes in dynasty mode. This would be used in a similar fashion to custom draft classes in Madden or 2K. This would create a more realistic dynasty experience as players upload incoming recruiting classes.
Customizable Dynasty Features
One of the reasons that Dynasty mode was successful in the original NCAA Football games is because it allowed for a ton of different customization options. In turn, the mode can adapt to what the player wants and can make the game less repetitive. This should be a priority in EA Sports College Football 24.
The first way that this can be accomplished is through a customizable playoff format. In real life, the College Football Playoff is expanding. In-game, players should be given that choice. It would be nice to give players the chance to pick between a playoff featuring 2-32 teams. This would give the player the chance to optimize their dynasty to the playoff format that interests them.
Furthermore, the game needs to include customization options. Similarly, college football is facing realignment questions as USC and UCLA plan to move to the Big Ten. An ideal college football game should allow players to customize conferences.
Lastly, players should be able to customize bowl games. As the playoff format or conferences change, players should be given the ability to adjust bowl games and how teams qualify for each game.
Overall, the more customization, the better. I think the starting point is playoff format, conferences and bowl games, but it should not stop there.
Transfer Portal
As mentioned, the transfer portal will be included in EA Sports College Football 24. I want to expand on some details, though.
To start, the transfer portal must be included in Dynasty mode. I think this is the area where Dynasty mode needs the most growth. In previous titles, players would transfer seemingly at random. It would be far better if you understood why players transferred and were able to take action. For example, if a player is upset about his playing time, you should be aware of that throughout the season and not when he opts to transfer. Another example can see in a player deciding to transfer if a coordinator leaves the school.
Essentially, I want transparency and logic to be used in the transfer system. Similarly, in the offseason, I want to be able to recruit transfers in the same fashion as incoming freshmen. This will help patch roster holes for players that decide to transfer.
In Road to Glory, the transfer portal could make an impact on the mode. This could be used in two ways. The first is the user could transfer if they are not happy with their current school. Secondly, if the user does not play well, the school could opt to bring in a transfer which would make it harder to climb the depth chart. In either scenario, the transfer portal would make Road to Glory more in-depth and realistic.
University Progression in Dynasty
One of the best parts of Dynasty mode is taking a small school and building them into a powerhouse. This is an awesome concept and one of the most popular ways to play. This system can be improved upon, however.
In college football games, a school is given a rating on different aspects of the university like academics, facilities and much more. Those ratings will then affect your ability to recruit. This system can be improved by allowing the player to choose how to improve the university and can be incorporated with a money management system. If your school has a successful year, you can make money from television contracts and ticket sales. That money can then be used to improve certain aspects of your school and thus help to recruit.
To add to this, a way to naturally change conferences could add another progression method. If you are able to build a Group of Five team into a powerhouse, you should receive an invite to a larger conference. This is a small detail that can add more depth to rebuilding a small school.
Madden Export
One of the features of the old NCAA Football games was the ability to export data to Madden. It would be nice if that feature returned.
In effect, this allows the user to export a draft class on NCAA and use that class in a Madden franchise. This feature can allow players to follow their players from college into the NFL.
This feature could also connect the Road to Glory mode with Madden’s Face of the Franchise mode. Once you finish a Road to Glory mode you should be able to export that player in Madden and start your career in the NFL. The success that you had in college can affect your draft stock and your beginning stats.
The one important thing with the implementation of this is that it is not forced. It is important that the modes being connected does not force a player to play each game. Furthermore, the game modes should not be changed because of the possibility of exportation. Overall, this could be an interesting way to connect each game, but it should not be forced. Rather, it is a benefit for someone that uses the feature.
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