College Football

Everything we know about 'College Football 25': Cover athletes, release date

Updated May. 28, 2024 1:48 p.m. ET

Finally, after more than a decade of waiting, a college football video game is set to return to shelves in just two months.

EA Sports "College Football 25" will be available for purchase in July, marking the first time since 2013 that the gaming company will release a college football video game. It paused production on the previous iteration of its college football video game, "NCAA Football," after settling a lawsuit with former players who previously weren't compensated for their name, image and likeness (NIL).

RJ Young reacts to the NCAA College Football 25 video game cover | No. 1 CFB Show

EA announced in February 2021 that the game would return after student-athletes were granted permission to seek compensation for their name, image and likeness. There were holdups in the development of the video game, but EA officially announced in January that it would be releasing its first college football video game in 11 years this summer.

A few major details about the game were released on Thursday while EA will have a full reveal of the game on Friday.

As the countdown for "College Football 25" is on, here's everything we know about the upcoming video game.

Who will be on the cover?

EA officially unveiled its cover athletes on Thursday, confirming a pair of recent leaks.

The standard cover will feature three current college football stars: Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, and Michigan running back Donovan Edwards.

Ewers, Hunter and Edwards also appear on the deluxe cover, standing front-and-center in a tunnel of players who appear set to take the field. The backs of the jerseys of other current college football stars are featured on the deluxe cover, such as Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins. The uniforms of other big-name programs are also featured on the deluxe cover.

Who will be in the game?

All 134 FBS teams will appear in the game. EA Sports also made offers to every player on an FBS roster to be a part of the game, with over 12,800 players accepting that offer as of May, according to Extra Points.

EA Sports initially had a goal of getting 87% of all student-athletes to accept the offer, surpassing that goal by the beginning of March. Texas quarterback Arch Manning reportedly declined an offer to join the game.

Players who decline to be in the game will be replaced by a generic avatar, similar to how Barry Bonds was portrayed in some MLB video games.

Players who are in EA Sports "College Football 25" might not look entirely like themselves. Face scans for individual players won't be available for this year's version of the game as it'd be too difficult to implement so many face scans in such a short period, an EA spokesperson told ESPN in February.

How will student-athletes be compensated for appearing in the game?

When it was announced that the game would be returning, EA said that it was offering student-athletes $600 and a copy of the game in order to use their name, image and likeness. A copy of the game is valued at $70.

It's unknown if players on the cover will receive extra compensation.

What features will be included in the game?

Popular game modes from the previous NCAA football series, such as Dynasty Mode and Road to Glory, are reportedly expected to be included in the game. Some new developments in the college football world since the last time EA Sports released a college football video game, such as the transfer portal, are also reportedly expected to be included in the game.

Will the new College Football Playoff be included in the game?

Yes, you'll be able to play with the 12-team College Football Playoff in "College Football 25." It was announced that the CFP would be included shortly after it was announced the game would return this summer.

Additionally, every single bowl game will also reportedly be included in "College Football 25."

What other things will or won't be in the game?

The Heisman Trust announced in March that it would allow EA to use the Heisman Trophy in "College Football 25." However, the National College Football Awards Association declined an offer to allow EA to use its awards in the game.

As a result, prominent college football awards such as the Bednarik, Biletnikoff, Davey O'Brien, Doak Walker, Grozo, Jim Thorpe, Maxwell, Outland and Ray Guy will not be included in the game.

The voices of the game will mostly be ESPN announcers, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit serving as one of the broadcast teams in "College Football 25."

What will gameplay be like?

It's unknown what the gameplay will be like on "College Football 25." EA has developed and produced Madden for decades, so it's fair to expect some similarities between the two.

Which consoles will it be on?

So far, it's only been confirmed that "College Football 25" will be available for purchase on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It's unknown if it'll be available for purchase on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.