NCAA Football 14 News Post

EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt

04:23 PM - September 26, 2013 by FloorGeneral

Here is the official statement from EA Sports:

Quote:


	"Today I am sad to announce that we will not be publishing a new college football game next year, and we are evaluating our plan for the future of the franchise. This is as profoundly disappointing to the people who make this game as I expect it will be for the millions who enjoy playing it each year. I�d like to explain a couple of the factors that brought us to this decision. We have been stuck in the middle of a dispute between the NCAA and student-athletes who seek compensation for playing college football. Just like companies that broadcast college games and those that provide equipment and apparel, we follow rules that are set by the NCAA � but those rules are being challenged by some student-athletes. For our part, we are working to settle the lawsuits with the student-athletes. Meanwhile, the NCAA and a number of conferences have withdrawn their support of our game. The ongoing legal issues combined with increased questions surrounding schools and conferences have left us in a difficult position � one that challenges our ability to deliver an authentic sports experience, which is the very foundation of EA SPORTS games. At EA SPORTS, college football has always been a labor of love, and it is unfortunate that these business and legal issues have impacted our ability to make next year�s game. This franchise has been developed by a team that is deeply committed to the tradition and culture of this sport � that�s why fans have always loved it. We are working to retain the talented people who are part of the team by placing them elsewhere within the EA SPORTS organization. In the meantime, we will continue to be connected and engaged with our fans who are playing EA SPORTS NCAA Football. Our decision does not affect our commitment to NCAA Football 14 and the consumers who love playing the game."

Game: NCAA Football 14Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 54 - View All

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Member Comments

# 461 dso122783 @ 12/15/13 01:23 PM

To be honest, I was always an NFL guy, never really paid much attention to college football. Then back in 2005, a friend of mine in college was playing NCAA one time I was over there. I ended up buying it and playing it like crazy, and from that year on I was always into the real thing and the video game. So without EA's NCAA football I would not be the college football fan I am today.

# 462 herropreese @ 12/15/13 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coogrfan


	Houston posted some very NCAA-ish renderings of our new stadium last week that reminded me just how much it sucks that I'll never get to play in the place. That dude in the red jacket really gets around.

Looks like a typical UH home crowd.

# 463 NDAlum @ 12/15/13 02:45 PM

We still have our 12-man online dynasty going and I also run a Madden 32-man CFM. Put me in the category of thinking NCAA is flat out a better game than Madden. The on the field game play is just more rewarding. I can actually play defense against another user in NCAA, which is what I pride myself on being able to do.

Just finished a 16-10 B1G slugfest between Rutgers & Michigan State.

Makes me so sad this game is gone

# 464 coogrfan @ 12/15/13 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herropreese


	Looks like a typical UH home crowd.

...

# 465 jhogan3132 @ 12/15/13 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NDAlum


	We still have our 12-man online dynasty going and I also run a Madden 32-man CFM. Put me in the category of thinking NCAA is flat out a better game than Madden. The on the field game play is just more rewarding. I can actually play defense against another user in NCAA, which is what I pride myself on being able to do. Just finished a 16-10 B1G slugfest between Rutgers & Michigan State. Makes me so sad this game is gone

I'm in 3 different dynasties and I hope the servers stay up for a while because it's still a blast.

Tapatalk on Samsung Note II

# 466 bucknut7 @ 12/15/13 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhogan3132


	I'm in 3 different dynasties and I hope the servers stay up for a while because it's still a blast. Tapatalk on Samsung Note II

How long do servers generally stay up in these situations?

# 467 TimLawNYC @ 12/20/13 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSoxFox7


	Given the reward here would be selling NCAA games and other merchandise featuring player likenesses indefinitely (rather than suspending jersey sales like they did recently), I'm gonna go ahead with the only reasonable position that EA and CLC realize they were violating IP for over a decade.

That's not even CLOSE to a safe assumption, and FAR from "the only reasonable position" here. There are many reasons a party to litigation might choose to settle before trial, even if they are sure that they are "right" on the facts or the law. Maybe they just don't want to deal with the headache anymore. Maybe they're sick of paying attorney fees and don't see the trial concluding anytime soon (they might even believe that they can get out of the suit cheaper with a settlement than with a victory at trial due to these fees if the anticipate significant delays in the resolution of the case). Maybe they think they are objectively "right", but the judge has given them cause to believe they could still lose at trial. Many companies are just risk averse and want some certainty, and are willing to accept a reasonable settlement to get that certainty (for example, imagine a defendant in a suit with $50 million at stake, whose attorney advises that he thinks their position is very strong and that there is probably an 85-90% chance that they win at trial and end up paying nothing, but they can settle the case now for $5 million and just be done with it. Many companies would take the settlement in that case because they value the certainty of knowing what they'll pay over the risk of either paying nothing or $50 million down the road, even if the chances of paying the $50 million are only 10%). There are many considerations that go into whether to settle a case, and many of those reasons have nothing to do with whether or not the client has decided that they acted improperly.

# 468 BLACKHORSE09 @ 12/21/13 09:48 PM

The games would continue to be sub par every year until people just stopped buying them anyways. They had no competition which led them to be pretty god dam complacent with whatever they spit out each year, a lot of aspects just got worse and honestly I think Ultimate Team and Single Season was just silly. Add some spectating top ranked teams (although I feel like ddosing or something could potentially be a problem) or some coop online or something impressive. Selling packs of virtual cards for like 40 bucks is just weird.

# 469 ftball11 @ 12/28/13 03:19 AM

The problem is not just the former athletes and their $40 million settlement, the problem is gamers as well. Don�t forget, EA settled a class-action suit with gamers for $27 million. EA is going to payout $67 million and to add icing on the cake, now the NCAA is suing them. Due to the liability, I guarantee you no company will ever produce a college sports game and the NCAA will never license to a video-game maker again.

# 470 Cardot @ 12/29/13 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLACKHORSE09


	honestly I think Ultimate Team and Single Season was just silly.

More hate for Single Season? This was minimal effort to develop. It is merely a stripped down dynasty mode. For those of us who don't get into the recruiting aspect of the game, this is a very nice option.

# 471 ftball11 @ 12/30/13 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSoxFox7


	That's a really dumb guarantee to be making when just a small change to the NCAA's amateurism rules could change everything and allow companies like EA and 2K to license player likenesses. It's an even dumber guarantee to be making when there stands a good chance the Supreme Court will force the NCAA to make that change.

That's a lot of "if's" that have to come into play for a game to be released again. Personally, I hope the future of the series and college sports games is not dead. But based upon the current situation, without those "if's", I stand by my regular post.

# 472 SpeedyMikeWallace @ 01/02/14 12:47 AM

Haven't bought the game since NCAA 12. Have they fixed the super LB BS? I'm talking the "Oh I'm going to knock down the pass that should be 10 feet over my head" junk that happens on half the passes over the middle in any given game.

# 473 Cardot @ 01/02/14 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedyMikeWallace


	Have they fixed the super LB BS?

I have some complaints about this version, and there are some things I really miss from '12. However for me, the passing game is one thing that is MUCH better. Pretty much every interception I throw is a mistake on my part. I don't see the warping, psychic DB's. (Although note that I am a very average player, playing on average difficulty settings. There may be CPU BS on the higher levels?)

# 474 SpeedyMikeWallace @ 01/02/14 01:10 AM

How about one DB magically being about to cover 2 WRs simultaneously?

# 475 jcass10 @ 01/02/14 01:49 PM

Will we be able to download the rosters in the future? Either from XboxLive or a user here?

# 476 bbmike15 @ 01/04/14 06:14 PM

I would assume so but with EA sometimes you never know...
If I remember right I think NCAA 2k8 basketball still let's you. But that's a different company.

# 477 loccdogg26 @ 01/04/14 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbmike15


	I would assume so but with EA sometimes you never know... If I remember right I think NCAA 2k8 basketball still let's you. But that's a different company.

2k shut down their servers a while back.

# 478 TimLawNYC @ 01/20/14 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSoxFox7


	All of these maybes ignore the massive windfall EA would have if they were to win the case. Everything you've just said is true in the general case - a settlement isn't inherently an admission of fault. The problem here is we're not speaking in general, we're specifically talking about the O'Bannon case, in which EA/CLC would have HUGE gains if they were to win. It's not a tacit admission of guilt, but it's a pretty clear statement of where they expected the ruling to fall.

What "massive windfall" would EA get in this case? EA is a defendant in this lawsuit, and I'm unaware of any counterclaims they have filed against the O'Bannon plaintiffs. EA doesn't stand to WIN anything in this litigation--their possible outcomes are either 1) a verdict saying they owe the players money, or 2) a verdict saying they don't owe the players anything. I don't see any avenue for a verdict awarding money to EA.

And, again--take it from somebody who represents big companies in litigation for a living--companies often choose a reasonable settlement just to get out of a case even if ultimate victory at trial seems like a very strong possibility. For companies, litigation is often a pure business decision, and sometimes a company's decisions as to how litigation proceeds or ends have nothing to do with the legal aspects and everything to do with "bottom line" business concerns.

# 479 King_B_Mack @ 01/21/14 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedSoxFox7


	Oh right, I guess being able to sell NCAA Football indefinitely with a court ruling saying they have no obligation to pay for player likenesses wouldn't make any money at all for EA. No hugely valuable win there at all. And who would that be? Certainly not you. Somebody who represents big companies in litigation for a living would see how incredibly valuable a win in this case would be for EA.

That's not a windfall though. You're suggesting that winning this case would gain them some sort of new money or something. The only thing they gain out of a win is the ability to continue to do business as usual. It's not like people are sitting around holding onto their money and not buying the game because of this lawsuit and once EA wins they'll all suddenly run out and start buying the game creating all this new money for EA to take.

# 480 SpeedyMikeWallace @ 01/21/14 09:31 AM

I think some here might be overestimating the sales of NCAA Football. While it ranks in EA's Top 10 annually, it is not really a big cash cow.

Code:

Units sold (millions)

2013
	                     TOTAL
1. FIFA	                     11.54
2. Battlefield 4             7.74
3. Madden	             4.04
4. Need For Speed: Rivals    2.01
5. Crysis 3	             1.73
6. Dead Space 3	             1.64
7. NCAA Football	     1.61
8. SimCity	             1.02
9. NHL	                     0.48
10. Tiger Woods	             0.46


2012	
	                         TOTAL
1. FIFA	                         13.94
2. Madden	                 5.02
3. Mass Effect 3	         4.93
4. Need for Speed: Most Wanted	 4.18
5. NCAA Football	         1.79
6. FIFA Street	                 1.76
7. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning 1.75
8. SSX	                         1.36
9. NHL	                         1.09
10. Tiger Woods	                 0.88

Code:

2011
	                       TOTAL
1. Battlefield 3	       16.43
2. FIFA	                       12.61
3. Madden	               5.36
4. Need for Speed: The Run     3.84
5. Crysis 2	               3.11
6. Dead Space 2	               3.01
7. Star Wars: The Old Republic 2.61
8. Dragon Age 2	               2.26
9. NCAA Football	       1.74
10. Tiger Woods	               1.71


2010
	                        TOTAL
1. FIFA	                        12.26
2. Battlefield Bad Company 2	6.88
3. Madden	                6.48
4. Medal of Honor	        5.68
5. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit	5.41
6. Mass Effect 2	        4.67
7. Skate 3	                3.28
8. 2010 FIFA World Cup	        2.80
9. EA Sports Active 2	        2.39
10. NCAA Football	        2.08

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EA Sports Will Not Publish College Football Game Next Year, Future Plans in Doubt