It was three years ago when EA announced it would no longer make its college sports video games. The announcement was made in the midst of a battle with former college players who alleged that the game maker and the NCAA were using their likenesses in the game without permission or compensation. It took another three years, but in 2016, players who were in the games for the past decade of the production of the college basketball and football games were paid off as part of a settlement (the median payout was about $1,000). Players who posted their compensation check were scrutinized on social media by fans of the game, and the man who lent his name to the fight for athlete royalties, Ed O'Bannon, was cursed. Over the years, rumors of its resurrection have popped up to an audience eager to play again. In fact, just as the NCAA said it wouldn't support a game in the future, EA rounded up the top schools through licensing agent CLC and extended deals with guaranteed money through 2017. But, after interviews with more than 10 insider sources -- including those in the video game industry and with executives at schools -- as of now there is absolutely no traction on EA making a new college game. There are several reasons for this. In order to make a game worth buying, EA is going to have to use the players likenesses again. What the structure for payment would be is unclear because the settlement is a settlement for past use, not a guide for future use in a more overt way. Also, the settlement which produced roughly $1,000 per player was for the class (football and basketball players in the time frame). It's certainly up for debate whether any royalty generated and distributed -- as of the last agreement around $10 million total went to schools -- would have to be distributed to all student athletes, which significantly lowers the piece of the pie that those in the game would get. Several athletic department sources also suggested that the lack of an NCAA football game in particular has been detrimental to the game as young players have had to gravitate to other games. One AD wondered aloud whether or not the schools be willing to forgo their royalties and put the money into getting a game back on the shelves? How many kids have started watching European soccer games on Saturday mornings as a result of playing FIFA instead of college football? That, at least initially, has been shot down because there is still worry about the liability of having a worthwhile game compared to the prospect of being sued. The schools and EA would have to be indemnified by all the players used in order to move forward with this plan. Another point often overlooked is that before O'Bannon made its way into the spotlight, EA lost its right to make college games exclusively. That begs the question is there someone willing to take on the legal responsibility to make the game? Two Alabama residents reportedly are going to try to raise $850,000 on Kickstarter at the beginning of September to begin making their own game by 2019. But beyond securing the licenses, it will be hard to make a quality game and set up distribution anything close to what EA had. That is unless Sony and Microsoft want to get to making a game. What's their incentive? It may pay for console makers to use the game to sell the actual consoles. Imagine how many could be sold with an exclusive NCAA football game bundle. Having reported on the O'Bannon lawsuit from the beginning, I know there's little interest from fans on the nitty gritty of college athlete compensation. All most want to know is what happened to their damn video game. And right now, the future doesn't look particularly bright for a good game to be produced any time soon.
I never understood why EA wouldn't just make the game with randomly generated players. It would take less work for them, and it's mostly irrelevant for the dynasty players anyways.
Yep..just completely randomize the players and then let the internet do what it does. Would make it much more of a pain in the ass for the operation sports people, but it would still get done.
Can't they just send out waivers to all of the athletes? Say "we're making a game. If you would like to be in the video game, sign here saying that you give us your permission. If not, we will just fill your position with a randomly generated player." The player would have no leverage, but I'm guessing that most of them would really enjoy being in a fucking video game.
Isn't the issue with the schools/conferences not wanting their likenesses in the game after the law suits?
For NCAA 14, just download them in game. For NCAA 13, put them on a jump drive and plug it into your ps3. I just started a new dynasty last night with the new rosters. They are really, really good. I got bored and reset everything to 1991 before FSU joined the ACC. It took a few edits to make the Big West work.
I still play NCAA14 as well. It's the only reason I have my PS3 still hooked up. I miss the road to glory and Madden doesn't have a comparable option. I hate not being able to allow my LBs/DBs/WRs to wear the numbers that God intended them to wear. I can work my entire life and never be as good at anything as I was at NCAA14. I was slightly obsessed with the game for about a year.
I've managed to hang on to every iteration since '98. Still play '04. Still the best gameplay by far. 360/ps3 versions were all "oooooh aaaaaah the dreadlocks look so realistic" never mind that players basically just pump their legs in a fashion unrelated to their body's actual movement on the field, the gameplay in general sucks, and you have to actually play pretend phone calls in recruiting. A fucking phone call video game. I have yet to believe that anyone actually thinks playing phone calls is fun. But whatever pretty much all people care about are how cool and authentic the pre-game intros and dreadlocks look which is where these games excel.
http://www.operationsports.com/foru...3-ncaa-football-14-2017-18-roster-update.html For those still playing.
My favorite player ever in the NCAA series was a 5* RB from New Jersey in NCAA 2006 who was equal parts Adrian Peterson and Reggie Bush. He finished his career with about 15,000 total yards in 4 years.
I remember one year in an online dynasty for NCAA 12, we fought tooth and nail over a 6'7 WR with 99 speed. He wound up going to a dude who was playing with Penn State.
Was it NCAA 2009 where anyone with 95+ speed was gone as soon as they hit the edge? I think this was the year that multiple 5* kids went completely unrecruited so you could put together a class of an Alabama/Ohio State/FSU all star commitment team.
Anyone who knows the series knows that NCAA '04 is not only the best CFB game ever but the best sports game ever.
If anyone hops on NCAA 2014 and wants the most up to date rosters for the upcoming season... On Xbox 360 get the roster from "dericksun" On PS3 get the roster from "WPBPD1600" I got the itch to play a few weeks ago and got the 360 roster and it was decent. Had to go through and make some changes for OSU since we've had some transfers and whatnot but I bet they have those accounted for now.
You're right.. I just never lost at 06... proven scientific fact I was the best of all time at that game.
Just finished my first game. That's a pretty cool score, huh? #Clemson Tigers #South Carolina Gamecocks