EA Sports has announced the return of its college basketball video game series for the first time since NCAA Basketball 10 in 2009. While the company hasn’t shared a release date, a memo obtained by Extra Points reporter Matt Brown confirmed the game is expected in 2028. According to Eleven Warriors, EA hopes to include all Division I men’s and women’s teams.
The teaser dropped on EA Sports’ official X (formerly Twitter) account, showing an image of a basketball with the EA logo and the message: “Bring the Madness. Let’s run it back. #CBB #ItsInTheGame.” This suggests that the game may bring back the March Madness branding, though it’s also possible EA will align it with the football title and go with College Basketball.
NCAA Basketball 2010 (Photo: GameStop)
Excitement around college sports video games has grown since the return of EA Sports College Football 25, which launched last summer. The game quickly became the top-selling sports video game in U.S. history based on dollar sales, even surpassing NBA 2K21. Its follow-up, EA College Football 26, launches July 10, with early access starting July 7.
From 2014 to 2023, no licensed college sports video games were released due to lawsuits related to the use of player likenesses. That changed with College Football 25, which was the first to compensate athletes for their name, image, and likeness. EA Sports College Basketball is expected to follow the same model, allowing student-athletes to benefit from their inclusion in the game.
EA hasn’t released any basketball games at all since NBA Live 19 in 2018. Earlier attempts to revive the NBA Live series fizzled out, and since then, 2K Sports has owned the basketball space with its NBA 2K franchise. EA’s decision to return to college basketball will give them a new direction while tapping into a fan base that’s been waiting more than a decade for a return.
For longtime fans, this is the kind of news that brings back memories of staying up late and playing with friends. Games like March Madness 2004, featuring Carmelo Anthony on the cover, still stand out. The chance to build custom teams, simulate tournament runs, and take the court as your favorite school is something fans have been hoping for ever since the series disappeared. If the success of College Football 25 is any indication, EA Sports may be on the verge of reviving a fan-favorite tradition in a big way that introduces new generations to college hoops.
That’s a while since the last college basketball game. Hopefully it turns out good for the players and developers!
It’ll be nice to have some college basketball games to turn to…let’s go North Carolina!
It’s been so long since I have played a NCAA basketball game.
Even with the graphics and physics enhancements these games just dont hit like they did from 2000-2010