8 Must-Have Features for EA Sports College Football 26

In 2024, EA Sports College Football 25 was among the year’s top-selling video games, so it came as no shock when Electronic Arts announced the release of College Football 26 this coming summer. Given its past success, EA Sports should have ample resources to incorporate significant upgrades for College Football 26. After all, College Football 25 enjoyed a unique advantage being the first college football game in a decade. Consequently, the developers need to build upon their initial effort and deliver an even more impressive gaming experience to the playerbase.

Here are eight improvements and updates that would take College Football 26 to the next level:

Dynamic Weather/Dynamic Lighting

One significant improvement EA Sports should consider for their games is varying weather conditions and dynamic lighting throughout gameplay. Given that fans expressed reservations about this aspect last year, it would be unusual if College Football 26 didn’t rectify this issue this time around. After all, having the sun still shining brightly at 7:00 PM during a game started at 4:30 PM was always disconcerting.

Real Coaching Likenesses/More Coach Customization

In the previous year, the team decided to prioritize incorporating player resemblances, which consequently led to the automatic generation of all coaching characters. While this approach was not inherently flawed, it presented a repetitive visual aspect due to limited personalization options, as many coaches ended up looking remarkably similar.

If EA Sports doesn’t wish to invest funds to include Dabo Swinney, Kirby Smart, and Deion Sanders on the sidelines, the developers could at least expand the customization options for our coaches’ appearance instead. They’ve been gradually increasing personalization choices in the EA Sports Football Club series, so it wouldn’t be too much to expect them to do the same here, as it’s not an excessive demand.

Trophy Room

Fans have been eagerly anticipating the inclusion of a Trophy Room since the release of College Football 25. This feature was a popular aspect of earlier college football games, allowing players to display their Dynasty’s history. Including it as part of Year 2 would help generate excitement and satisfaction among fans.

Minimally, it’s crucial to improve the tracking of stats annually within Dynasty Mode. We don’t insist on reintroducing the “Greatest Games” feature, but having the ability to review each Heisman Trophy recipient from year to year would significantly enhance the experience for Dynasty enthusiasts.

Update the Transfer Portal

College football’s transfer portal has rapidly emerged as one of its most thrilling aspects. In the previous season, close to 2,000 athletes opted for the portal, with a significant number being highly-regarded prospects from the past recruitment cycle, such as top quarterback prospect Carson Beck.

To put it simply, the transfer portal within the College Football 25 game didn’t seem nearly as influential compared to its actual-world equivalent. There were just too few players seeking new teams, and as you progressed further into Dynasty Mode, the quality of these transferring players noticeably decreased. To maintain its real-life impact, College Football 26 needs to adjust its internal logic.

Play High School Games in Road to Glory

It may appear insignificant, but the inclusion of college teams in MLB The Show 25 has sparked optimism among fans that College Football 26 could reintroduce high school games into its Road to Glory mode.

In the earlier versions of NCAA football games, participating in the high school tournament was an enjoyable method for customizing your player’s attributes. If you performed exceptionally well across three or four matches, you would begin as a highly regarded prospect. On the other hand, if you faced challenges, it meant a tougher road ahead. However, RTG fell short in CFB 25, leaving fans unsatisfied. Consequently, EA should introduce improvements to keep fans engaged.

Generic Team Builder Stadiums

As a sports enthusiast, I must express my excitement about the prospect of having changeable stadiums year after year. However, even settling for some basic stadium options in the team builder would be a significant leap forward. Using the same base stadium for a real-life team as my created school has always felt lackluster. Therefore, providing us with several generic stadiums would at least help mitigate those issues.

Add an NIL Budget

As a dedicated fan, I must say that the last two features seem more like lofty aspirations rather than practical ones. In actual college football, NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) plays a significant role but appears absent in College Football 25. If Electronic Arts were to incorporate it, we could expect something connected to the recruiting budget within the game.

For instance, if you participate in a higher number of nationally broadcast games within one season, you should receive more compensation. If your team consistently qualifies for several bowl games consecutively, the same principle applies. Allocating your recruiting budget from NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) earnings could help simplify your budget and allow colleges like CFB 26 to overlook factors such as Campus Lifestyle and Academic Prestige, which are beyond their control.

Bring Back Mascot Mode

In future expansions of the EA franchise, it’d be great if they reintroduce the Mascot Mode feature. Reminiscing about my days as Pistol Pete in NCAA 14 battling against the Syracuse Orange, I can say that bringing it back would create a lot of positive sentiment among fans. Here’s to hoping we see it return within the coming years!

EA Sports College Football 26 launches this summer on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.

2025-03-07 18:47