A wide variety of sports video games cater to fans of various mainstream sports such as golf, football, basketball, soccer, hockey, tennis, UFC fighting, baseball, and more. If a sport is professional, chances are there’s a game that accurately reflects its league. College football has distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from the NFL, making separate games necessary. However, college basketball was not previously represented in video games until recently. But now, it’s available for gaming enthusiasts as well.
The most recent college basketball video game was NCAA Basketball 10 in 2009, which means it’s been considerably longer since then compared to the gap between NCAA Football 14 and EA Sports College Football 25. Following the impressive success of the game, Electronic Arts (EA) had planned a comeback for the college basketball series as part of an important revival. Unfortunately, they have recently announced that they are no longer proceeding with this plan, which is disappointing news for the genre and potentially gaming in general.
EA Sports’ College Basketball Game No Longer Happening Deserves Mourning
It’s worth noting that EA Sports hasn’t exactly shined as a top-notch developer, as demonstrated by the repetitive updates in their annual Madden releases. These updates typically just tweak and update rosters from the previous year’s version, which can come across as cash grabs rather than genuine improvements. However, EA Sports took a different approach with College Football 25, demonstrating that they do have a passion for college sports, particularly in their first installment reviving the series. Although the 2026 version isn’t as impressive, there’s still evidence that EA does take college sports seriously, at least initially.
It’s reasonable to infer that any college basketball game from an Electronic Arts (EA) studio would have shown the same trends. Losing this game, given the frequent releases and microtransactions common in sports games, is quite significant. However, this game could have offered a unique angle within the genre, as it currently lacks such representation. The charm of March Madness, along with the dream of having a Cinderella story in a video game, would have been truly captivating. Unfortunately, it seems that this game might not be developed anymore.
College Basketball Remains a Hole in the Sports Genre
Based on recent reports, it appears EA Sports has decided to abandon its planned college basketball game, as some colleges have chosen to collaborate with 2K Sports for their NBA game instead. Consequently, only a select number of universities will be featured within the MyCAREER mode in NBA 2K27 and subsequent releases. Unfortunately, this leaves out various programs, both large and small, that don’t secure a spot in future 2K games entirely, effectively being left out in the cold without representation.
Apparently, according to comments made by Electronic Arts (EA) Vice President Sean O’Brien, it seems like there won’t be a college basketball game coming up. This is because some schools are partnering with 2K Sports instead, making it impossible for EA to produce a game without these specific schools. O’Brien expressed an ambition to create a standalone college basketball game featuring all men’s and women’s Division 1 institutions, student athletes, conferences, and the NCAA. However, since they couldn’t negotiate with the necessary schools, EA’s plans have fallen through, leaving a void that remains unfilled.
Why EA Should Reconsider Its Stance
It seems that EA Sports might be showing a touch of rivalry, as they appear to steer clear of working with 2K Sports, their primary competitor in the sports game development sector. However, it’s important to note that they typically don’t encroach upon each other’s territories due to the distinct genres they focus on.
2K Sports concentrates on golf, basketball, and WWE, whereas EA handles football (American football), soccer, hockey, and UFC. Since the discontinuation of NBA Live, there is no direct competition in the basketball sphere between these two companies.
It’s not necessary for there to be exclusivity in this situation. Historically, there hasn’t been any such agreement regarding the use of the same schools for NBA 2K and college basketball games, but both parties could come to an understanding to share the same institutions. The two games, NBA 2K and a college basketball game, are fundamentally different versions of the same sport, so one won’t pose a threat to the other. On the contrary, EA Sports’ college franchise offers unique features that you can’t find in NBA 2K.
2K Sports seems to be facing a tough standoff with EA Sports, who appear to be trying to put 2K at a disadvantage. However, it’s unlikely that this tactic will succeed since the schools have agreed to these terms. Consequently, it’s EA and college basketball enthusiasts who will suffer from this self-inflicted move. As someone who doesn’t typically advocate for sports video games, I find this action regrettable because it negatively impacts us all.
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2025-09-05 18:41