Reviving March Madness: EA Sports' Plan to Bring College Basketball Back to Gaming
EA Sports is currently working on a strategy to bring college basketball back into the video game world. The company hinted at the development of a college basketball game in June, sparking excitement among college sports fans. The last college basketball video game was NCAA Basketball 10, released in 2009, and since then, the series has been dormant. However, the success of reviving the College Football video game series has reignited interest in creating a game centered around March Madness.
EA Sports has confirmed that they are in the early stages of putting together a college basketball game. The plan is to include all Division I men's and women's basketball teams, which is considered a challenging task. The company's vice president of business development, Sean O'Brien, expressed enthusiasm for the project, citing the positive response to the revived college football game as motivation to pursue another college sports franchise.
During a company earnings call in July, EA Sports CEO Andrew Wilson reiterated the commitment to a college basketball game, promising to bring iconic traditions, rivalries, and the excitement of March Madness to the gaming experience. The announcement has also sparked interest from a potential competitor in the college basketball gaming landscape, as 2K Games hinted at wanting to enter the business.
While details about the release date of the college basketball game remain scarce, there are speculations that the EA Sports game could return for the 2028-29 season and follow a series released every two years with updates in between. The anticipation for the revival of college basketball video games is high, with both EA Sports and 2K Games exploring ways to bring the excitement of college hoops to life in the gaming world.