After 16-Year Hiatus, EA Sports College Basketball Is Back

Following the massive success of College Football 25, EA Sports officially announced the return of its college basketball video game franchise. This marks the first installment since NCAA Basketball 10 was released in 2009.

The 16-year hiatus finally comes to a close, driven by the NCAA’s agreement to allow the use of athletes’ likenesses in college sports gaming. Fans who have longed for a fresh take on college hoops can now look forward to a title that promises to bring back the glory days of EA Sports‘ basketball simulations.

The Madness Returns

The very brief announcement follows a February 2025 statement from EA Sports executive Daryl Holt, who hinted at exploring the possibility of a college basketball game. Now, with the official green light, this move is spurred by the overwhelming success of College Football 25, which sold over 2 million copies in its first week and ended 2024 as one of the year’s top sellers.

Notably, this will be EA Sports‘ first basketball game since NBA Live 19, released in 2018. The big question now is whether this new college basketball title can stand toe-to-toe with NBA 2K, which has been unchallenged and dominant in the sport. It would be even more impressive to see if it can replicate the resurgence that saw College Football outshine Madden upon its return.

Final Thoughts

As EA Sports gears up to release this now highly anticipated title, the sports gaming community is eager to see their AI and machine learning techniques bring a whole new set of athletes to life. With the NCAA’s 2021 NIL policy change paving the way, this could be just the beginning for a new wave of college sports games.

Whether EA Sports College Basketball can stand toe-to-toe with NBA 2K or carve out a unique space in the market remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the return of college basketball gaming is a huge step forward for EA Sports and a godsend for college sports fans.