EA Sports Confirms Return of College Basketball Video Game Series After 15-Year Hiatus

EA Sports Confirms Return of College Basketball

EA Sports is officially bringing back its long-dormant college basketball video game series, marking the first release in the genre since 2009. The announcement came via official post by EA Sports on social media, stating: “Bring the Madness. Let’s run it back.”

Although EA hasn’t provided a concrete release window, reports from Matt Brown of Extra Points suggest the game is targeting a launch for the 2028-2029 season.

This upcoming revival won’t carry the “NCAA Basketball” title but "EA Sports College Basketball" despite the NCAA being involved as a licensed partner. As per Brown, EA is opting for a different branding approach while still collaborating with the collegiate body. It’s a strategic move, especially given the series' complicated past with name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights.

The last installment of EA’s college basketball franchise, NCAA Basketball 10, featured Blake Griffin on the cover and was released in 2009. Since then, fans have been left with no new college hoops titles, especially after the competing College Hoops 2K8 also bowed out in 2007. That lengthy drought might finally be ending.

The timing makes sense. EA Sports recently struck gold with College Football 25, which launched in 2024 and was met with strong praise, earning an 83 on Metacritic. The game's commercial success has likely influenced EA’s decision to revive another college sports series. According to OutKick, College Football 25 ended 2024 as the second best-selling game in the U.S. and became the best-selling sports video game of all time.

Discussions around bringing back college basketball games had reportedly been ongoing for years, not just within EA Sports but also at Take-Two Interactive, the publisher behind 2K Sports. As late as December 2024, insiders told Insider Gaming's Mike Straw that there were still “groups pushing heavily” within both companies to greenlight a new basketball title. While 2K has yet to make a move, EA seems to have taken the first shot.

Though the announcement is exciting, fans will need to be patient. A 2028 release is still several years away, meaning players eager to hit the virtual hardwood in college arenas will have to wait a bit longer. Nevertheless, the buzz is already building, especially with early reports suggesting the game could feature over 730 teams, covering both men’s and women’s basketball, as per The Athletic.