EA Sports Pulls Out of College Basketball Game Plans as Schools Lean Toward 2K

Image Credit: EA Sports

EA Sports has reportedly stepped away from its plans to bring back a standalone college basketball video game, after several schools chose to sign with 2K Sports instead

The news, first reported by Matt Brown of Extra Points, comes as a blow to fans who were hoping for a full‑scale return of the sport to EA’s lineup.

In a memo sent to licensing directors — obtained by Brown — EA Sports VP of Commercial Partnerships and Licensing Sean O’Brien confirmed the company would be rescinding its proposal as "some schools choosing to accept the 2K Sports proposal for inclusion in NBA 2K."

O’Brien said the team was "disappointed" they couldn’t find "a path forward," noting EA’s vision was to include all men’s and women’s Division I programs, conferences, and the NCAA in one game — something fans had been asking for.

Back in June, EA first teased the project after the College Licensing Company (CLC) recommended schools accept its bid. At the time, EA’s pitch was a fully licensed, standalone title — a big contrast to 2K’s original plan, which was to add a limited college basketball mode to NBA 2K via paid DLC.

But 2K’s approach evolved quickly. The publisher shifted toward its own standalone game, reportedly launching with around 100 men’s and women’s programs. While that’s fewer than EA’s all-inclusive vision, sources told Insider Gaming that 2K’s ability to deliver a product sooner — and without demanding exclusivity — appealed to many schools.

That exclusivity point was a sticking issue. EA has it for college football, but schools were hesitant to lock basketball down the same way, especially since EA hasn’t released a basketball title since 2018. This hesitation gave 2K room to swoop in with non‑exclusive deals and secure key licenses.