EA Sports College Football 25 details: Updates, what will be in new video game and more

After more than 10 years, college football will finally be in the game.

The sport will return to video games this year with EA Sports College Football 25 launching this summer, giving fans a new game for the first time since 2013.

There's been much hype about the game since EA Sports officially announced the game in February, but there's also several questions as to what the game will be like since it's been so long, and college football is vastly different than it was a decade ago. But in the leadup to the release, tidbits of information have been released, giving potential gamers a peak of what's to come. Here's what we know so far about EA Sports College Football 25:

EA Sports College Football 25 features

• All FBS teams will be in the game with 2024 uniforms.

• Conference realignment features.

• 12-team College Football Playoff with ability to customize.

• Every bowl game will be in game.

• Dynasty and Road to Glory modes return with NIL components.

• Real-life coaches will not be in the game.

• The game will run on the same engine as the Madden franchise but with tweaks.

Kirk Herbstreit: Different broadcasters will be in game

One of the confirmed voices of the game told "Streit Talk" he won't be the only one in the broadcast booth in EA Sports College Football 25.

Kirk Herbstreit said the plan is "as you're doing different games, there'll be different broadcast teams doing the game."

When the NCAA Football franchise was around, many of the last editions featured just Brad Nessler and Herbstreit calling the game. "College GameDay" was once part of the pregame festivities in the game, and in the last version of the game, NCAA Football 14, there were in-game updates of other games in dynasty mode.

Before Herbstreit's comments, there has been speculation that Fox Sports will also be involved in the game, which could include its college football broadcast team of Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt.

More than 10,000 players opt into game

EA Sports announced that more than 10,000 college football players have opted into being in the video game, less than two weeks after announcing real-life players would be featured in it.

The news means EA Sports has reached 87% of its goal before the game is released. More than 11,000 players are eligible to be in the game with 85-man rosters available for each team in the game.

"The response to the athlete opt-in opportunity for EA Sports College Football 25 has been phenomenal," Daryl Holt, senior vice president and group general manager for EA Sports' Tiburon Studios and American football division, said in a statement. "In the little over one week, over 10,000 athletes across the FBS have opted-in to the offer with more saying 'yes' every hour. We're excited to welcome more athletes in the weeks ahead and to debut this first class of athletes in the game when it launches this summer."

Chris Fowler gives sneak peek at commentary

After it was confirmed he would be the play-by-play voice of the game, ESPN's Chris Fowler gave some details on Instagram about his role in the game.

"It has been fun. It's been taxing sometimes, monotonous at other times, because everything you could possibly see in a football game, even the mundane plays, I've said it into that microphone many, many different ways," Fowler said.

The ESPN announcer added he even did voiceovers for unusual plays, like punting on second down or attempting a 71-yard field goal. If there was any questions about the realism of the game, Fowler said it will be authentic. He spent a month doing touchdown calls for every team, and he's had joint sessions with Kirk Herbstreit "like you would in a real booth" during the game.

"This is going to be incredible, what I've seen in the game will blow people away and really excited for you to see," Fowler said.

ESPN will be in EA Sports College Football 25

ESPN's top college football commentary team and some members of its "College GameDay" program confirmed they will have roles in the upcoming game.

The broadcast team of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will be the play-by-play voice of the game. Herbstreit was the analyst in the game before it was shelved in 2013, and his return means it will be the 14th time he will be featured in the game. ESPN's Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Jesse Palmer and Kevin Connors confirming they will have a role. David Pollack, a former ESPN college football analyst, also said he will be in the game.

Players will get paid for being in EA Sports College Football 25

The NCAA Football franchise died as a result of player likeness without compensation being used. This time, with NIL in full-force in college athletics, players will not only be able to be in the game, but they'll get paid for doing so.

Players can opt in to appear in the video game and they'll will receive $600 as part of a name, image, and likeness deal, as well as a free copy of the game. Players would be in the game as long as they are on a roster, whether they transfer or not, and will be compensated on a yearly basis based on those factors. Players also can opt out of the game when future editions of the game are released if they so choose.

Schools announce they will be in EA Sports College Football 25

The same day the teaser trailer was dropped, several football programs like Nebraska, UCLA, Southern California and Missouri shared the excitement of the upcoming game by announcing they would be in. Later, EA Sports would say that all FBS teams would be in the game.

EA Sports College Football 25 will be released in summer 2024

After it was first announced in 2021, fans went years without any updates, so there was speculation if it the game would even happen since no new news had been released.

But on Feb. 15, EA Sports dropped a teaser trailer, along with some shots of the features the game will have, from traditions, uniforms and stadiums.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about EA Sports College Football 25 ahead of release