On June 30, EA Sports made an exciting announcement regarding the revival of its NCAA Basketball video game series. While initial reports suggest the game won't launch until 2028 at the earliest, this news comes as welcome relief for fans of college sports simulations. The decision follows the tremendous success of EA's College Football 25, which became one of 2024's top-selling titles.

The original NCAA Basketball series (known as NCAA March Madness until 2008) ran from 1998 to 2009, featuring teams from across NCAA Division I. From powerhouse programs like Duke and Kansas to smaller schools like Gonzaga, the games captured the spirit of college basketball. Despite its discontinuation in 2009 due to disappointing sales, the franchise maintained a dedicated fanbase eager for its return.

The resurgence of college sports video games became possible after a landmark 2021 Supreme Court decision regarding athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. Following EA Sports' social media teasers about reviving NCAA Basketball, industry reports confirmed the development. According to Matt Brown of Extra Points (with corroboration from Chris Vannini of The Athletic), the success of College Football 25 directly influenced EA's decision to bring back its basketball counterpart.

Key details about the project emerged from a June 26 memo sent by the College Licensing Company (CLC) to various college conferences. The memo recommended accepting EA Sports' proposal for a college basketball game featuring an unprecedented 730 teams from NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball programs.

Highlights of the NCAA Basketball Revival

• Targeted release window: 2028 or later
• Proposal submitted to multiple college conferences
• Inspired by the commercial success of College Football 25
• Will include 730 Division I men's and women's teams

While fans await the basketball revival, EA Sports continues to develop College Football 26, building upon last year's successful return with enhanced features like improved play-calling mechanics, dynamic substitutions, and more sophisticated blocking systems.