EA Sports sent out emails to current college football players Tuesday to confirm their name, image and likeness be included in the game, the company confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. If players accept, they will receive a deluxe edition of the game and a $1,500 payment, a significant increase from the first installment of the revived franchise.
When EA Sports brought back the college football video game franchise last year, players that had their likeness in the game received a deluxe copy of the game and $600. EA Sports has strong expectations for the future of the franchise, a company representative told USA TODAY Sports, and the increase payout was determined on the expectations for College Football 26 and making sure athletes are fairly compensated for the game.
‘We’re incredibly proud to build this opportunity around you, the athletes, prioritizing fairness and inclusion while celebrating your talent and dedication,’ reads the email, obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
EA Sports said it had overwhelming excitement from college football players to be part of last year’s edition. More than 11,000 players were included in College Football 25, and it is expected to be around the same figure or more for the next installment of the franchise. There will also be additional promotion opportunities for athletes where they could earn more NIL payments.
Current or incoming college football players received the email through their school accounts and the deal is done through the COMPASS NIL app. Players just need to make sure their banking information is correct in the app and they will received the payments on July 1. Players can opt-out of the deal, and those that were in the 2024 version of the game will automatically be part of the game and receive the NIL payment unless they choose to opt-out.
“EA Sports College Football 25 was a tremendous success, and we’re grateful to the fans, our partners and the thousands of college athletes who helped bring the game to life,’ Sean O’Brien, vice president of business development at EA Sports, said in a statement. ‘This approach empowers each athlete to make their own decision. College sports are growing and changing, and our focus at EA Sports is on continuing to put athletes first as we bring them in the game in College Football 26 and beyond.”
When does EA Sports College Football 26 come out?
The upcoming video game will be the second installment of the franchise that returned in 2024 after an 11-year hiatus. It brought back many of the features that helped the franchise develop a strong following and why the game continued to be played years after the last version was released in 2013. According to Inside Gaming, EA Sports College Football 25 was the top selling video game of 2024 and became the best-selling sports game in U.S. history.
No release date for the next version game has been announced, but past trends give an estimate when it will come out. Prior to the game’s hiatus, the game typically came out in mid-July. EA Sports followed that trend with College Football 25 when it was released on July 19 and early access was available on July 15.