EA Sports brought back its college football video game last summer after a 10-year break, and fans welcomed the return with excitement. College Football 25 was a hit, but it had a few rough edges.
Now, with College Football 26 set to launch in just over a week, EA promises big improvements and new features that address what fans asked for most.
EA Developer Says College Football 26 Is Way Better Than College Football 25
As the release date gets closer, EA Sports has shared deep dives and trailers for College Football 26, giving fans a look at the biggest changes coming to this year’s game. Key updates include the return of high school gameplay in Road to Glory, a new transfer portal overhaul in Dynasty Mode, and other gameplay additions that fans have been waiting for.
Bordeuax, a YouTuber who makes content about sports video games, spoke with Scott Maher, one of the game’s developers, about College Football 26.
Bordeaux started the segment by asking the executive what his favorite new addition to the game was. Maher responded with the addition of defensive stunts.
“Stunts and twists are a big one, probably because that’s something the fans, hardcore football fans, have been asking for for a long, long time,” Maher said.
Adding defensive audibles like stunts and twists to pass-rushing schemes is a big deal, but Maher thinks the game is much better overall than College Football 25.
“It’s impossible to play [20]25 after you’ve played [20]26,” Maher said. He added, “The No. 1 selling sports game of all time got better, so it’s something we should all be excited about.”
This is good news for fans who hoped for an even better game than College Football 25, which was great on its own. Maher has worked in gaming for a long time, and in the video with Bordeaux, he seems proud of the product, which bodes well for how good College Football 26 will be.
Throughout the release process, many voices — both working for EA and independent content creators — have noted that some of the biggest in-game changes are “quality of life” improvements. These build upon and fix issues that players experienced in the previous game.
College football fans everywhere are eager to get the game, and it sounds like EA’s developers listened to a lot of fan feedback when making it. College Football 26 will be released worldwide on July 10, 2025, with early access on July 7, 2025, for those who buy the Deluxe Edition or MVP Bundle.
