What I'd like to see from EA's renewed CFB video game series
College Football is back on consoles... Eventually!
Sports video game fans across the country rejoiced on Tuesday as EA Sports dropped a massive news bomb out of nowhere that its famed college football game series will make a return to consoles at some point in the future, though it’s unclear when exactly that will happen.
NCAA Football 14, the last rendition of the game by EA, continues to have a cult-like following with users who work tirelessly to keep the game updated even if there has been two cycles of next-gen consoles that have been released since Denard Robinson graced the cover.
The potential with the latest next-generation consoles, plus the PC community, could be extensive for the next college football game.
People have their gripes with the state of the Madden franchise, which is certainly warranted. So many are welcoming the news with bated breath, hoping that the college version doesn’t have a similar fate.
Here’s what I would like to see improved, or added when the latest college football game graces store shelves.
The game mechanics worked, it just needs a modern touch
One of the major reasons that NCAA Football 14 is still popular today is because the game mechanics work. Of course, it’s not without its flaws, but the game works. Seeing similar gameplay mechanics but a needed facelift to reach the potential of next-gen consoles would be a perfect addition to the game. Improved player graphics, which includes player movements, improved AI, no more super linebackers that have the jumping skills for Odell Beckham Jr., improved crowd atmosphere and stadium traditions would be an excellent and welcomed inclusion.
Transfer portal
This one might be tricky as the current state of the transfer portal in modern-day college athletics is hectic. With the way EA AI works in Madden, things might get overpowered quickly when it comes to players entering the transfer portal. However, transfers are now part of the game and it must be included. NCAA Football 14 had transfer abilities but the system simply did not work. It was too easy to keep players from transferring and the player had zero say which players would transfer into the program. An expansive system of looking at transfers, being able to keep players from entering the portal and roster management would be an excellent feature.
A tinkered recruiting system
One of the strengths of NCAA Football 14 was the recruiting system in the game. If EA were able to keep a similar system but with improved mechanics and quality of life additions, a system that worked well could be strengthened even further. A system of having recruits come in for unofficial and official visits, scheduling a list of events during the visit and other modern ideas that collegiate programs use to recruit players these days would be an interesting twist to a system that worked.
Improved gameday traditions/entrances
For the last addition, I would like EA to focus on gameday traditions each school has before kickoffs, during scores and other things that set schools apart from the others. Though NCAA Football 14 addressed some of them, I think next-gen consoles will allow the developers to focus more on the minute details that set collegiate football apart from other sports. It’s the attention to details that help a game immensely, especially from a sports video game standpoint, that avoids things from going stale quickly.