College Football 25 Thrives in Early Access Draws In Millions Of Players
Entertainment|Gaming News
By Drew Bryant
July 19th, 2024, theloadoutblog.com
Recently, Electronic Arts (EA) announced that the company saw over 2.2 million unique players log in during its early access period of College Football 25, plus an additional 600,000 players via EA’s Play Trial.
To get early access to play College Football 25 three days early, players had to pay a premium for that access. The Deluxe Edition of the game, which marked the series’ return after a decade-long hiatus, cost $99. Fans of the College Football series who purchased early access were able to start playing on July 16th, rather than waiting until the official release date.
This early access release model has become increasingly common in the gaming industry over the past decade. It’s a familiar strategy for EA, and College Football 25 is the latest title to leverage this momentum.
College Football was already an enormous success for EA even before its official launch. The bar has gradually shifted, with the early access window now considered by many as the official release date. Players simply have to pay a premium for that privilege.
As of its official release yesterday, EA has introduced its promised Team Builder feature, which allows players to create custom teams to use in Dynasty mode, aiming to build the next college football powerhouse.
The early success of College Football 25 underscores the enduring popularity of the series and the effectiveness of the early access model. With the game now fully launched and the Team Builder feature available, players have even more reasons to dive into the virtual gridiron and create their own legacy. As EA provides a solid offering after a decade break, the future looks bright for fans of college football gaming.
