At last, EA Sports is reviving its college basketball video game.
EA Sports officially teased the release on Twitter, and the hype is real. The release date is expected to be in 2028, and the game is also going to include women’s college basketball.
Bring the Madness. Let’s run it back. #CBB #ItsInTheGame pic.twitter.com/iBNhGxn2yj
— EA SPORTS (@EASPORTS) June 30, 2025
There has not been a college basketball video game released by EA Sports since November of 2009, when Blake Griffin appeared on the cover of NCAA Basketball 10. But lucky for basketball fans, the new contract was approved for six years and at least three games.
Michigan State hoops is returning to the video game screen
For Michigan State fans, this update is particularly thrilling. This means that you can hang a banner with both Tom Izzo’s and Robyn Fralick’s Spartans if you so desire. It has been 25 years since Izzo’s last national championship, so gamers will have the opportunity to lead Mr. March through another title run, or help Fralick hang MSU’s first championship banner in program history.
This also comes on the heels of the uber-successful College Football 25, which marked EA Sports’ return to college sports gaming after an 11-year hiatus. And it will be returning for NCAA Football 26 in a couple weeks time.
One of the most exciting changes compared to its football counterpart is the expanded role of NIL deals, meaning the game is already capturing the realism of modern day college athletics.
The Athletic’s Chris Vannini reported that players can expect to negotiate endorsements and manage player reputations in ways that add a new layer of strategy to recruiting and team management. He also noted that teams will have until July 18 to opt into appearing in the game, as EA Sports hopes to include all 730 Division-I programs.
You can check out Vannini's full article here.
This inclusion will allow players to take control of virtually any program in college basketball, whether it be a blue blood or mid-majors in search of Cinderella glory.
When the game was last released, licensing issues and shifts in the NCAA landscape eventually led to the franchise’s hiatus. But now, EA Sports has all the tools to deliver an immersive, authentic college basketball experience with NIL regulations in place.
Most core game modes from college football are expected to return, such as Dynasty Mode, Road to Glory, and Ultimate Team. Fans have responded with enthusiasm on social media with only more anticipation to come once more details are revealed.
With three years until the targeted release date, people are eager to see how the game captures the thrill of March Madness, the intensity of recruiting battles, and the unique traditions of elite college basketball environments like the Breslin Center, Cameron Indoor Stadium, and Allen Fieldhouse.
EA Sports set a high bar with College Football 25, and expectations are similarly high for this new college basketball title -- 2028 cannot come soon enough.