After nearly two decades, EA Sports has announced that the NCAA Basketball video game will return in 2028, featuring both men’s and women’s Division I teams for the first time.

Why It’s Happening Now

• The success of EA Sports College Football 25 in 2024—earning over $400–500 million in revenue and millions of players—demonstrated massive consumer demand for college sports gaming once proper NIL frameworks allowed athlete use.

• The 2021 legal and regulatory changes around NIL fully cleared the path for student-athlete compensation and digital likeness rights, enabling EA and other publishers to pursue licensing agreements.

What to Expect

• EA will feature realistic rosters, uniforms, arenas, fight songs, and unique school traditions. NIL compensation agreements will likely ensure athletes receive fair market value and copies of the game, similar to the College Football model.

• 2K Sports is entering the fray. Reports indicate they’re developing a competing college hoops title that may feature over 100 men’s and women’s programs, including rumored high-profile schools like Michigan State, UCLA, and Houston, with their own NIL licensing promises.

This is shaping up to be a multi‑publisher era for college basketball gaming, driven by demand, athlete representation, and regulatory clarity.