EA Sports College Football 25 is seemingly going above and beyond in terms of presentation. From real-player opt-ins, to multiple sports personalities, to the inclusion of all 134 teams and Bowl games, College Football 25 seems like the ultimate NCAAF video game. However, while we can't wait it's release this summer, one thing has been on our minds. Unfortunately, this one concern affects the most important aspect of a video game… gameplay.

One MAJOR Concern For EA Sports College Football 25

EA Sports College Football 25 Will run on the Frostbite Engine, which has been used for many of EA Sports' recent titles, including Madden NFL and EA FC. Fans may also recognize this engine from other popular titles like Battlefield, the Dead Space 2023 remake, Need For Speed Unbound, and more. While the Frostbite engine feels great in some games, we can't say the same for EA Sports titles.

EA Sports first implemented the Frostbite Engine to their sports titles back in 2017-2018. Madden 18 was the first game in its respective series to include the new engine. However, despite all the updates and improvements to the engine, the gameplay remained stagnant for years. In fact, it arguably got worse when they made the transition.

Why The Frostbite Engine Isn't A Good Thing For EA College Football 25

In our Madden 24 Review, I specifically stated how weird players feel in the game, saying they “walk around like they got a stick up their rear.” The same applies to FC 24, where players just feel so finicky to move. The fact that I still prefer games like Madden 16 to 24 mostly because of the engine speaks volumes on how weird Frostbite is in EA Sports games.

However, EA Sports claims that College Football 25 will feel and play different from Madden. I actually do believe this, because the NCAA titles always differed from Madden in terms of gameplay. So, perhaps Frostbite might apply better to College Football 25. However, given the state of recent EA Sports titles, I'm inclined NOT to get too excited.

However, some people do like the Frostbite Engine and gameplay of newer Maddens. Nevertheless, when we look at fan feedback scores for previous Maddens, we also know fans are generally dissatisfied with the final product. I noted this in a previous story about Madden 24.

Notice how Madden ratings dropped below 4 points when Madden 18 came out. Although the ones before it received average reviews too, you notice a considerable dip once Frostbite Engine was implemented. In fact, no Madden game on PlayStation alone has received an average user score of 4 or higher since Madden 17. It doesn't mean Frostbite is solely responsible, but we believe it plays a big factor in some of the negative reviews.

Of course, the biggest issue Madden titles have is a lack of change and innovation. With over a hundred College Football teams, all bowl games, and updated CFP structure, College Football 25 seems better off. Overall, it will likely include way more content to help it feel fresh and fun for a longer period of time. Additionally, the reviews above mention Madden, which is different game series with its own problems.

That said, it's still the same sport, and both games do feature similar elements. We just have to hope Frostbite works better for NCAAF.

Nevertheless, we look forward to the full reveal this May, which hopefully proves us wrong about our suspicions. Overall, I didn't write this to talk smack, or scare you from buying the game. Actually, I really want to see College Football 25 blow my mind. However, I also just want to temper my expectations.

Furthermore, we feel obligated to inform our readers of everything we know about the game. Using previous EA Sports titles as examples, we can at least bring up valid points and not just baseless conjecture. Therefore, we wish the best of luck to the development team of EA College Football 25. Hopefully, conversations like these can lead to more growth between developer profits and fan satisfaction.

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