Bad news if you're a big fan of EA's NCAA Football franchise.
The NCAA has opted not to renew its licensing contract with Electronic Arts, although the publisher has confirmed that they will continue to make college football video games.
EA Sports executive vice president Andrew Wilson released a statement, saying the first next-generation NCAA Football title is already in development; it simply won't feature the NCAA names and trademarks:
"By now, most fans will have heard that EA's licensing agreement with the NCAA is set to expire and that we have agreed to part ways. I'm sure gamers are wondering what this means.
This is simple: EA Sports will continue to develop and publish college football games, but we will no longer include the NCAA names and marks. Our relationship with the Collegiate Licensing Company is strong and we are already working on a new game for next generation consoles which will launch next year and feature the college teams, leagues, and all the innovation fans expect from EA Sports.
We took big creative strides with this year's college game and you’ll see much more in the future. We love college football and look forward to making more games for our fans."
Remember when EA cornered the market on pro football gaming, so-to-speak? They secured the exclusive NFL rights, which basically killed off the competition ( NFL 2K had to die an unfortunate death). Now that the licensing agreement with the NCAA is done, will this open the door to other competitors…? Will 2K Sports give it a go?