EA Sports plans to release a college football game for the first time in over a decade next summer, and the company now has big news that directly affects the playing experience of the game.
Virtual likenesses of actual players will be in the game, the company told ESPN on Wednesday. EA Sports has contracted with OneTeam Partners to “facilitate collegiate athletes’ names and likenesses” into the game, which was a key issue affecting the company’s ability to relaunch the franchise.
The partnership allows all eligible FBS players to opt in and have their likenesses in the video game. Players will receive NIL compensation for their inclusion in the release.
While details of the agreement are still being finalized, EA Sports told ESPN that the goal is to be “as inclusive and equitable as possible.” OneTeam’s website referenced that if “the influence of individual sales couldn’t be figured out” that revenue would be divided equally among athletes included in each licensing program.
If a player opts out, a generic avatar would be included in their place like in past games.
EA Sports stopped releasing games of the wildly popular franchise after NCAA Football 14 in July of 2013, due to legal disputes surrounding the NCAA and use of player likenesses.
Now it appears that the contract with OneTeam Partners will solve that issue for EA Sports moving forward.
