EA Sports won’t be producing a college basketball video game after all.
Matt Brown of Extra Points reported on Thursday, Sept. 4, the video game company is pulling its offer to include schools in a college basketball game, all but signaling the end of any chance it gets made. EA Sports vice president of commercial partnerships and licensing Sean O’Brien informed universities on Sept. 3, according to the report. O’Brien said the decision was made because schools are accepting 2K Sports’ offer to be included in the NBA 2K series.
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EA Sports declined to comment to USA TODAY Sports.
It’s a sudden shift in plans for EA Sports. Following the success of EA Sports’ college football video game series revival, the company teased in June the development of a college basketball game. It hadn’t made a college basketball game since 2009.
The plan for the game was to include all 730 Division I men’s and women’s teams, as well as real-life players through NIL deals. In July, O’Brien told USA TODAY Sports it was a daunting task, but the company was up for the challenge of making a college basketball video game and was “in the process of trying to figure out how that could come together.”
“You’re dealing with passionate fan base who are at a special time in their lives, and then that carries with them for the rest of their life,” O’Brien said. “We felt that we really captured lightning in a bottle with college football. I think we would love to try to do the same for college basketball.”
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However, when EA Sports hinted at a possible college basketball game, 2K Games, which publishes the NBA 2K series, appeared to also want to get in the business. It had previously made College Hoops 2K8 in 2007.
“2K is the undisputed home of basketball gaming. We have a strong history with college hoops and are exploring exciting new ways to bring athletes and schools to life. Class is in session,” 2K Games said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.
According to Extra Points, 2K’s plan does not include a standalone video game, but for it to be included in NBA 2K. Not every Division I men’s and women’s team would be included, and schools would be available in 5-on-5 tournaments in the MyTeam Mode via downloadable content.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: EA Sports will not make college basketball video game, per report
