2024-07-16 13:55:01
EA College Football 25
Retail versions of EA College Football 25 have begun to circulate, and the embargo on most content lifted on Monday morning. You can expect my scored review on July 19.
The one thing most still haven’t seen is the TeamBuilder app, which has been discussed but shown off the least of any feature in the game.
UPDATED PER EA — July 15, 2024
According to EA, An update on the TeamBuilder app will be provided on July 19, but not before. Essentially, the tool isn’t ready, but EA is set to provide an update for fans at that time.
My original information came from the note I received along with the review code, which appeared to point to a release date, but it was signaling the first date EA would provide additional information on the tool.
END OF UPDATE
That’s a bummer for some fans who were likely hoping to get a jump on the custom-creation tool–especially considering it is said to be even more layered than the one we fell in love with over a decade ago. As it is, we’ll have to wait to create our collection of schools designed to customize our college football experience.
Because of the limitations to player editing, which I discussed in detail here, the TeamBuilder app could be even more coveted than before, as it may be the only reliable vehicle of customization for fans who want more of a sandbox experience.
Because of the interest in the website, it’s a wonder EA didn’t at the very least, release a video of developers in a demo of the TeamBuilder feature. I got a look at a few screenshots in May during a preview of the game.
Enough was shared to get me excited for the feature–especially in remembering what was possible with the old version. However, it was really tough for me to know much of anything about it, and that’s even more the case for users who have sincere interest in the functionality.
The TeamBuilder app is going to be significant in Dynasty mode. In College Football 25, you can have a 32-user Dynasty mode. Sixteen of those teams can be Teambuilder-created schools. Considering the limitations in player editing and the cap on Teambuilder schools, the days of reworking the entire nation of players are over, at least for now.
One workaround I’ve thought about for those who want to edit every player in the nation would be to simulate at least four seasons ahead so that all the NIL players (the guys you can’t edit) have graduated. At that point, users should have complete control over editing every player in the nation.
That’s a pretty cumbersome workaround, but it’s something for those who crave this experience. One other issue with the Teambuilder system is the inability to add schools in mid-dynasty mode. Because of this, you have to know what schools you want in your dynasty mode experience from the start. None of these issues are game-killers.
The game is outstanding, and it’s possible there could be some loosening of the reins in a few years as EA learns its way around the NIL dealings better. For now, these are some of the things fans will have to accept if they want to enjoy EA College Football 25.
