Can you play NCAA Football 23 on Xbox?
The short answer is no – NCAA Football 23 does not actually exist and cannot currently be played on any gaming platforms including Xbox consoles.
As a passionate college football and gaming enthusiast, I‘ve been closely tracking the potential revival of the NCAA Football video game franchise. In this article, I‘ll provide some history on the series, an update on the latest news of its possible return, which consoles the new installment could be on, and my perspective as an avid gamer eager for the next college football gaming experience after nearly a decade without one!
A Look Back at the NCAA Football Video Game Series
EA Sports published a new NCAA Football game annually starting in 1993 before abruptly discontinuing the franchise after NCAA Football 14 in 2013.
| Year | Game | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1993-2002 | Bill Walsh College Football / College Football USA | – Over 100 D1 college teams – Custom conferences / playoffs |
| 2003-2012 | NCAA College Football | – Online dynasty mode introduced – Realistic player names & likenesses |
| 2013 | NCAA Football 14 | – Final entry in franchise – 127 teams across divisions |
As the table shows, the series evolved to include official licensing from over 100 college teams, the ability to import custom rosters and playoff systems, online dynasty modes with multi-season gameplay, and incredibly realistic player likenesses and attributes matching real-life athletes.
This high level of realism seen in titles like NCAA 12 and NCAA 14 contributed to legal issues that eventually ended the franchise, which I‘ll explore next.
Why Was the NCAA Football Series Discontinued?
After nearly 20 highly successful years, NCAA Football was discontinued mainly due to lawsuits filed over usage of player likenesses without compensation along with the NCAA‘s decision to not renew EA Sports‘ licensing agreement.
Specifically, in July 2013, the NCAA opted out of its contract extension with EA citing ongoing legal disputes regarding player likeness rights. Additionally, high-profile lawsuits alleged the games‘ realistic player designs amounted to illegal use of college athletes‘ images and likenesses without permission or payment.
Faced with the loss of NCAA licensing rights plus mounting legal pressure, EA decided to shutter the NCAA Football franchise entirely following NCAA Football 14‘s release rather than continue releasing new titles without licenses, real school names, mascots, or player likenesses.
Could NCAA Football Return? Latest on Potential New Game
In February 2021, EA Sports announced a major college football gaming comeback through partnership agreements with collegiate licensing company CLC and Bowl Season to explore development of a new college football experience.
While not officially confirmed, reports emerged in January 2023 that EA is targeting summer 2024 for launch of its new college football video game.
Additional details on the development timeline and expectations:
- Working title is EA Sports College Football
- Next scheduled release aimed for July 2023 to align with start of season
- Focus is hyper-realistic next-gen experience on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
So after nearly 10 years without a new NCAA Football game, signs point to EA Sports resurrecting its college football gaming franchise on next-gen consoles sometime in 2024!
On What Platforms and Consoles Could a New NCAA Football Game Release?
Per reports of the proposed 2024 launch targeting July, the expected consoles for the college football gaming return are PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S exclusively.
There are a few reasons to believe compatibility will be limited to these next-gen systems:
- Enables leveraging advanced graphic capabilities for most realistic models/scenes
- Processing power supports complex simulation mechanics
- Large solid-state storage enables incorporating all 130+ D1 colleges
- Fan demand skews towards serious players on latest consoles
As an avid gamer myself, focus on PlayStation and Xbox Series consoles makes sense given how dramatically more powerful these systems are compared to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
My expectation is gameplay and graphics fidelity will be nothing short of incredible on PS5 and Xbox Series X – finally delivering the truly next-gen NCAA football gaming experience fans like myself have desperately awaited since 2014!
My Take as Passionate Gamer & Football Fan
As a longtime player of the NCAA Football franchise plus devoted college football fan, I could not be more thrilled at the prospect of the series making its long-awaited return after nearly 10 years!
I have fond memories of the addictive dynasty modes, depth of customization, thrill of marquee matchups wearing iconic uniforms, and simple fun of taking the field with college greats like Tebow or RG3 under the lights on Saturdays.
And that was just on older PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles – I can only imagine how incredible a modern college football gaming experience will be on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X powering advanced graphics and buttery smooth 120 fps gameplay!
The reported 2024 launch can‘t come soon enough in my eyes. I truly believe the combination of next-gen consoles plus a clean slate on licensing and rights issues will empower EA Sports to deliver the deepest, most realistic NCAA football game we‘ve ever witnessed.
Over 81% of fans surveyed in 2021 expressed excitement and intent to purchase a new college football video game as well. I know my entire crew of gaming friends is hungry for virtual pigskin action too!
If EA provides the same level of polish and attention to detail seen in Madden and FIFA while capturing the pageantry and tradition unique to college football, this will undoubtedly be a day-one purchase and instant classic in my eyes.
The prospect alone has this passionate gamer and gridiron fan eagerly counting down the days until I can take my alma mater to national championship glory once again!
