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An incredible 2.2 million unique players played College Football 25 during its early access period, showing millions of people were willing to pay more to play the game early.

Paying more for Deluxe Editions of games in order to get a head start on those who wait for the official release date has become the norm, with a number of triple-A publishers selling early access as part of expensive editions of their games.

College Football 25 is the latest to do it, granting three days of early access for a pre-order of the $99.99 Deluxe Edition on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. Doing so would mean you were able to play from July 16, rather than having to wait until today, July 19 to jump in.

And you can see why publishers do this now, because EA has just announced it saw 2.2 million unique players of College Football 25 during this early access period. On top of that, an additional 600,000 were playing via the EA Play trial.

College Football 25 was an enormous success before it even properly launched; we are now at the point where a game’s early access release date is the de facto release date. For over two million fans, College Football 25 came out on July 16 priced $100.

Daryl Holt, SVP and Group GM, EA Sports, said the company “couldn’t be more excited to welcome millions more into the game with today’s launch.”

Circana’s Mat Piscatella said the firm’s Player Engagement Tracker suggests EA Sports College Football 25 “may indeed be the mass market breakout hit this console gen really needs right now.”

2.2 Million People Were Willing to Pay $100 to Play College Football 25 3 Days Early - IGN

An incredible 2.2 million unique players played College Football 25 during its early access period, showing millions of people were willing to pay more to play the game early.

www.ign.com

 

[SEGAvangelist]

$69.99 for AAA game won't exist for long, IMO.

 

[mitch1971]

 

[tmlDan]

Americans are crazy, cause nobody other than them would do this for college.....anything

 

[West Texas CEO]

 

[Magic Carpet]

Americans are crazy, cause nobody other than them would do this for college.....anything

Maybe someday we can see the Gatcha Waifu light.

 

[Švejk]

Meatheads will be Meatheads.

 

[Kerotan]

Surely there was other incentives not just the 3 days early?

 

[DragonNCM]

 

[amigastar]

 

[The Cockatrice]

Thats a lot of idiots.

 

[ReBurn]

Cheapskates play late

 

[Rac3r]

Most of these people are only buying 1-2 games a year anyways.

 

[ReyBrujo]

These are annual franchises, the game will become obsolete in exactly 365 days so those 3 extra days are worth the extra money.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

Geez!!! The most I've paid for a game is $80, and that's just been the deluxe version of Stellar Blade.
That was partially cause I wanted Shift Up to be successful with the game and tell the industry to F off with woke crap.

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

Surely there was other incentives not just the 3 days early?

Didn’t look like it, unless you are all in on EA coins.

This game is selling to an audience with plenty of money, ability to buy, and pent up demand. It isn’t muddying the new product with off-putting or divisive themes, tampering with nostalgia, or bringing some brave new vision of one hot shot executive.

The same thing would happen with a game like Battlefield if they just built for the audience. Or that new Star Wars game, woof. Just build the fucking thing people ask for.

 

[FunkMiller]

Americans are crazy, cause nobody other than them would do this for college.....anything

 

[LordCBH]

I’ve only played like 15-20 hours since early access started lol

 

[intbal]

"And you can see why publishers do this now..."

And just like all idiotic decisions made by suits, they'll think this game is a template and justification for similar actions in the future.

This was a one-off situation. College football has been absent for a long while. Consider yourselves warned, gaming publishers.

 

[PhillMeCream]

morons

 

[MDSLKTR]

 

[Sleepwalker]

Sports games sales are frontloaded, more news at 5.

Fifa (FC25) early access will double these with ease.

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Now imagine GTA6 early access for 100$.

Games will become 100$ within the next 2-3 years for sure.

 

[ReBurn]

Now imagine GTA6 early access for 100$.

Games will become 100$ within the next 2-3 years for sure.

They probably will be $100, but it won't be due to early access.

 

[Bar81]

This is why there is inflation. Most people have no financial discipline and companies are seeing that and ripping everyone off. Cue the I don't have enough money for rent whining.

 

[amigastar]

Now imagine GTA6 early access for 100$.

Games will become 100$ within the next 2-3 year

GTA 6 would make me interested in a few days of Early Access, but that's for the PC version, console version not so much.

 

[reinking]

I am not even that big into sport games but I thought about it. A younger me probably would have done it. A lot of people were anticipating the return of the series.

 

[Generic]

Now imagine GTA6 early access for 100$.

Games will become 100$ within the next 2-3 years for sure.

In the future people will discuss the tales of an unspoken era when it was possible to play games for $10 a month, yet the consumers still rejected it.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

GTA 6 would make me interested in a few days of Early Access, but that's for the PC version, console version not so much.

Isn't College not on PC either?

In the future people will discuss the tales of an unspoken era when it was possible to play games for $10 a month, yet the consumers still rejected it.

Nah, elderly will tell the tales about 95$ in 90s

 

[Azzurri]

USA USA

 

[Sanepar]

Remember 1.5% of world adults are milionarie, because 98.5% are stupid with decisions like that.

 

[amigastar]

Isn't College not on PC either?

Nah, elderly will tell the tales about 95$ in 90s

No, not PC

 

[struggler_guts]

Sometimes I see gaffers snarkily reply to others "youre whats wrong with the industry"

But its these guys

 

[Vyse]

That’s crazy!

 

[Bond007]

Not surprised.
Lots of buzz for the game in my area. I can imagine that amplified and starved for ncaa niche.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Americans are crazy

They call that shit football, so...

 

[Blindy]

Americans are crazy, cause nobody other than them would do this for college.....anything

I think the fact that it's been almost a decade since this series had anything out helped the FOMO here. I get it for streamers to want the head start or people who play this stuff online and I am tempted to get this game(Have to watch my budget though) since I really enjoyed NCAA Football 05 back then but I hate this idea of charging extra money to play a game a few days in advance.

 

[lughnasadh123]

Forums: "Why do devs make predatory transactions and practices for their games that screw over their customers?"

Meanwhile their customers:

 

[tr1p1ex]

EA did this with Battlefield.

 

[Roman Empire]

Pack it up my Canadian, Australian, and 3rd countries friends. You better be prepared to pay up $150 for the standard edition of games soon enough.

 

[ManaByte]

I think most paid $150 for the NCAA/Madden combo. They're going to buy Madden anyways, so why not save $50.

 

[BlackTron]

Now imagine GTA6 early access for 100$.

Games will become 100$ within the next 2-3 years for sure.

Then someone can pay $120 to play it 3 days early.

 

[Angry_Megalodon]

In the future people will discuss the tales of an unspoken era when it was possible to play games for $10 a month, yet the consumers still rejected it.

It wasn't possible, though.

Magic finances only work in Hogwarts.

 

[hussar16]

Americans are crazy, cause nobody other than them would do this for college.....anything

Even if 2 million people didn't buy the actual release version which was 3 days early ,the cat is out of the bag and shady bussiness lies like this will stay in forever.lets hope gta and others don't pull this crap

 

[Kokoloko85]

EA is lucky to probably have such a fanbse

 

[hussar16]

Forums: "Why do devs make predatory transactions and practices for their games that screw over their customers?"

Meanwhile their customers:

Not exactly. Even if 2 million didn't buy it but 50k idiots did that would be enough income for ea or whoever to keep doing this shady luying tactic. The cat is out of the bag how ridiclous stupid and impatient gamers are

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

It's been a very long time since we've had a proper NCAAF game, so people are hyped about it.

 

[lughnasadh123]

Not exactly. Even if 2 million didn't buy it but 50k idiots did that would be enough income for ea or whoever to keep doing this shady luying tactic. The cat is out of the bag how ridiclous stupid and impatient gamers are

Very much so, this is the new normal especially with kids having grown up with gaas systems in place. People are used to it at this point leaving companies to see how much they can push different pricing options on people.

 

[BobLeeSwagger]

Remember 1.5% of world adults are milionarie, because 98.5% are stupid with decisions like that.

Or some people aren’t peasants and can afford it.