EA SPORTS College Football 26
News, coverage and analysis tracking EA SPORTS College Football 26 across the outlets.
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EA Used AI To Clone John Buccigross’ Voice In NHL 27
Electronic Arts used generative AI to simulate ESPN personality John Buccigross's voice in NHL 27, a fact that was not disclosed prior to launch. While Buccigross found the AI-generated lines to be "pretty good" and expressed enthusiasm for potential work-saving benefits, he noted instances where human correction was needed due to inaccuracies. EA CEO Andrew Wilson is a strong proponent of AI in game development for increased efficiency.
Start Your EA SPORTS NHL 27 Season Now With EA Play
Electronic Arts is offering EA Play subscribers a 10-hour early access trial for EA SPORTS NHL 27, featuring the new Connected Franchise mode and an overhauled broadcast package. Members also receive a 10% discount on digital purchases and monthly in-game rewards for various EA titles.
Free Play Days – EA Sports College Football 27, The Survivalists, The Lonesome Guild, and Under The Waves
Xbox is offering Free Play Days for several titles including EA Sports College Football 27, The Survivalists, The Lonesome Guild, and Under The Waves. EA Sports College Football 27 and The Survivalists have specific availability windows, with The Survivalists requiring Xbox Game Pass membership, while The Lonesome Guild and Under The Waves are available as two-hour timed trials for all Xbox members.
US console sales hit new low in July as physical Xbox games plummet
US video game hardware sales in July reached $282 million, a 29% decrease from the previous year and the lowest July since 2020, according to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella. This decline is attributed to rising console prices and a component crisis impacting the PC and mobile markets. Physical Xbox game sales also saw a significant drop, accounting for only 4% of total physical game sales for the month, suggesting a potential shift towards digital-only distribution for the platform.
US physical game sales drop to lowest monthly total since 1995 | US Monthly Charts
US physical game sales in July reached their lowest point since 1995, totaling $85 million. Hardware spending also saw a significant decline of 29% year-over-year, reaching $282 million, the lowest July total since 2020. Despite these drops, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 topped the charts, driven by its PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 port.
Best-selling games in the U.S. for July 2026 – Splatoon Raiders debuts in the top 10
Circana has released the top-selling video games in the U.S. for July 2026, with Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 leading the monthly charts. New releases Splatoon Raiders and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream also secured spots in the top ten. The article also provides a list of the overall best-selling games for 2026 so far, with Resident Evil Requiem at the top.
Hardware spending in the US was so low in July that it nearly matched the 2020 Pandemic days when everything was out of stock
US gaming hardware spending in July saw a significant 29 percent drop compared to last year, nearing 2020 pandemic levels due to high prices despite ample availability. Physical software sales also hit an all-time low since 1995, with PlayStation and Nintendo leading sales percentages. Only the gaming subscription category saw growth.
US Video Game Spending Just Had One Of Its Worst Julys Ever
US video game spending experienced a significant slump in July, falling 10% year-over-year to $4.5 billion according to Circana data. Both physical software sales and hardware sales hit multi-year lows, with higher hardware prices and the anticipation of the Nintendo Switch 2 impacting console sales. Content spending also declined, primarily driven by a drop in mobile game revenue.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 Port From 14 Years Ago Sold Better In July Than Any Other Game In US
Ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 were the best-selling games in the US in July, according to Circana's sales report. The Black Ops 2 port ranked first by dollar sales, while the Black Ops port came in fifth. These titles, released with minimal improvements, reportedly sold over 11 million copies combined, generating more than $430 million for Activision and Microsoft.
EA Sports College Football 27 Review
EA Sports College Football 27 features an exhaustive and rewarding Dynasty Mode, with updates that deepen existing systems rather than reinvent them. The game addresses Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college football, though the reviewer expresses a desire for more innovation.
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27 Early Access Trial Available Now With EA Play
An early access trial for EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27 is now available for EA Play subscribers, offering up to 10 hours of gameplay featuring the new Persona Engine. Progress from the trial carries over to the full game, which can be played on PC and via Xbox Cloud Gaming. Additional EA Play benefits include discounts on digital purchases and monthly in-game rewards for various EA Sports titles.
College Football 27 Title Update 3 Brings Lambeau Field, Gameplay Fixes, and Presentation Upgrades
EA Sports College Football 27 is releasing Title Update 3 on August 6, bringing significant gameplay fixes, presentation upgrades, and Dynasty mode improvements. The update includes the addition of Lambeau Field, new crowd themes, and enhancements to Ultimate Team's EVO system.
There's no single-player video games in the top 20 most played PS5 games in July
Live service and sports games continue to dominate the most played lists on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with single-player titles absent from the top 20 in July. Fortnite remains the most popular game, with titles like Roblox, Minecraft, and annual sports sequels filling out the charts. Data from Circana analyst Mat Piscatella indicates a strong preference for ongoing multiplayer experiences over traditional offline games.
Live service revenue dominates in EA's last fiscal report ahead of Saudi merger
Electronic Arts reported a 19 percent increase in net revenue to $1.98 billion for its last fiscal quarter as a public company, largely driven by its live service games like EA Sports FC and Apex Legends. This financial report precedes EA's $55 billion merger with an investor consortium including the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, expected to close on August 4, 2026. Despite strong financial performance, the company has continued to implement layoffs.
PlayStation and Xbox's most played games are, once again, exactly what you expect them to be
Analyst Mat Piscatella revealed that the most played games on PlayStation and Xbox remain dominated by long-running live service titles and annual sports games, with minimal changes year-over-year. Fortnite leads both platforms, followed by a familiar lineup including Roblox, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto 5, with minor variations between the console ecosystems.
EA Sports FC 27 Has A New $150 Edition, Because Ultimate Wasn’t Ultimate Enough
Electronic Arts is introducing a new $150 "Ultimate Plus" edition for EA Sports FC 27, adding to its existing standard and Ultimate editions. This premium version includes significant DLC, early access, and in-game currency, sparking criticism regarding the game's pricing and microtransaction model, which has previously drawn backlash in other EA titles like EA Sports College Football.
Of all the platforms, Xbox is the only one to have just grown year-on-year - but there's a big catch
US video game spending in June dropped 21% year-on-year, with hardware sales declining significantly by 62%. While the Nintendo Switch 2 launch in June 2025 skewed comparisons, Xbox Series X/S was the only platform to see hardware spending growth, albeit from a low base. Subscriptions were the sole segment to experience growth.
Evening Reading - July 20, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including reviews for EA Sports College Football 27 and Backyard Baseball, and updates on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. It also touches on rumors about the Nintendo Switch 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a discussion about favorite Grand Theft Auto games, and Microsoft's agreement to use AMD AI infrastructure.
EA Sports College Football 27 review: Aiming for the big leagues
EA Sports College Football 27 offers an immersive on-field experience with new features like dynamic weather and timing-based catching, alongside a robust Dynasty mode featuring NIL mechanics. However, the review criticizes the implementation and subsequent removal of microtransactions, particularly the pay-to-win elements tied to the MVP+ subscription, which detract from the overall enjoyment.
College Football 27 Review: The Best Entry in Franchise History Comes with a Catch
EA Sports College Football 27 is hailed as the best entry in the franchise, featuring a deeply overhauled Dynasty mode with realistic NIL mechanics and improved gameplay. However, the game is marred by controversial paywalls for coach XP sliders and certain coaching trees, leading to community backlash despite its overall quality.