Football fans are spoilt for choice this year with the release of EA Sports’ Madden 25 and College Football 25, which begs the question of which is the better choice to buy. We’ve given our view below.
With just a month separating the releases of Madden 25 and College Football 25, many players may be deciding which of the two titles to pick up. Of course, you can always get both with the MVP Bundle, but you may not want to splash out that much.
Read on if you’re stuck on the fence and can’t decide.
Both games are EA Sports titles and orientated around football, so there are many similarities. The core difference, of course, is that one focuses on the NFL and the other on College Football.
However, several differences and factors must be considered, which we’ve detailed below to help you decide.
Licenses
Licenses are a big deal in sports games, and EA Sports has been at the top of the mountain for years. Huge strides were made with College Football 25, securing licenses for all 134 FBS teams. Thousands of licensed players are included in that, though not everyone opted to participate.
Madden 25, meanwhile, has an exclusivity deal with the NFL that enables it to have all 32 teams in the game, including all the players, due to a deal with the NFLPA. Not every coach features in the game, with Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton among those not included.
Regardless of which game you choose, there are an abundance of official licenses that help create an authentic experience.
Game modes
There are many similarities between the available game modes in College Football 25 and Madden 25, with both having Ultimate Team, the option to control an entire team, and the ability to create a player and work through their own journey.
While EA introduced Ultimate Team to College Football 25, it remains superior in Madden 25. That means if you are an Ultimate Team player and are only interested in that mode, Madden 25 is the best bet.
For the other modes, however, College Football 25 stands triumphant. Dynasty in CFB 25 is a much more enjoyable experience than Franchise in Madden 25, and the same can be said for Road to Glory compared to Superstar.
Platforms
Madden 25 is definitely the more accessible game of the two and is available on last-gen consoles like PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as well as on PC. As expected, Madden 25 is also available on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
College Football 25, meanwhile, is much more limited because it’s unavailable on last-gen consoles or PCs. Instead, it’s only available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Value for money
The standard criticism of sports titles is that they are never too different from the previous entry in the series, something for which EA Sports, in particular, has faced backlash. Unfortunately, this remains the case with Madden 25.
College Football 25, however, is the first game covering College Football since NCAA 14. An 11-year gap increases the desire to play CFB 25, particularly as the game now features licensed teams and players.
It remains to be seen whether the College Football franchise will encounter similar issues as Madden if it becomes a yearly release, but for now at least, it’s a clear winner.
Which should you play?
Of the two titles, College Football 25 is my recommendation. The franchise’s 11-year absence makes returning to the series a real joy, particularly for anyone who follows College Football closely and wants to play as their favorite team.
Replayability in College Football 25 is also better than in Madden 25 due to the yearly cycle of players graduating and leaving the team. Recruitment and developing players are crucial, whereas, in Madden 25, you can learn from the established players in your team for as long as you like.
However, if you prefer the NFL, Madden 25 is the choice—particularly if you haven’t played a Madden title for years. If you are experienced in the franchise and want a change, switching to College Football 25 is the right move.
