EA cancels college football title for 2014 amid ongoing legal disputes, lack of NCAA support (update)

A few months back, EA Sports announced that the 2014 installment of its wildly popular college football franchise wouldn't carry the NCAA label after the governing body chose not to renew its licensing contract. Today, the gaming outfit has announced that there will not be a campus-packed release... at all. Admitting that the choice was "profoundly disappointing," GM of American Football for EA Sports Cam Weber cited lawsuits with student-athletes over the use of their likeness without compensation as a cause for the decision. Of course, this is compounded by the NCAA and a number of conferences (Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12 included) no longer supporting the game. "The ongoing legal issues combined with increased questions surrounding schools and conferences have left us in a difficult position - one that challenges our ability to deliver an authentic sports experience," Weber wrote in a blog post. EA also pledged a commitment to NCAA Football 14 that's already in consoles of the faithful where, no matter what, Johnny Football is still celebrating the same way.

Update: Moments after EA posted the above news, the company announced that it and the CLC (Collegiate Licensing Company) had settled "all claims" with Sam Keller and Ed O'Bannon for using their names and more. This leaves the NCAA as the remaining defendant in the lawsuit over use of player likenesses. For more on the filing, consult the coverage links that follows.

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Source: Electronic Arts