As Hawks, you command a squad of mercenaries comprised of different figures from across the galaxy. A Jedi, a noble (who seems quite skilled with a sniper), ex-Separatist forces, and yes, even astromech droids are along for the ride. If you’ve played XCOM, then cover is about as important as flanking and overwatch.

But perhaps the coolest and least expected surprise is Anakin Skywalker. Since it’s set during The Clone Wars, this is pre-Darth Vader Anakin, though it’s likely Zero Company’s actions could put them in direct conflict with him. Then again, maybe he’s there to help. Time will tell.

Star Wars Zero Company promises everything you’ve come to love from an XCOM-style tactical experience, whether it’s bonding between squad members to improve their skills or permadeath. You can customize Hawks and even field custom-created characters with specialized loadouts. As always, stay tuned for more details and gameplay updates in the coming months.

The Persona Engine is a new addition for the football game, giving each playable in-game athlete their own distinct personality that will define how they play based on motivations. Through this, players will be able to transform their Franchise into a reactive league that is constantly changing depending on the player’s actions. The new Free Agency Frenzy also brings in some additional chaos thanks to simultaneous bidding that can have major impacts on the overall league. Scott Hanson will also be present in the game with enhanced weekly recaps and halftime reports to keep players up to date on the latest happenings in the league.

When it comes to gameplay, Madden NFL 27 features an all-new WR/DB interactions system that emphasizes the sport’s physicality. The feature brings in more realistic hand-fighting, jostling, and leverage that will give players more options when it comes to separation and coverage. A timing-based catching system will give players better control over 50-50 moments, and contested interactions will also now have more depth to them. Other new gameplay refinements include improved short yardage mechanics and new plays like the “Tush Push”.

The new G.O.A.T. Career Journey revolves around player performance, progression, and choice. Throughout the mode, players will get to experience a path that starts out in high school and takes them all the way to becoming an NFL Hall of Famer. The mode will feature position-based skill trees with more depth that will have additional impacts on the athlete’s on-field growth. The progression system will also lead to more choices when it comes to the athlete’s careers. Players will also be able to pick new positions to play, like TE, DL, and Safety, all while dealing with the new Sphere of Influence, which brings its own set of new decisions to make.

The football game will also bring in some refinements to its overall presentation, with a focus on the sheer spectacle that often tends to define NFL events. This means more signature stadium moments like Denver’s parachuters and Jacksonville’s zip line entrances, giving each stadium and team a more solid sense of identity. The title also brings in new primetime intros and pregame drone shows that set the atmosphere for the game to come, along with seasonal broadcast packages for events like holidays, and enhanced weekly recaps and halftime reports.

Madden NFL 27 is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on August 13th. Along with its Standard and Deluxe Editions, the title is also available as part of the MVP Bundle alongside EA Sports College Football 27. For more details on that, check out our coverage of the upcoming College Football game.

Along with announcing the release date for EA Sports College Football 27, EA has also revealed details on the various editions through which the title will be available – Standard, Deluxe, and the MVP Bundle. Pre-orders for all of these editions have opened up, with even the Standard Edition – priced at $69.99 / £69.99 / €79.99 – coming with a few extra goodies if you pick it up before release, including an 81 OVR BND Cover Athlete Player Item (choice of one of three), 100 Dynasty Coach Points, and 250 Road to Glory Skill Points.

The Deluxe Edition of EA Sports College Football 27, priced at $99.99 / £99.99 / €109.99, will offer an 83 OVR BND Cornerstones Player (choice of one of four) as long as it is pre-ordered by June 16th, three days of advanced access, and exclusive early access to Solo Challenges, along with the goodies from the Standard Edition. The MVP Bundle is essentially a combination of the Deluxe Editions of both EA Sports College Football and Madden NFL 27, and is priced at $149.99 / £139.99 / €159.99. The MVP Bundle also includes an additional 4,600 College Football Points and one Upgradable Ultimate Team Player item for EA Sports College Football 27, and 4,600 Madden Points and one Ultimate Team Evo item in Madden NFL 27.

The new trailer for EA Sports College Football 27 doesn’t showcase much in the way of gameplay. Rather, it focuses on the sport itself and how important it tends to be for the various athletes that compete in it during their college years. The narration of the trailer is handled by legendary coach Curt Cignetti, who will likely play a major role throughout the game’s various modes that emphasize player growth and coaching.

Despite not showing much gameplay, the trailer features plenty of moments from intense matches in the game, ranging from epic touchdowns to hard tackles that can block off a team’s approach, and even the sheer chaos caused during the opening moments of a play.

The title is slated to feature a few major improvements over its predecessor, like the all-new Dynasty Blueprints, giving you greater control over your team’s future. This involves, among other things, dealing with the expectations of the Athletic Director, and spending Dynasty Points to recruit staff and build up facilities to help in your team’s training.

Outside of the sport itself, EA Sports College Football 27 also features the new Mascot Mashup game mode, which pits more than 120 mascots from various teams in the game against each other in 11-on-11 matchups. The mode is meant to be a light-hearted one, and will even include over-the-top celebrations and other mascot antics. Other fan-favorite game modes, like Road to Glory, will also return in the upcoming title.

Electronic Arts already confirmed on Twitter that there would be a gameplay reveal on June 5th at Summer Game Fest, so this report carries even more weight. However, pre-orders may begin shortly after, with the Standard Edition reportedly costing $49.99 on PC and $59.99 on consoles, while the Deluxe Edition is apparently $59.99 and $69.99.

There are currently no details on what Deluxe owners can expect, but advanced access is apparently not included. Also, the Standard Edition is reportedly the only one getting a standard release.

Star Wars Zero Company has enticed us ever since its announcement, promising a tactical strategy experience that channels the likes of Andor and The Clone Wars. As Hawks, a former officer of the Republic, players take on missions with a mercenary group to deal with a new threat.

It offers many of the same tenets as XCOM, especially permadeath, with a greater emphasis on character interactions and consequences. The fact that it’s not colliding with other upcoming releases (for now) makes it all the more enticing.

Billbil-kun has also noted that they were able to corroborate reports of EA Sports College Football 27 coming to PC. Unfortunately for Nintendo Switch 2 players, however, it looks like the title will once more skip the hybrid console.

As for pricing, the PC version of EA Sports College Football 27 is expected to be priced similarly to its console counterparts, with a standard edition coming it at $69.99, and a Deluxe Edition priced at $99.99. European players might find that the PC version is €10 cheaper than the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions, however, with the standard edition priced at €69.99 on PC and €79.99 on consoles, and the Deluxe Edition priced at €99.99 on PC and €109.99 on consoles.

There are also going to be pre-order bonuses for the Deluxe Edition, including 4,600 College Football Points, 3 days of advanced access, exclusive solo challenges, Ultimate Team Player Items, Dynasty Coach Points, and Road to Glory Skill Points. The PC version is expected to come out on the same day as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions – on July 9th.

Along with this, Billbil-kun’s report has also indicated that Madden NFL 27 will be coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on August 13th. While the PC version will only be available digitally, there are plans for physical editions for the consoles.

All of these details come just a day before EA’s planned official showcase for EA Sports College Football 27 and Madden NFL 27. The showcase was announced just last week, and will feature a deep dive into the two titles, giving us a look at some of their new features and updated rosters. Both titles are slated to be part of “one connected showcase”, with EA promising new game modes and innovations.

Just this week, EA had also revealed the cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 27’s standard and Deluxe Editions. The title will feature Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney, and Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy on the standard edition. The Deluxe Edition will feature Texas linebacker Colin Simmons, Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore, and USC quarterback Jayden Maiava. Legendary coach Curt Cignetti will also be present on the cover.

While you wait for the newest iteration of the EA Sports College Football series, take a look at our review of last year’s release, which we gave a score of 8 out of 10 thanks to the sheer number of customization options it offered, its fleshed-out offense and defense play, and its authentic depiction of school stadiums, among many other reasons.

“I mean, this was like a year ago or whatever, but I heard that like Cal was going to be older in the game, so I don’t know if they’re doing like a little time jump or something.” Considering that Survivor took place five years after Fallen Order with Cal worn down after continuously fighting the Empire, it wouldn’t be too surprising.

As for how far into the future, Henderson added that the character wouldn’t be so old as to, say, use his Lightsaber as a walking stick. Not that this is how it worked out for Yoda, but you get the idea.

When we can expect a reveal is anyone’s guess, especially with so many big showcases around the corner. Giant Bomb’s Jeff Bomb alleged on last week’s Game Mess Mornings that the sequel “went into production right away after the second one. Kind of before that happened. Everyone involved knew they were going to make a third game. They wanted to do a trilogy.”

That doesn’t necessarily narrow down an announcement, but for those hoping to see a continuation – and possible conclusion – to Cal’s journey, it’s coming (especially following a recent statement from Lucasfilm and Disney). Stay tuned for more updates on when.

In the meantime, you can check out our review for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor here. It’s available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

What’s it about, you ask? Well, EA’s tweet about it has made things pretty clear, and we’re going to get a first look at the next editions of College Football and Madden NFL, with the studio promising new modes, innovations, and ways to enjoy the action in what it’s calling “one connected showcase”.

What’s on the table at the event? That’s a trickier one to answer since the studio is obviously playing things pretty close to the chest. But we’re hoping that builds on the momentum that both College Football 26 and Madden NFL 26 have managed to garner, as both games were impressive simulators in their own right, bringing enough to the table to make them immersive and enjoyable. They did have issues that need to be addressed in their respective gameplay loops, but we’re hoping that EA has paid attention and is bringing more refined and innovative takes to the table.

Now all that’s left to do is wait for the event next week. Surely there’s nothing else important happening, right?

https://x.com/EASPORTSCollege/status/2060391817145725263

There’s Legacy, which lets you follow Chris Carter’s rise to fame in the famed sport, with branching narrative paths based on your decisions. That continues into Career mode, where you can choose to stick with Carter, choose another one of your favorites, or create a custom one entirely. It’s designed to put you bang in the middle of the weekly grind you’d deal with if you were actually part of the UFC. With weekly challenges and a cleaner UI to make tracking your progress and current standings easier, things will be quite immersive indeed.

Dynamic narratives and randomized accounts make things unpredictable. Meanwhile, the Hall of Legends has three interactive halls featuring Alex Para, Wayi Jiang, and Max Holloway, each of which lets you peek into their respective stories with insightful looks into what made them the legends they are today.

There’s a lot to unpack with this one, and we’ve left the entire showcase below if you’ve been itching to get a closer look at this one before it drops for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on June 19th.

Interestingly, the phrasing used by the representative doesn’t necessarily indicate that a new Star Wars Jedi game might be in the works. Considering the breadth of the Star Wars universe, cross-media plans are often made for just about every character in the franchise.

However, a report from back in January had indicated that a new entry in the Star Wars Jedi series was indeed in the works, and might be slated for release later this year. The report came courtesy of Tim Gettys speaking during an episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast.

“I was thinking about this earlier when I was trying to come up with a game that wouldn’t make this list, and I was thinking about how… ‘received’… the last one was, but the Jedi Survivor sequel I think has a solid chance of coming out this year,” said Gettys in the episode. “I don’t think it’s a slam dunk… I can see that game being announced in May and coming out in September.”

Other hosts at the time rightly pointed out that both of the previous titles in the Star Wars Jedi series—Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor—were both announced and released in the same year. A similar plan might be in the works for the rumored third entry as well. “I’ve heard some things,” concluded Gettys.

Publisher Electronic Arts and developer Respawn Entertainment have been quiet about the franchise since the 2023 release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, however. Assuming that the project has been quietly in the works, this would mean that Respawn is working on a relatively short 3-year development cycle. It is also worth noting that the studio has seen quite a few departures over the last couple of years, including director Stig Asmussen.

The first entry in the series—Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order—was released on PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2019, followed up by a 2021 release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The title takes place between the end of the Clone Wars and before Episode 4: A New Hope. Players take on the role of former Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis, who managed to survive Order 66 and went into hiding, disguising himself as a maintenance worker who dismantles Republic ships.

The plot kicks off when Cal is forced to reveal the fact that he is Force sensitive and has to go on the run while the Galactic Empire sends the Imperial Inquisition after him.

Its follow-up, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, took place a few years after the events of its predecessor, with Cal now leading a one-man crusade against the Galactic Empire. He is forced to reconcile with old friends when a mission goes wrong, however, and accidentally stumbles into a way to rid the galaxy of the Empire’s tyranny.

While EA doesn’t hold the rights to the FIFA World Cup branding anymore, the update will still end up including 53 fully-licensed playable national teams, out of which 41 are participating in the real-life World Cup. Teams part of the update include Brazil, Cabo Verde, Uzbekistan, Belgium, Austria, France, and England, among many others. You can find the full list of licensed national teams below.

Interestingly, the update also includes two teams that haven’t been licensed—Egypt and Japan—with authentic players, as well as five generic squads—Algeria, Curaçao, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan. In a statement, the company noted that the inclusion of national teams came down to the licensing rights that EA was able to acquire. However, this also meant that laws and regulations come into play, like the sanctions that have been imposed on some countries by the US.

“National team inclusion depends on our ability to secure licensing rights directly and comply with applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. sanctions, which may limit our ability to partner with certain federations,” explained the company.

The new 48-team tournament mode will involve three group stage matches, with the top two teams of each group, as well as third-place teams in all groups, being able to progress further into the tournament. This kicks off a knockout stage with 32 rounds, which will then lead into the finals for the tournament.

The update is also bringing in some new things for Ultimate Team players, including a dedicated Event Hub and new campaigns themed around the Festival of Football. There is also a new login bonus for players that hop into the game between June 5th and July 24th—a 93 OVR Festival of Football ICON Pelé, along with three “Choose Your Journey” Evolutions.

The Festival of Football will bring in 100 new international players to Ultimate Team, headlined by two new ICONS: Rivellino and Mario Kempes.

EA Sports FC 26 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. For more details, take a look at our review of the PS5 version, which we gave a score of 8 out of 10. EA Sports FC Mobile is available on iOS and Android.

List of national teams coming to EA Sports FC 26 and EA Sports FC Mobile with The World’s Game update:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bosnia & Herzegovina*
• Brazil
• Cabo Verde
• Canada
• Colombia
• Congo DR*
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Ecuador
• England
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Ghana
• Haiti
• Holland
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Indonesia
• Italy
• Ivory Coast
• Korea Republic
• Mexico
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Northern Ireland
• Norway
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar
• Republic of Ireland
• Romania
• Saudi Arabia
• Scotland
• Senegal
• South Africa
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Tunisia
• Turkiye
• Ukraine
• United States
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Wales

*Will feature generic kits as of June 4, updated to include authentic kits in a future update.