An Open Letter, re: NCAA Football 26

Dear EA,

I'm writing this after my 35th+ attempt to complete a single game in NCAA Football 26.  I've tried everything - different teams, game modes, saved files - and yet, every single time, the game crashes during gameplay.  I am one of THOUSANDS experiencing this issue.

For me, the pattern is consistent: the crash always occurs during a deadball situation - timeouts, between quarters, or after a play ends. Not once has it crashed mid-play. One time I was able to get deep into the third quarter, but I had to simulate the rest of the game just to avoid another crash. I’m convinced if I hadn’t simmed, it would’ve crashed again. In Year 2 of my offline Dynasty, after 19 attempts, I'm finally 1-0.

15 attempts later, and I'm still 1-0 because I cannot get through my second game of the season. 

Year 1 went completely smooth. During the offseason, I brought in 25 high school players and 10 transfers. As an invested fan of the game, I spent hours changing the names and gear of every single high school commit (I never touch attributes). Gameplay outside of the on-field experience has been solid, with no major issues. However, the core of the game is PLAYING THE GAME! And it's clear the gameplay is broken and no one is communicating any solution on how to fix it.

Let me be very clear: I bought this game to play it, not sim my way through seasons. Right now, I physically cannot finish a game.

EA_Kent​ and any other EA representatives: You owe the community a direct response. This is a widespread issue. I see others reporting it. And still - it's radio silence. It’s disrespectful to the loyal fans who waited over a decade for this franchise to return, to those of us who pre-ordered it before the 2026 release, and to those of us who spend their hard earned money on a product that they cannot enjoy.

This matter deserves regular updates! This matter deserves information! This matter deserves an apology! And I even believe this matter deserves some type of compensation (gamer points, a discount towards a future purchase, something). Trust is broken with one of the most passionate fanbases in sports gaming and the lack of information and is incredibly frustrating.

I'm not asking for the impossible. I'm asking for transparency, accountability, and a timeline for fixes. Acknowledge the issue. Communicate your progress. And please-don’t gaslight our community by pretending this isn’t a real and repeated problem.

We paid full price for this game. At a minimum, we deserve the ability to play it.

EA, fix this. And talk to us.

-A Fed Up Fan.