The Controversial Early Release of NCAA Football Almost Broke the Internet in 2005

Operation Sports on the NCAA Football 06 Release: www.operationsports.com/os-me...
The NCAA Football Release Thread: forums.operationsports.com/fo...
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When College Football 25 drops, the release will be streamlined and mostly digital. Folks who pay extra can enjoy early access. The stores still selling hard copies won’t release them until the release date. It should go mostly as expected.
In other words, it’ll be the exact opposite of what happened with NCAA Football 06 in which an unexpected early release from a now-defunct computer big box chain set the sports gaming world in a tizzy.
It was a wild goose chase for many that would pay enormous dividends for a lucky select few who happened to be in the right time and the right place.
NCAA Football 06 was scheduled to be released on July 12th, 2005. On July 2nd, someone at the Operation Sports forum created that who’s got the game thread. The first post mentions how compusa.com says the game is available. That is shortly followed by someone saying they were able to purchase the game in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Apparently, less than an hour later, the website availability had been switched to coming soon. But the NCAA Football loving community was off the races. Within six hours, the thread is 160 posts deep mostly filled with, did anyone get it in (x) city. There was also some wild speculation that the game would be released because of CompUSA’s mistake along with a few of the classics; I know a guy who knows a store general manager-type posts.
What ensued was ten days of chaos as college football fans tried tracking down an early release copy of NCA Football 06.
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[@JohnnyWebbJr]

My guy always sold me Madden/NCAA the same day he received it. Usually I'd have it a week before release. Shout out to Mohammed at the Gardena Swap Meet!

[@tcbobb1613]

Hopefully, he is still there! lol

[@tbleach2294]

Mohammed the GOAT

[@bigdinlaca]

That was my spot too when I was living off of El Segundo and Normandie until 2007. That is where I got this game, Halo 3, COD 4, Madden 07 real early. Honorable mentions to that game store that use to be in Inglewood Swapmeet and there was a mom and pop video/ game store in Carson across the street from the UCLA Harbor where I got Madden 08 early and game store in the Crenshaw Mall that sold me NCAA 08 early.

[@ssom06]

You do realize that's a felony

[@NattyPi]

lmao yep! i would get ncaa and madden early from 2005-2010 at the garden swap meet then head over to lousinana to eat haha

[@Zero-is-infinite]

S/o to everyone who uploaded games as ISOs back in the day so we could get them a week ahead of time. Y’all made console gaming worth it.

[@witoldfrankowski32]

That was a great time haha

[@dylanvick4417]

My best friends step mom worked at a shopko as a store manager and she’d hook us up with the newest madden/ncaa/nba live games before they released

[@drentzios88]

My best friend step mom hooked me up with my first kid. I think I got you beat

[@ssom06]

You do realize that's a felony

[@dylanvick4417]

@@ssom06 😂😂😂 well there’s a reason shopko went bankrupt bub, idgaf if it’s a felony or not, my friends step mom never got in trouble

[@seancdavis13]

Ncaa 2006 is still the goat. Best game in the series to date.

[@joelcrenwelge3889]

Won’t be for long.

[@seancdavis13]

@@joelcrenwelge3889 I hope you're right. I'm super excited for College Football 25, but if it plays like Madden 24.....

[@joelcrenwelge3889]

@@seancdavis13 It’s not gonna play like Madden. It’s already confirmed that it’s far from a Madden reskin. Just ask the guys who played it.

[@seancdavis13]

@joelcrenwelge3889 That's what I've read, but until I play it myself, I can't be sure. Hopefully it's very different.

[@joelcrenwelge3889]

@@seancdavis13 it is very different. You don’t have to play it yet to know.

[@johnrouleau3372]

NCAA 06 is goated. Let’s hope 25 can get close

[@Antbeast23]

A lot of features are already missing such as fcs schools create a fan heisman shows sanctions probations historic team and exporting draft classes. Yes they don’t have the right to add players in the nfl but since they getting paid it wouldn’t be hard if ncaa was doing it illegally before they can hopefully settled an agreement with the nfl pa

[@joelcrenwelge3889]

25 is gonna blow every NCAA game out of the water.

[@johnrouleau3372]

@@Antbeast23 FCS, sanctions/violations, and automatic conference invites are def features I"ve missed. Old games felt more "alive" in a lot of ways because of those features

[@SaintKnowsBest]

There should be create a play mode/feature like there was in madden 2005 as a fan I want to run the wing t offense so bad as well as the single wing offense… maybe one day they’ll add it

[@IndependentWhistleblower]

I used to be on every major title 5 days early, working at the video store. Pre streets were the ultimate perk.

[@no-yj2cf]

Seeing ODogg's name takes me back man

[@TheFort87]

I remember running to K-Mart because of rumors that some in MN put them out early. My brother ordered that one Anniversary Edition of Madden around that time through either GameStop or EB and got it shipped Next Day Saver through FedEx 1 1/2 weeks early and played online with only other glitch buyers & EA employees. Took pics and posted online and told he photoshopped it because everyone was expecting it to be a 2-disc release

[@jasonr.6428]

Man I miss those days along with the Gamestop midnight releases for NCAA and Madden... Life was so much easier haha!

[@sageinfinitenj2791]

This video really took me back. I stalked that thread on OS and ended up getting my copy a week early from a store called Coconuts in NJ. I got 2 copies, one for me and one for a friend. I went back to get a third for another friend and got denied. What an amazing time. Thanks for this video

[@deebow_fat]

There used to be this local game store in my hometown. It was about a week before Gears of War released, and a couple weeks before WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2007 released. They had both games on the shelf.

[@the901mc]

The shot of gamefaqs, bro.... brought me back ❤

[@OhBoy937]

We used to get our NCAA early at the Independent Gaming Stores until EA stopped shipping it to them early

[@FIVESTRZ]

There was a mall kiosk that only sold games, slide him an extra $10 and he would let you have the newer games before the dates. Also I have heard stories of Circuit City employees taking a copy home early, then buying it when it releases. Worst case they'd rewrap it using the machine and put it back on the shelf

[@POrko-yu6pi]

This was so much fun! I remember when guys first posted pictures proving they had the game, and then I was online for hours over the next few days trying to find it in Pittsburgh!

[@ColeNollavook]

There was a similar goose chase here in Canada because the game wasn’t sold in EB Games or Best Buys here. Also, those forums bring me back. I remember being enraged on the IGN boards when Madden 06 came out and everyone’s NCAA imports had overall ratings in the high 80’s, but my NFL Street import (who had beat NFL legends on both sides of the ball mind you) was a 67.

[@TL8706]

Props for covering something other than the O’Bannon case leading up to 25

[@StateoftheFranchiseGaming]

If you went to mom & pop video game stores they would sell you a game early, I got Madden 2006 early (PS2) as opposed to NCAA 06 (I wasn't aware of forums all that much, they seemed sketchy lol)

[@marquan1976]

When I was in Hawaii 2012, the guy Wal-Mart told me they had the games on Monday but they can’t put them on the shelves until midnight (it was open 24 hours). So I came back at 12:01am

[@danlowe]

When PS3 came out there was supposed to be a midnight release at the Best Buy near Fenway Park in Boston. I was hanging around and decided to join the line sometime after 9. Don't normally waste time waiting for stuff but I lived a couple blocks away and the line was short. Soon after cops showed up and told the store they weren't allowed to be open after 11pm and dispersed us. The next morning there was a huge line waiting for the store to open. Certainly not something I'd stay for. Someone had gotten word that all of the Best Buys in the area sent their consoles to that store and so even with the huge line everybody was walking out with one. Some people I knew who didn't even play games had two to sell. Luckily I went home to Montana for Christmas and found one sitting on a shelf. No games or extra dualshocks for sale, but I ran Linux on that system and had a great run with it

[@1flxrist]

06 was such an amazing game and glad they are taking things from it adding it to cfb 25 specifically some of the recruiting elements in dynasty

[@diesel9324]

Long live the Kibbie Dome. The best stadium in NCAA football.

[@michaelclark2097]

It all depends on street date. I wound up with "Black" like a WEEK before street date when I bought it at target! It was just on shelves one Sunday I left church!

[@SaintNormRIP]

From Cincinnati, lived in Lexington at the time. I got my copy on the second in Lexington. Went home for the 4th, my cousin got his in Cincinnati. We talked about it. So many other cousins pissed they missed out, and had to wait another week.

[@RichieMyers12]

Living in Canada at the time, we had to road trip it to the states or West Edmonton Mall and fork out $100 just to get this game as they wouldn't release it in Canada at this time. I will definitely think about this as I hit the download button on my PS5 and play digitally.

[@timelymirror7826]

why $100

[@CashusClay23]

Incredible storytelling man

[@XMart3]

Talking about this game I had no idea about the early release but oh my this is my top ncaa football game of all time. I still remember some songs from the game Pixies-Debaser and Lush-Ladykillers I had those songs on repeat 😅

[@Wulfe_12]

8:19 I have no idea what alternates that dude is talking about

[@pikapal91]

I haven’t played a football video game since NCAA 12 on my PS3. I was attending college during the releases of 13 and 14 and I never got them. Needless to say I cannot wait for College Football 25

[@xlewd5082]

Remember the good days of getting cod early meeting me of this

[@rynomclaughlin1595]

You're from Sac but wearing a Vandals shirt? Is that your Alma Mater? Also what did that Alta Arden CompUSA turn into? I'm from Elk Grove

[@thetouchback]

I eventually went from American River College to Idaho and am a proud Vandal. As for the CompUSA on Alta Arden, it is now a Goodwill.

[@rynomclaughlin1595]

@@thetouchback nice to hear, also cool I go to that goodwill all the time

[@austinlee629]

i swear i learn something new about sac everyday😭

[@TimEric4d3d3d3]

I used to shop at Funcoland baaaack in the day

[@illlwill1990]

Great video 🔥

[@hotdogmanful]

Just pre-ordered NCAA and Epic Mickey today, lol. First time I've pre-ordered something since the Nintendo Switch

[@TarawaS2000]

I vaguely remember this and trying to find a CompUSA near me. 😂

[@TheSlymaster3000]

That’s my hometown funcoland wtf 8:52

[@djaeb2001]

Oh man, @2:26 brings back memories

[@RaRa-li7in]

Hear me out I played 05 so much that I didn’t even get 06 in 25 now so that tells you how old I was 😂😂 but my cousin had the game and I was just look at it in “awh” anytime I saw it

[@jasonpdsi]

Sexton Hardcastle was AEW star Adam Copelands indy gimmick pre-WWF

[@editnosmirc4489]

I refuse to call him any thing but Edge

[@thetouchback]

If I had a prize, you'd win it.

[@Brazil144hopeful]

Those times was before every idiot was on the internet and before social media. When the nerds ruled the land it was a special time

[@jerryjanik480]

I remember those days

[@genocidehero9687]

I got InFamous a week early from FYE

[@skimmaster5000]

You just flashed my post let’s gooooo

[@basedjiren3889]

Had the best soundtrack in the series

[@Himbo_Slice666]

I ended up getting ufc undisputed 3 3 days ahead of time in the mail lol

[@R1C4RD1]

NCAA Football 06 Is The Greatest Sports Game Ever.

[@killion9194]

How old are you 😭 can’t tell if you’re 28 or 40

[@brandontyler1754]

Something like this could never happen today because they could simply put out a patch on the game that would render it inoperative until release day

[@DeeJayyLIVE]

Nah bro mfs was playing madden 24 early last year with the physical copy bro they let them in the servers and everything

[@danielgant1879]

You just had to be there!

[@kendallfach7020]

Love this game i play it to this day

[@300IQPUG]

i can now emulate this game on my PC. muhaha, futchah

[@michaelmartinez622]

I remember this

[@mathiasjay4320]

My favorite ncaa game

[@mikewagner9395]

Skip is only worth watching when the cowboys lose

[@seancdavis13]

Seeing the pink "BANNED" underneath the OS usernames is so on brand for that site. Love that place, but they had some absolute nazi mods.

[@slick1ru2]

I used to go to all those early releases, at midnight. I would go to the Madden ones and to the NCAA ones. at GameStop. That GameStop is now closed. There isn't one close to my house anymore. It's like we're living an alternative reality. Ever since 2020.q

[@Antbeast23]

Bro they had fcs schools export draft classes historic teams create a fan and even added college football moments later and heisman show etc. the new ncaa doesn’t even have this and doesn’t match the true college football experience but yet a 2005 game had it lmao. They even had sanctions and probations in this game

[@thetouchback]

The player suspensions were awesome. It was all about letting your star players get away with anything they wanted and then suspending that fourth-string tight end the entire season because he was five minutes late to a team meeting. Anything to avoid probation.

[@AutoRockinRacing94]

**sees Idaho shirt** gets my approval and also 4:39 - we used to be a proper country!

[@thetouchback]

Californian by birth, Vandal by choice.