Spear Interactive has shared another development update for Varsity High School Football, offering a clearer look at how things are coming together as work continues. The second winter playtest once again puts the spotlight on 7on7, which has made solid progress with added offensive and defensive plays, team and player archetypes now being active and full control over 7on7 rules. Patreon supporters can jump in until February 20 with the main playtest window running from February 21 through February 28.
The update also breaks down some new ways to play, including a Coach Mode where you call the plays and let the AI handle the action, an AI versus AI option for watching full games play out and a broadcast-style camera that leans into a real game-day vibe. Teams are now separated into Varsity, All Star and standard talent tiers, and they play differently depending on how their rosters are built. Quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back archetypes add their own tendencies, which shows up on the field.
On the gameplay side, AI logic for man and zone coverage has been expanded, full drives and possession changes are now working in 7on7, and players can choose to control a quarterback against an AI defense or take over a defensive back versus an AI offense. Deeper exhibition customization is also in place.
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Looking ahead, the team is exploring an early 2026 release for a Varsity 7on7 experience on PC first, with exhibition, tournament play and team customization planned. Console versions would come later, while full 11v11 Varsity football and Dynasty mode remain the long-term focus.
Those interested in joining the playtest can sign up and back the project through Patreon. While the full release is planned for Xbox and PlayStation, testing is currently limited to PC on Steam.
Published: Feb 4, 2026 09:30 pm