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The latest addition to EA’s NHL series promises a new look, ‘ICE-Q’ technology, new features including a Grudge Match System, and the latest league, team, and player information —just in time for the NHL 2024-25 schedule.
NHL 25 is one of the key annual releases from EA’s sporting catalog and has been arriving onto gaming systems for decades. Many fans will be familiar with the series, but EA has looked to improve playability and the overall gameplay experience here. So let’s see what’s new and when you can get it – starting with the NHL 25 release date.
NHL 25 Release Date
NHL 25’s initial release date is Friday, October 4, 2024. It’s one of the most unsurprising release dates of the year, and much credit goes to the development team at EA Vancouver. Development appears to have run like clockwork, with NHL 25 arriving virtually identically to last year’s release—NHL 24 arrived on the same day of the same week of October in 2023.
The NHL 25 release date will be the same across all supported platforms. However, if you are prepared to pay for it, you can get early access. For some pre-orders, a 7-day early access window kicks off on Friday, September 27. More on that below.
NHL 25 Pre-orders
As you’d expect, you can get your NHL 25 pre-order locked in ahead of release. And there are two editions available across all platforms, those being the Standard Edition, and the Deluxe Edition.
Here’s the breakdown of the editions’ contents. However, note that the NHL 25 pre-order bonus of 7-day early access is only available with Deluxe Edition pre-orders.
NHL 25 Price
As you’d expect, NHL 25’s price differs between the two editions. With EA’s NHL series being premium titles, neither is particularly cheap, though. The Standard Edition will cost $69.99, while the Deluxe Edition, with all of its bonuses, will cost $99.99.
However, at the time of writing, there are slight discounts on these prices for some. For the Deluxe Edition, EA Play members can get $10 off on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S, bringing the price down a little to $89.99. Similarly, there’s a $7 discount on the Standard Edition for EA Play members, knocking the NHL 25 price to $62.99.
NHL 25 Platforms
While the previous iteration of the NHL series was available on older consoles, there’s a break from that this time around. The NHL 25 platforms list is just three consoles long, with the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Series S, and the PlayStation 5.
That means there is no support for the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4, and there is no suggestion that this will change. At some point, developers will move away from older systems, and it seems that’s the case with EA Vancouver’s NHL series. It’s not entirely surprising, given the new technology and graphical facelift, but sports games are traditionally some of the last holdouts between console generations. We saw something similar with EA UFC 5 last year.
NHL 25 Trailers
There are two NHL 25 trailers, in a fairly unassuming lead-up to the release of the title.
The NHL 25 Official Reveal Trailer was released on August 22, 2024, and is a blitz of alternating real-life action and NHL 25 gameplay, serving up a large slice of hype along with the NHL 25 cover stars Quinn, Jack, and Luke Hughes. The title’s use of SAPIEN Technology and the Frostbite Engine means visually the game looks like a real treat.
The trailer also gives us a little insight into the new ‘gameplay intelligence system’ that is ICE-Q. The new system purports to allow players to create time and space for themselves, take advantage of Next-Gen Vision Control, and enjoy better AI movement in ‘Chel 25’ due to Reactive Action and the title’s new Foundational AI.
We also get to see the new arrival will have over 250 new animations. Big on energy, and low on detail it’s an impressive trailer, leaving room for the second, larger, and more in-depth gameplay trailer.
NHL 25’s Official Gameplay Trailer was released on September 5, 2024, and shows more of the title’s developments for a better feel of what’s on offer in the new release. Diving deeper into the technology behind the gameplay, the trailer tells of a more technical side to real-world hockey needing to be captured in-game. This naturally required improved motion capture (take a bow, Hughes brothers) and improved animations. We get also a better sense of what ICE-Q is all about, tech by tech, and why that motion capture is needed.
NHL 25’s ‘Next-Gen Vision Control’ is designed to offer new abilities and a user-initiated skating mode for responsiveness, explosiveness, and expression – by both human and AI players. Net-targeted skating and plays are the focus for a player in offense with puck possession. Which, in theory, means better passing, spacing, and attacking fluidity. But the same responsiveness and awareness is true in defense, where characters will hopefully face up to the puck more responsibly, and defend more authentically.
EA describes Empowered AI as a “complete overhaul” of the AI skating system, improving AI awareness, positioning, and reading of the flow of games. We’re also told of in-zone strategies being rebuilt “from the ground up”, and revamped offensive rush plays (with better AI support). Combined with Reactive Actions – designed to avoid player collisions and tangles like pro players do – and ‘panic turns’, characters should move around the ice and respond to the flow of action in a more believable, and less troublesome way.
The final gameplay reveal focuses on Skill Based One Timers, where players can pass to a skill-active player for a special skill or shot. However, a dynamic window timer for the skill and timely control input from the gamer and character player skill level impacts the effectiveness of the skill. An on-ice visual player indicator is what players will need to look out for.
All of this looks truly impressive, although until release it’s hard to tell how much better ICE-Q will make NHL 25 gameplay. But if you’re a fan of the EA NHL franchise, we’re sure these improvements will make reviews of the release interesting reading!
Latest NHL 25 News
The latest NHL 25 news is the game’s confirmed launch on October 4, 2024, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Unlike NHL 24, there is no support for older consoles with the new title. The new iteration, featuring skill-based inputs and motion capture by cover stars Quinn, Jack, and Luke Hughes, will feature all-new ICE-Q technology for more realistic and engaging gameplay. Pre-orders of the Standard Edition and Deluxe Edition are available, with the Deluxe option providing 7-day early access from September 27
What is NHL 25?
The next installment in the long-running sports series for current-gen consoles.
The new “ICE-Q technology” gives the players and the puck added momentum on the ice. Source: EA
NHL 25 is the latest iteration of the EA NHL franchise, which kicked off in 1991 with ‘NHL Hockey’ on the Sega Genesis. It’s definitely not a title that this gaming writer remembers playing.
NHL 25 is the 37th EA NHL game across all platforms, supporting PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, and is developed by the publisher’s EA Vancouver studio. NHL 25’s features include new animations, an AI overhaul, ICE-Q technology, a new Grudge Match System and improved collision avoidance.
The Bottom Line
While NHL 25 is exclusive to current-generation consoles, likely to disappoint a few gamers clinging to older consoles, the improvements in AI, graphics, and physics make this year’s entry one to watch. Seasoned fans will no doubt love the added realism, and the roster of ice hockey legends has never looked better.
