Instead of giving fans of the popular series a new release on PS3 and Xbox 360, EA will offer an edition called NHL: Legacy Edition. This is not a new game because according to what the company said, the edition will just give updated rosters and schedules to those with the older consoles. “Legacy Edition brings together the most popular modes and award-winning gameplay features from nine years of NHL hockey,” explains EA’s website. “Featuring updated rosters and authentic schedules, it’s the perfect experience for fans looking to get that complete hockey fix on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.”
Finally, we’re continuing to bring the game to life with distinct arena atmospheres, the most realistic players yet, a story-driven commentary package, and for the first time ever introducing mascots to EA SPORTS NHL franchise. In a blog post, EA Sports GM Dean Richards talked about turning to fans and asking them to be involved with the creation of this year’s game. “We spent more time listening and working with them this year than ever before,” he said. “Their most requested features and modes are in NHL 16 and include new experiences that make NHL bigger and better.”
No video or screen shots from the game have been released yet, but its website offers some details on these promised additions, such as the inclusion of 6-versus-6 Online Team Play and online couch co-op play support, as well as enhanced EA Sports Hockey League, Be a GM, and Be a Pro modes. For the fan-favorite EA Sports Hockey League, EA has removed the progression grind, replacing it with a new player class system. They explained, “These player classes will be tuned to play together, each bringing their own strengths to the ice. The new EA Sports Hockey League is all about putting together the right mix of classes to support your team’s playing style, and then stepping on to the ice and letting your skill, not ratings, be the differentiator between being good and being great.”
The league and EA Sports announced at last night’s NHL Awards that the pair of three-time champs will don the cover hoisting the Stanley Cup, marking the first time two teammates and the Cup will be featured on the cover. Kane and Toews also become the first players to be featured twice on the game’s cover. Kane appeared on the 2010 version, while Toews was on the 2011 edition. “The two of us have had a lot of success with our team and been fortunate to be in a great place and take advantage of some opportunities,” Toews said in a Wednesday interview, according to SportsNet.ca. “Here we are getting the chance to be on the cover of a video game again, which is pretty awesome. Something we never expected, but it’s pretty cool.”
“Being teamed up with Jonathan for the NHL 16 cover is a great feeling,” said Kane. “I never would have imagined being on the cover twice, and the fact this is happening on top of our team taking home the Cup is unreal.” “Congratulations to both players; they are a perfect fit for this honor,” said Dave McCarthy, NHL Vice President of Consumer Products Marketing. “What the Chicago Blackhawks have been able to accomplish in the last six years has been nothing short of remarkable and I’m excited that this year’s NHL 16 cover will reflect the spirit of teamwork.”
With an ample amount of talent currently found across the entirety of the National Hockey League, it’s nearly impossible to determine which players will be considered for the cover spot. That said, we’ve compiled a list of 5 potential all-stars that are definitely in contention. The gameplay itself is better than it’s ever been. It’s fast, fluid and frenetic, and delivers a thoroughly authentic representation of NHL hockey, albeit with the potential for more heavy hits than there usually ends up being. I’ve perfected the art of hitting, though, and found that I was doing so far more often than even the developer I played against.
“Like any sport, it’s about managing the dressing room, managing the personalities, the interactions, understanding when a player isn’t happy because, say, he didn’t get as much playing time as he expected,” said Ramjagsingh. “Or there’s external factors that are bugging him. He’s not playing well. He’s in a slump. So he hasn’t scored a goal in 10 games and his morale is down. It’s all those things. If a guy is in a slump, you can give him a pep talk, or you might just say, ‘you better start scoring some goals or you’re out of here.’ You see how he reacts to it. It’s just managing the dressing room.”