NHL 25 includes gameplay changes, skill based one-timers, a new WOC Live Events structure, HUT Wildcard Mode, and a simplified, single-path XP progression shared across HUT. Skill Based One-Timers enhance authentic gameplay and create unique moments. By reading the attacking zone and finding an open teammate, players are rewarded with the impact of a deadly one-timer, leading to heart-pumping scoring possibilities. The all-new Grudge Match System tracks the history of matchups between teams across all major online and offline modes and enhances the series with special X-Factors that are earned in previous matchups against rival teams. Additionally, the introduction of Sapien Technology and the power of our Frostbite Engine on next-gen consoles delivers a visual uplift to character likeness.

Fan-favorite Franchise Mode also gets a revamp, starting with the Franchise Hub, featuring streamlined navigation that gives players access to new, relevant and easy-to-digest information. This elevated Franchise Mode user experience is just one of the many updates coming to the mode, with more announcements coming in the weeks leading up worldwide launch. More details about each of these features will come in deep dive videos ahead of launch.

Built on an all-new logic-driven animation system, ICE-Q responds to contextual events with unprecedented realism and is the foundation of Chel’s gameplay overhaul. Next-Gen Vision Control skating allows players to walk the blue line, square up to the puck carrier, stay locked on goal and much more. The empowered AI helps players execute authentic plays with a refreshed playbook that improves power plays and opens up the ice for better overall positioning and offensive opportunities. Plus, Reactive Actions utilizes a series of new animations to make skaters more responsive in critical situations, increasing their urgency, collision avoidance and reliability.

Electronic Arts announced a multi-year partnership with the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which will bring the players and teams into EA Sports NHL 25. The partnership advances EA Sports commitment to grow and authentically represent women’s sports within its games, promoting and championing the next generation of athletes. In addition to the PWHL integration, EA Sports will provide new ways to play NHL 25, starting with NHL Arcade launching this Friday and 4 Nations Face-Off content coming early next year in time to celebrate the heavily anticipated mid-season, international tournament hosted by the NHL and NHLPA and featuring NHL stars from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the USA.

“We are thrilled to bring the PWHL into NHL 25 as part of a massive holiday update giving players all-new ways to play, starting in a couple of days with the frenetic energy of NHL Arcade through to the launch of 4 Nations Face-Off in the New Year,” said Bill Dollar, EA Sports NHL Executive Producer. “EA Sports continues to drive inclusivity and authenticity through its games, and in partnership with the PWHL, we will amplify the excitement of the women’s game for all fans.”

Professional Women’s Hockey League Comes to NHL 25 This December

Launching December 5, the PWHL in NHL 25 will feature all six teams - the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres in Play Now, Online Versus, Shootout and Season Modes. In addition, PWHL uniforms will be available in World of Chel, with players*, logos, and uniforms available in Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT). To fully immerse players in the authentic PWHL experience, the update will include The Walter Cup and advanced body skeletons through SAPIEN technology integration.

“Our partnership with EA Sports opens new doors to elevate women’s hockey across all levels,” said Amy Scheer, Senior Vice President of Business Operations, PWHL. “Through this alliance, we’ll develop in-game and out-of-game experiences that strengthen the bond between our teams, players, and fans, bringing the PWHL closer to the global hockey community.”

“EA Sports is proud to support the PWHL, which has pioneered the growth of women’s hockey in North America,” said Andrea Hopelain, GM & SVP, Publishing, EA Sports. “We look forward to working together to help elevate and grow women’s hockey to new and existing fans worldwide, starting by bringing PWHL teams and athletes to EA Sports NHL 25.”

The integration of the PWHL in NHL 25 reflects EA Sports ongoing commitment to authentically representing and growing women's sports in-game by capturing the excitement of game day and showcasing the emergence of the next generation of elite athletes. Having initially showcased the women’s game in NHL 22 through the International Ice Hockey Federation agreement, Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse starred as a cover athlete the following year to celebrate their inclusion into Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT). The addition of PWHL teams and players complements recent women's leagues and features introduced in EA Sports FC, UFC, and PGA TOUR over the past few years.

Alongside the in-game PWHL integration, NHL 25 features a breadth of new content coming for the holiday season, giving players new ways to experience the fast-paced world of hockey:

NHL Arcade

The NHL Arcade event series will begin on November 15 within World of Chel, offering players a unique and fun arcade-style 3-on-3 experience with the return of Big Heads and power-up features that can be collected on the ice and used against opponents. Power-ups include Supershot, Freeze, Super Speed, Small and Big Goalies, and more.

Played in the NHL Arcade Arena, a bespoke rink with no glass, rules, or stoppages, NHL Arcade will include multiple events throughout the year to make the experience fresh for players. Stay tuned to EA Sports NHL social channels for more information on NHL Arcade following its release on November 15.

4 Nations Face-Off

New content for NHL 25 will continue into 2025 with the integration of 4 Nations Face-Off, a round-robin tournament hosted by the NHL and NHLPA featuring four international teams packed with superstars.

4 Nations Face-Off content will feature NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the USA and will be included in Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT), Play Now, Online Versus, Shootout and a bespoke Tournament mode. The nations’ uniforms will also be available in World of Chel as part of the major tournament update.

New Content and NHL 25 Offers This Holiday Season

Players who play NHL 25 between November 15 and January 2* will receive 6 NHL Arcade Vanity Items in World of Chel and an 84 Road to 4 Nations Face-Off Player Choice Pack redeemable immediately. With the Road to 4 Nations Face-Off Player Choice pack, players can represent their nation by choosing one of four available items from the country they choose to play. In addition, players will receive a PWHL 83 OVR Team Building Choice pack, redeemable on December 5, along with the PWHL integration, which contains a choice of 1 of 6 PWHL players.

• November 15 - Arcade Series, Free Content Drops, Redeem Road To 4 Nations Face-Off Player Choice Pack in HUT
• December 5 - PWHL In-Game Update and PWHL Choice Pack Redemption
• New Year - 4 Nations Face-Off

*As final PWHL rosters are confirmed, NHL 25 will continue to add to the real-life player likenesses in-game as part of a multi-year effort to authentically represent the league.

For NHL 25, brothers Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes will be the first siblings to grace an EA Sports cover together, with their play on the ice personifying NHL 25’s significant evolution in gameplay intelligence.

NHL 25’s dedication to hockey intelligence is personified by this year’s cover athletes. While Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes each have created impressive careers in their own right with unique skill sets, they are renowned as a family for their exceptional skating ability and hockey IQ. As the first siblings to grace the cover of an EA Sports title, their ability to anticipate the game perfectly matches the way that ICE-Q opens up NHL 25 and gives players time and space to create plays.

Key Features:

• ICE-Q: This is true hockey intelligence. Built on an all-new logic-driven animation system, ICE-Q responds to contextual events on the ice with unprecedented authenticity and is the foundation of Chel’s gameplay overhaul. The result? A trio of new features that give players more control over the action than ever before, a major upgrade to the reliability and accuracy of CPU players, and a massive new animation set that makes gameplay a more seamless and realistic experience.  
• NEXT-GEN VISION CONTROL: An on-ice evolution. Next-Gen Vision Control provides fresh abilities, improvements, and a user-initiated skating mode that ups the responsiveness, explosiveness, and expression on the ice for human and AI players alike. Now, walk the blueline to help create space on the play, square up to the puck carrier, thread the needle through an opponent's defense, and stay locked on goal for better shot opportunities. Plus, all-new behaviours and visual reactions make skating feel more authentic than ever.
• EMPOWERED AI: A completely overhauled AI player system heightens CPU skaters’ awareness of other players and positioning on the ice, giving them more fluid and helpful reads to execute in a true-to-life fashion, keeping your tactics in motion during high-paced action. Plus, a refreshed playbook improves power plays, 5-on-5 offensive plays, and opens up the ice for better overall positioning and opportunities at both ends of the ice.
• REACTIVE ACTIONS: A series of brand-new animations make skaters more responsive in critical situations, giving them more urgency and, ultimately, more reliability during plays. Reactive Actions reward players for proper on-ice positioning, increase collision avoidance, and offer authentic visual reactions for players to recognize and take advantage of in those high-action moments.
• SKILL BASED ONE-TIMERS: Read the attacking zone, find an open teammate, and be rewarded with a deadly one-timer you can see, feel, and hear the impact of. Skill Based One-Timers create authentic gameplay tension as offensive excitement and expectation mix with defensive concern and anticipation, each pass creating unique moments and opportunities for high-scoring probability shots.
• GRUDGE MATCH: Hockey is at its best when the competition is fierce. The all-new Grudge Match System tracks the history of matchups between teams across all major online and offline modes in NHL 25 to add more context, stakes and heat to showdowns with your rivals. 
• NEXT-GEN CHARACTERS: The next best thing to the real thing. Thanks to the introduction of Sapien Technology to the NHL franchise and the power of our Frostbite Engine on next-gen consoles, all of NHL 25’s in-game characters have received a serious visual overhaul. That includes new cloth wrap and strand hair updates that deliver authentic, lifelike models. 
• HUT: The all-new Wildcard Mode implements unique rulesets per competition cycle, keeping players on their toes and ready to adapt with each and every cycle. Plus, all of the XP earned in Squad Battles, Rivals, and Wild Card are now combined into a single progression path, meaning that every HUT mode rewards you the same, no matter where you play.
• FRANCHISE MODE: Franchise Mode gets a revamp in NHL 25. Starting with the Franchise hub, streamlined navigation gives players access to new, relevant, and easy-to-digest information.We’ll reveal more Franchise updates in the coming months.
• WOC LIVE EVENTS: Get ready for all new ways to play through  an expanded  World of Chel Live Event schedule. We’ll keep you up to date with all the details closer to launch.

The EA Sports NHL 25 Deluxe Edition includes seven days of early access, 4600 NHL Points, HUT NHL Player Pack, HUT “Hockey is Family” Objectives Choice Pack (x2, 82 OVR), HUT Cover Athlete Choice Pack (84 OVR, 1 of 8), HUT Wildcard Starter Choice Pack (84 OVR, 1 of 6), WOC Battle Pass XP Boost (x2), Exclusive WOC Player Set, and Immediate Reward In NHL 24 (Choice of Jack, Quinn, or Luke Hughes at 99 OVR). Players who pre-order* NHL 25 Deluxe Edition by September 13 receive an additional HUT Hughes Brothers Choice Pack (84 OVR). Fans can also get a pre-order loyalty offer to receive a 10% off pre-order of the NHL 25 Deluxe Edition.

EA Sports NHL 25 is available for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.