Home
NHL 15 News Post


There are a variety of rumors and a distinct lack of news when it comes to the popular EASHL mode and its status in the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 version of NHL 15. Today, Best Buy Canada added a lot of smoke to the no EASHL in XB1/PS4 NHL 15 fire by posting gameplay specs which tend to indicate the game will only support two-player online play. In comparison, the Xbox 360 version's product page shows 2-12 players are supported online, which fits with EASHL's requirements.

Up to this point, there has been no indication EASHL is in this year's game on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, with a feature list from the American Best Buy website completely omitting EASHL as well. It stands to reason that EASHL might have been a difficult feature to program on newer generation consoles and the NHL team simply ran out of time. However, given the relative popularity of the mode, the possible absence of EASHL is something which will not go unnoticed by the NHL community.

Now granted, this is NOT confirmation from EA that EASHL is not in the game -- and it is entirely possible it is a mistake, so let's not all panic just yet. With a month to go until release, there are obviously many features we haven't heard about, so it's premature to lift this above idle speculation -- but there are some dots beginning to connect on this story. We have reached out to EA for comment on this and we will certainly update this post if/when that comes back to us.

H/T to @grayisthecolor on Twitter for alerting us to the Best Buy page and sending us down this rabbit hole this evening.

Update (Tuesday 1:30pm CST): A user on Reddit is claiming that there will be no EASHL or GM Connected in the game on X1/PS4 and that confirmation will come within a week or two. Of course, this is an unverified user on Reddit, so let's not get too panicky on this one. What the post does do is it continues to add smoke to the fire. We still haven't received any word from EA on the matter, despite putting in a request for comment, which could mean anything. NHL will be shown at GamesCom, so it's likely we'll probably find out the truth one way or another within a day or two.

UPDATE #2: (Wednesday, 11:50am EST) EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL) is clearly indicated on 360/PS3 (via Amazon, Best Buy) but NOTHING for Xbox One/PS4.

Would no EASHL change your buying decision of NHL 15?

Game: NHL 15Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 16 - View All
NHL 15 Videos
Member Comments
# 21 bigwill33 @ 08/12/14 09:53 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Södy
I actually think this is more like "How many players can play on ONE console".

I think EASHL will be in.
Even in the past you could play with 4 players on one console in an online versus game.

I'm not putting faith in this being anything solid to worry about, but like I said EA hasn't done anything at all to clear up these rumors and what is out here to be read into either. The longer they sit on their hands the more potential these things have to become gospel and drive potential sales away.
 
# 22 murph17 @ 08/12/14 10:01 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Visualizer
With a 2 year dev cycle on PS4/XBO leaving EASHL out is unacceptable.
QFT. they really should be taking it to the next level with Twitch streaming and more social features.
 
# 23 jyoung @ 08/12/14 10:13 AM
Considering all of the people who year-in, year-out are willing to spend real money on the EASHL attribute boosts, I will be shocked if EA leaves this mode out of NHL 15, and in doing so, loses out on an extra revenue source.

If any existing mode is left out, I would expect it to be GM Connected, since that is not a revenue-generating mode, like the EASHL has been since EA realized they could charge people for yearly attribute boosts in NHL 10.
 
# 24 Fiddy @ 08/12/14 10:15 AM
i just LOL'ed about the love/hate with the game!

bc thats exactly how my buds on our club feel as well. we love and hate it the same! yet we keep coming back for more, just to giggle at how bad some things are, yet how close they are to having a great game with proper under the hood adjustments!

hell, the group i have been playing with for past 5 years or so is like family. one of the guys was in my wedding, and others on the team was at said wedding!

good times!
 
# 25 Cletus @ 08/12/14 11:09 AM
I'd almost bet the farm EASHL is in it. The board members would not let a revenue stream go from an EA game. It will be a flawed and buggy mess before it will be cut out of NHL.
 
# 26 mcnugget @ 08/12/14 11:17 AM
I am waiting one more year for this one to get up to speed..
 
# 27 MavsUCCB @ 08/12/14 11:30 AM
The silence from EA would be a terrible sign if they didn't have an event tomorrow talking about NHL 15.

The EA Sports NHL team better bring the goods to that event (Gamescon) if we hear Rammer talking on the same points he has for the last months, we see another cinematic video instead of actual gameplay, and nothing said about game modes then it's a sign pointing to the great next gen experience being at least another year away.
 
# 28 wlawrence67 @ 08/12/14 11:33 AM
EA has their press release tomorrow at 10am cet time wonder if they will clear some of this up for us or not. EASHL is the one main area I play on a consostant basis if they do not add this I would have to keep my xbox 360. This would be a huge step back in my opinion they have told us they are working hard to move forward but taking things out is not moving forward in my opinion. I agree with most as I have been playing with guys for the past 3 years and have become really good friends. It also kind of confuses me why other ea games can get it right and NHL cannot. Look at FIFA thay have added gameface and I heard from someone that your online player will carry over from 14 to 15 not sure if this is correct but would be pretty awesome. Just my opinions
 
# 29 jaateloauto @ 08/12/14 11:46 AM
There's no way I'm buying the game if it doesn't have EASHL. It's the only mode worth playing.
 
# 30 csamuelsvt @ 08/12/14 11:59 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by MavsUCCB
The silence from EA would be a terrible sign if they didn't have an event tomorrow talking about NHL 15.

The EA Sports NHL team better bring the goods to that event (Gamescon) if we hear Rammer talking on the same points he has for the last months, we see another cinematic video instead of actual gameplay, and nothing said about game modes then it's a sign pointing to the great next gen experience being at least another year away.
If they don't show gameplay and its another nonsense, slow motion 1 minute sizzle trailer and as you said Rammer goes up there talking the same nonsense he has the past how many months whereby you can memorize his lines,
"We've literally built everything from the ground up" this is a HUGE HUGE flag. The game comes out in 3 1/2 weeks and ZERO gameplay??? Even the biggest optimistic fan has to be skeptical.

I mean the game is finished too isn't it? There's no way they are still working on it due to the certification process right?
 
# 31 KickSave33 @ 08/12/14 12:36 PM
I'm fine with a year of no EASHL for PS4 if it means that they have really fine tuned the core gameplay and reworked the Be A GM mode. I would rather they spend their limited dev time building a completely new and refreshed EASHL than port over the existing setup. I love EASHL but I want more customization in how my player looks on the ice. After a while seeing the same faces year after year became tiresome. If I must sacrifice one year of the mode to get a better end result next year, so be it.

Long Live Hockey!
 
# 32 jyoung @ 08/12/14 12:44 PM
The inconsistency of features across EA Sports' catalog is very strange, from a consumer's perspective.

TeamBuilder = only in NCAA Football (which no longer exists)
GameFace = only in Madden, UFC and FIFA
Online Team Play Leagues = only in FIFA and NHL
Online Franchise = only in Madden and NHL

These are all great features that really should be in every EA Sports game.
 
# 33 statnut @ 08/12/14 01:14 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jyoung
The inconsistency of features across EA Sports' catalog is very strange, from a consumer's perspective.

TeamBuilder = only in NCAA Football (which no longer exists)
GameFace = only in Madden, UFC and FIFA
Online Team Play Leagues = only in FIFA and NHL
Online Franchise = only in Madden and NHL

These are all great features that really should be in every EA Sports game.
Yeah, Gameface seems like it's made for NHL.
 
# 34 GrandMaster B @ 08/12/14 01:19 PM
Would EA dare not let anyone know about this, have people buy the game and then find out there is no EASHL?
 
# 35 blinkfan77 @ 08/12/14 01:50 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrandMaster B
Would EA dare not let anyone know about this, have people buy the game and then find out there is no EASHL?
What do you want them to do? EA has a marketing "strategy" and plan, and they've given their company line of "we'll reveal more info on modes closer to launch" already, so to expect them to divulge info they haven't planned on yet, to OS, is pretty silly.

Edited- Original Quoted post said something to the tune of "can't someone from OS get confirmation?"
 
# 36 oasis90 @ 08/12/14 02:25 PM
No buy for me without EASHL
 
# 37 TheeBananaClip @ 08/12/14 02:31 PM
when I go to best buy site it just simply says online: True under details
 
# 38 ManiacMatt1782 @ 08/12/14 02:54 PM
If either GM Connected is omitted, I am cancelling my preorder. If OTP is omitted, I know countless others who would be cancelling theirs. it would be just as bas as what 2k did with NBA 2k14 and is continuing to do with NBA 2k15. I am not much of an OTP player, but I know plenty of people who are. I like to play it a little bit, but then get frustrated when players don't see the ice and make the right passes. I prefer the online leagues, and controlling my whole team. but OTP is a fun mode if you get the right people, I just can't find said people.
 
# 39 centauris @ 08/12/14 04:34 PM
I could see if they released NHL14 on next gen with no EASHL, but if NHL15 doesn't have it.. it'll be a complete joke.
 
# 40 Pezell04x @ 08/12/14 04:57 PM
I have it preordered and if there is no EASHL, there's no way I'm keeping said preorder. I play this game with 4 outher people and we all got PS4's for EASHL. I'd be stunned if they left it out. I'd use that pre-order for WWE 2K15 or FIFA.
 


Post A Comment
This thread has been closed for new comments.