NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

[Steve_OS]

Attention EASHL fans.

EA Sports has scheduled some sort of NHL 16 EASHL announcement later this month for NHL 15. If you currently own NHL 15, make sure you are opted in to receive emails here.

UPDATE: 7/16 The announcement is coming next week.

UPDATE: 7/21 The announcement is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Any guesses on what this could be?

[BTW8892]

Wonder if they are going to put out some sort of EASHL beta on the Xbox One/PS4 version of NHL 15. Being that this announcement is directed at "NHL 15 owners", makes me believe that it is something to do with the current game.

[jyoung]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

Way back in August, EA was telling disappointed NHL 15 owners that Online Team Play would be coming "in layers," and that we'd eventually be able to play with our friends in full 6 vs. 6 action, not just the 5 vs. 5 with AI goalies and randomized matchmaking that we ended up getting stuck with. So maybe that's what this is: the fabled "second layer" of OTP that never arrived.

Part of our commitment around OTP is transparent development.
We will be communicating the details around a layered launch of OTP in the next little bit. In the spirit of getting an OTP experience into the hands of our fans ASAP, the first version of OTP that you will get to play will be random join. The next area of focus will be the ability to meet up with your friends and enter games together. The first version of OTP that we roll out will be NHL rosters which you can play 6v6.

[Don Jon]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

I may have to wipe the layers of dust off this game if this were true. But all the people I knew who played this moved on months ago.

[SinisterAlex]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

I like the new EASHL logo haha.

On a more serious note like someone else said in this thread, perhaps this is a some of beta test for EASHL in NHL 16?

[Aggies7]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

My guess would be a beta test using NHL 15. It's really the only thing I can think of that they would even mention NHL 15 at this point.

[panyeplei]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

well,This is either a closed beta or, much less likely, some sort of minor incentive.

[speedtrucker]

interesting... if they add some sort of update to the NHL15 version of team-up or even a beta test for it, I'd just might have to reinstall it.

[adayinthelife]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

Way back in August, EA was telling disappointed NHL 15 owners that Online Team Play would be coming "in layers," and that we'd eventually be able to play with our friends in full 6 vs. 6 action, not just the 5 vs. 5 with AI goalies and randomized matchmaking that we ended up getting stuck with. So maybe that's what this is: the fabled "second layer" of OTP that never arrived.

An entire year later? I suppose absolutely anything is possible at this point. It seems like it would be better posed as a limited server test for NHL 16, rather than a year late patch for NHL 15.

I feel like if I think about this series in it's current state for more than 10 seconds at a time, my brain will explode.

[bigwill33]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

Way back in August, EA was telling disappointed NHL 15 owners that Online Team Play would be coming "in layers," and that we'd eventually be able to play with our friends in full 6 vs. 6 action, not just the 5 vs. 5 with AI goalies and randomized matchmaking that we ended up getting stuck with. So maybe that's what this is: the fabled "second layer" of OTP that never arrived.

Thank you for posting this, as it serves as a direct reminder of the lies that the consumers of NHL 15 next gen were fed and the failed release that was.

Part of our commitment around OTP is transparent development.
There was everything but transparency within the development of NHL 15 and any of its modes, prior to or post launch.

We will be communicating the details around a layered launch of OTP in the next little bit. In the spirit of getting an OTP experience into the hands of our fans ASAP, the first version of OTP that you will get to play will be random join.
This is obviously all that we ever got. They made such a big deal about how hard they worked just to get this into NHL 15, too. There were hardly any modes in the game at launch and when OTP was released it was such a mess and a letdown that many abandoned the game entirely.


The next area of focus will be the ability to meet up with your friends and enter games together. The first version of OTP that we roll out will be NHL rosters which you can play 6v6.
As we all know, this is all that we ever received from NHL 15. Nobody ever asked for the ability to play OTP with only NHL players, nor did they ever make it so that we could play 6v6, as they promised would happen. The ability to "meet up with your friends and enter games together" never happened, either. Making OTP matchmaking hell and pretty much a joke to have to play with all randoms and no consequences to your actions, on or off of the ice.


If I had to guess what this announcement pertains to, I would say that it is probably something like a preorder bonus has been in the past. Perhaps different equipment for your player or even a chance to create your team or player via a web-based application prior to NHL 16's launch.

I would highly rule out any chance of a beta or anything else being added to NHL 15 at this point, as that latter would make no real sense.

All I do know is that when EA has hyped things in the past they have turned out to be complete letdowns for most of the consumer base. And the more vague the hype seems to be, the more of a letdown it usually turns out. Simply because the fans have unrealistic hope for what this game can deliver and we let our minds wonder to wondrous places that are actually far-fetched and not possible under the current circumstances.

[Steve_OS]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

Whatever it is... It's going to be announced next week.

https://twitter.com/EASPORTSNHL/status/621739628853358593

[BigDisk]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

Well, looks like this is just an untradable Crosby giveaway?? Who cares, such a letdown.

NHL15 Owners: If you’re a NHL 15 owner and opted-in for email, you’ll be automatically entered into a monthly give-away where one chosen player will receive an untradeable Sidney Crosby HUT Item, to use in NHL 15 Ultimate Team™!

https://www.easports.com/nhl/contact-preferences?utm_campaign=nhl16-social-global-ic-tw-opt-in-tw-071515-text-site-ramp&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&sourceid=nhl16-social-global-ic-tw-opt-in-tw-071515-text-site-ramp&cid=40704&ts=1437069894654&sf39446120=1

Edit: first post mentions EASHL so I doubt it's an HUT item. We'll see.

[Steve_OS]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

It's going to be announced tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/EASPORTSNHL/status/623598356766572547

BTW, BigDisk... That is NOT going to be their announcement.

[bigwill33]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

Very intrigued to see what this might be. But also very trepidatious.

[LuGer33]

Re: NHL 16 EASHL Announcement Coming Later This Month For NHL 15

Whatever it is... It's going to be announced next week.

https://twitter.com/EASPORTSNHL/stat...39628853358593

I think it's a first for an EA SPORTS game. At least to my knowledge.