NHL 13 News Post

NHL 13 Delivers Major Innovations That Will Change the Way You Play the Game

08:41 AM - May 18, 2012 by Steve_OS

Click here for a higher resolution NHL 13 screenshot.

True Performance Skating and Hockey I.Q. Create Innovative New Gameplay Experience

GM Connected and NHL Moments Live Provide All-New Experiences that Connect Hockey Fans
to Their Friends and the Real-World of the NHL

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) announced today the key features for EA SPORTSTM NHL�13, promising the biggest change to the franchise since the introduction of the Skill Stick in NHL� 07. Headlined by all-new True Performance Skating, and supported by an innovative new A.I. system dubbed EA SPORTS Hockey I.Q., NHL 13 will deliver a revamped gameplay experience that accurately captures the speed, creativity and strategy of NHL hockey. In addition, NHL 13 will also deliver new experiences that connect hockey fans to their friends and the real world of hockey with the all-new GM Connected and NHL Moments Live modes. NHL 13 will be available on September 11, 2012 in North America and September 14, 2012 in Europe.

�The NHL team has been a leader when it comes to innovation in the sports videogame category on this console generation by redefining player control with the introduction of the Skill Stick, creating connected experiences such as the EA SPORTS Hockey League and introducing real world physics to the team sports category,� says Dean Richards, General Manager, NHL, EA SPORTS. �With our feature set in NHL 13, hockey fans and sports gamers have a lot to be excited about as we are again going to deliver major innovations that will change the way you play the game.�

NHL 13 delivers an innovative new gameplay experience, accurately capturing the speed, creativity and strategy of today�s NHL through:

True Performance Skating � A game-changing innovation for the franchise that adds physics-driven skating and over 1000 new animations. True Performance Skating authentically replicates the explosiveness, momentum and top end speed displayed by today�s NHL players. True Performance Skating combined with the Skill Stick, finally gives gamers access to the entire toolset of an NHL player, delivering unprecedented control and unlocking a level of creativity never before possible in a hockey videogame.
EA SPORTS Hockey I.Q. � An innovative new A.I. system that governs the behaviors of players, goalies and team systems. In previous NHL games, players were only aware of skaters in their immediate proximity and goalies could only react to the player in control of the puck. With EA SPORTS Hockey I.Q., all players are now fully aware of every other player on the ice, resulting in quicker, smarter and more true-to-life decision-making. EA SPORTS Hockey IQ also delivers the deepest and most customizable set of real-world hockey systems and strategies ever for the franchise.

NHL 13 will deliver new experiences that connect hockey fans to their friends and to NHL hockey with:

GM Connected � The ultimate fantasy league with friends. GM Connected takes the franchise�s most popular offline mode, Be a GM, and allows you to play with and against your friends in your own 30-team NHL. Whether you are a hardcore sports gamer or a hockey fan that moonlights as an armchair general manager, the mode offers unrivaled accessibility and depth by allowing players to manage, play or coach on the road to building your team�s legacy. GM�s can also take their experience with them with a mobile companion app, ensuring that they never miss a single moment.*
NHL Moments Live � Rewrite or relive history as you replay some of the most thrilling moments from today�s NHL. NHL 13 evolves the concept introduced by other sports games, introducing each scenario with real-world NHL footage to bring players closer to the intensity of the moment. Moments from the 2011-12 NHL season will ship on disc and new moments from the 2012-13 NHL season will be added as and when available throughout the season.

Fans of the franchise can expect several other improvements and innovations in NHL 13, such as:

Team-First Presentation, which customizes your NHL 13 experience based on your favorite NHL team
The addition of Customizable EA SPORTS Hockey IQ allowing players to create and record their own player and team strategies to a level never before seen in the franchise.
Improvements to core offline and online modes, including Hockey Ultimate Team, Be a Pro, EA SPORTS Hockey League, a refined on-ice presentation, and more.

NHL 13 Stanley Cup� Collector�s Edition Available for Pre-Order

Celebrate over 20 years of EA SPORTS NHL hockey with the first ever collector�s edition on this console generation. With Stanley Cup-inspired digital offerings, the NHL 13 Stanley Cup Collector�s Edition includes:

Exclusive collectible Stanley Cup� tin featuring an embossed Stanley Cup image
Two Stanley Cup� Theme Hockey Ultimate Team packs featuring randomized player items from the Western and Eastern Conference Champions
Gold Jumbo Hockey Ultimate Team Pack (Regular) featuring 24 randomized items, including an exclusive Wayne Gretzky Hockey Ultimate Team Legend and six other rare items
A CCM Boost Pack featuring the all-new CCM RBZ stick (For use in Be a Pro and EA SPORTS� Hockey League)
A 10% discount on a one-time purchase at shop.NHL.com
A complete copy of NHL 13

MSRP: $79.99

Visit the EA SPORTS NHL 13 website for more details and other pre-order offers.

*App not available in France, Gibraltar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Libya, Morocco, Serbia and Montenegro, and Syria

Game: NHL 13Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 23 - View All

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Member Comments

# 21 BlueNGold @ 05/18/12 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaylorBearBryant


	Kind of disappointed with the lack of EASHL improvements.

Quote:


	Fans of the franchise can expect several other improvements and innovations in NHL 13, such as: Team-First Presentation, which customizes your NHL 13 experience based on your favorite NHL team The addition of Customizable EA SPORTS Hockey IQ allowing players to create and record their own player and team strategies to a level never before seen in the franchise. Improvements to core offline and online modes, including Hockey Ultimate Team, Be a Pro, EA SPORTS Hockey League, a refined on-ice presentation, and more.

Hopefully we get some good Be A GM improvements as well other than the addition of online.

# 22 Qb @ 05/18/12 10:25 AM

# 23 Money99 @ 05/18/12 10:51 AM

Sorry to be skeptical, but I've read releases like this before "LOOK!!!! All new!!!! Super awesome stuff!!!!"

The more bold characters and "!!!" used must mean the game has improved 1000-fold.

This game is strictly a rental first. I will not pay more than $5 for this game.
If the skating and AI has really improved then perhaps.
But correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't read anywhere in there that player separation or roles would be a lot more defined in NHL13.
So I'll wait and see.

Chances are the CPU will still be able to do whatever it wants with any player on the ice regardless of who it's controlling.

The only thing that really excited me about this press release is FINALLY a 30-team online Be a GM league.
This is something that has been long, long, overdue. Hopefully it's implemented right and isn't watered down or full of bugs.

# 24 Pezell04x @ 05/18/12 11:29 AM

closes eyes, mutters to self: i wont get hyped up. i wont get hyped up. i wont get hyped up. i wont get hyped up.

reads press release

SKATING!?!

ONLINE GM MODE?!

goodbye $60.

# 25 Qb @ 05/18/12 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	Sorry to be skeptical, but I've read releases like this before "LOOK!!!! All new!!!! Super awesome stuff!!!!"

There's plenty of room for skepticism and while I'll allow myself to dream at the moment, I ultimately need to see/feel the new skating in action before I'm sold on it. However, as much as the two of us have droned on & on about the need for better skating, I assumed you'd be doing the dance of joy with me.

Something I noticed in coming back to the thread a second time was the screenshot. I skipped directly to the meat of the post, but this time I checked it out. The body positioning of the players looks SO much better. Let's hope that's a good sign the NHL team is on the right track.

# 26 crankybaker @ 05/18/12 11:29 AM

Very positive annocement. I love that each team will be unique, but can one change the style of how a team plays through be a gm, IE hiring a new coach and trades or will each team just be set in their way no matter what is done.

Besides that I am very happy and my underpants have become quite sticky

# 27 LuGer33 @ 05/18/12 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueNGold


	Yeah, this blows last year's announcement completely out of the water. Last year all we got was a screenshot of a goalie collision happening in the Winter Classic and a video of Rammer talking about those features. This year it looks like they're going balls to the wall. I love it. I mean honestly I would have been happy with just an announcement of the skating upgrade today but to throw in Online GM mode, a new AI system, etc, etc is just awesome.

Odd numbered years ftw.

All sounds very promising. Skating and online dynasty are huge, obviously. NHL Moments is a nice addition. I'm curious how the "100% physics based skating system" impacts collision and checking, since the hitting in NHL 12 left quite a bit to be desired. Also wondering about continued improvements to puck physics...

# 28 Feldman011teen @ 05/18/12 11:48 AM

This game needs a presentation overhaul, as its football counterparts are getting. The game itself is still a great game, but its starting to get stale. I can't remember the last hockey game to have great presentation. In game highlights and daily scores of what's going around the league would really help get you into your season, especially during a playoff push.

# 29 Millennium @ 05/18/12 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaylorBearBryant


	Kind of disappointed with the lack of EASHL improvements.

The changing of the base skating engine alone, if successful, will make EASHL 100x better.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

# 30 Money99 @ 05/18/12 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qb


	There's plenty of room for skepticism and while I'll allow myself to dream at the moment, I ultimately need to see/feel the new skating in action before I'm sold on it. However, as much as the two of us have droned on & on about the need for better skating, I assumed you'd be doing the dance of joy with me. Something I noticed in coming back to the thread a second time was the screenshot. I skipped directly to the meat of the post, but this time I checked it out. The body positioning of the players looks SO much better. Let's hope that's a good sign the NHL team is on the right track.

LOL, trust me QB, I want to be excited to read that the skating physics were completely revamped, but given the history of this series, I'm done holding my breath.
They revamped the hitting physics too and they are far from perfect. Little guys still hammer on bigger guys. I can still pin Chara with Hudler even if we're beside the boards, and I'm perpendicular to them.

The skating engine certainly needed a really, really big upgrade and I'm glad to read that they've addressed it.
But until I see that the forward-backward-pivot move (without losing momentum) has been completely eradicated I won't be getting excited for anything.
EA is no different than any other company, but they have a propensity to overhype everything and then when you actually get your hands on it, it's nothing close to what they advertised.

I hate being a wet-blanket on a sunny day and perhaps I shouldn't have posted anything. But I haven't been truly happy with this series since NHL09 so I'm not expecting this new skating engine to change anything.

I'll be downright shocked if this fixes the biggest issue I have with this game and that is proper player and team separation.
If the CPU can no longer pull of impossible moves, then I fear they will be given even greater boosts to artificially make games harder against a human opponent.

# 31 savoie2006 @ 05/18/12 12:12 PM

Everything "sounds" great, but how it will play out? First there was Adaptive AI, when helped but wasn't great. Then there was Anticipation AI, which I'm not exactly sure what it did. Now there's Hockey I.Q....

this be the one.
Hopefully the physics based skating improves the physics based hitting, which is kind of poor. Kind of disappointed not to hear of a major Presentation overhaul, but if all this works out I'll live another year.

# 32 Fiddy @ 05/18/12 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qb


	I ultimately need to see/feel the new skating in action before I'm sold on it.

well lets be honest, it cant be any worse than it is now, right? i mean the skating engine is pretty much the same as in NHL 94.

so even if its not what we all expect, its still a notch better than what we have had in this series IMO..

# 33 LuGer33 @ 05/18/12 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feldman011teen


	This game needs a presentation overhaul, as its football counterparts are getting. The game itself is still a great game, but its starting to get stale. I can't remember the last hockey game to have great presentation. In game highlights and daily scores of what's going around the league would really help get you into your season, especially during a playoff push.

OS... the home of people who want to watch, not play, their video games.

Haha I'm kidding, of course, and I do agree that presentation is a huge component of our sports games and the NHL franchise in particular is lacking a bit, but I still don't get why it's such a priority for some people. If you gave me the choice of overhauled and dynamic, NBA 2K or The Show style presentation for NHL vs. something like new skating, hitting, and puck physics, I'm going to choose the gameplay upgrades every time.

I get the sense (from OS especially) that a lot of people would honestly choose the presentation elements, which baffles me, but hey, to each their own.

# 34 tlobster12 @ 05/18/12 12:25 PM

I'm pleasantly surprised I love the new skating physics and team specific presentations. Great time to be a hockey fan.

# 35 savoie2006 @ 05/18/12 12:37 PM

So why does it look like there is a bit of 2K Fog in the screenshot

# 36 plaidchuck @ 05/18/12 01:58 PM

Yeap will believe it when I see it, i.e. in actual gameplay vids that come out later in the year. The question is even if this is improved will they follow the usual pattern of breaking or neglecting 15 other things in the process? Will live goalies still be a train wreck? GM mode improved? Anything added to make offline modes worth playing? Will the EASHL still be a glitch fest where only 2 or 3 attributes matter? Will I still be able to level Chara with my 5'6 sniper?

Whole lotta questions to be answered before I even feel a tinge of excitement for this.

# 37 Qb @ 05/18/12 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiddy


	well lets be honest, it cant be any worse than it is now, right? i mean the skating engine is pretty much the same as in NHL 94. so even if its not what we all expect, its still a notch better than what we have had in this series IMO..

Believe me, I'm very happy my number one on-going gripe with the series is finally being addressed. Now if only they can find a fair way to keep EASHL skating attributes at reasonable levels...

# 38 speedtrucker @ 05/18/12 02:41 PM

I have basically been holding off on buying NHL again since the last gen games because I've been waiting for 1 thing to finally happen...

an online dynasty mode that allowed for CPU controlled teams.

we attemptedt to Play Madden's online franchise mode in 10 & 11 but gave up because they kept doing the bare minimum and putting no effort into it.

we have played and loved the NCAA online dynasty mode since it was put out, we are going into our 6 season currently in NCAA'12 and we all love the effort(if not the execution) they have put into the online mode reflecting the offline dynasty version.

myself and at least 9 other friends are all pumped at the news that NHL is bringing their "be a GM" franchise mode online.

# 39 canucksss @ 05/18/12 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	Sorry to be skeptical, but I've read releases like this before "LOOK!!!! All new!!!! Super awesome stuff!!!!" The more bold characters and "!!!" used must mean the game has improved 1000-fold. This game is strictly a rental first. I will not pay more than $5 for this game. If the skating and AI has really improved then perhaps. But correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't read anywhere in there that player separation or roles would be a lot more defined in NHL13. So I'll wait and see. Chances are the CPU will still be able to do whatever it wants with any player on the ice regardless of who it's controlling.

same with your opinion. i cant blame you being skeptic about this...many times EA will say this and that but then when the final product is made...disaster.

i can live without improvements on: name of home ice, commentaries (i can bring down the volume i wanted to), goal celebration, schedules in the succeeding years in BaGM.

BUT i will not shed money until EA make the distinction of a poor team vs oil machine, grinders/tgh vs superstars.

if the answer for this is in the skating machine...well and good. but i need to see it first. i will rent this game and monitor your opinions before buying NHL 13

# 40 Tide311 @ 05/18/12 03:25 PM

Finally, they are adding Online GM. Come September, i'll be setting up an Online GM and will be looking for sim players.

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