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NHL 13 News Post




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
# 61 Fiddy @ 05/19/12 10:55 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bwiggy33
Well I won't lie this was quite the surprise after just getting home from Las Vegas. There is no way that I'm going to over hype any of this news because the past few years I've done that and nothing has changed.
what could you have been hyped about the past few years? or do you just mean in general for the game to come out.

bc this is the first time they have really done something like this since 07, right?
 
# 62 jv35 @ 05/19/12 12:43 PM
I was planning on skipping NHL 13, but this announcement has resparked my interest in the series.
 
# 63 bwiggy33 @ 05/19/12 02:15 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fiddy
what could you have been hyped about the past few years? or do you just mean in general for the game to come out.

bc this is the first time they have really done something like this since 07, right?
I guess hyped is not necessarily the proper word, more like excited. They always said oh this improvement will really show the difference between the best players and the grinders. I always believed them but I'm not anymore. I'm sick of getting excited and roped into buying their game when it's been the same for so dang long.

This year I can actually say that they are completely revamping an area of the game that may just make the player separation work. The skill sets will still be the same, but at least if skating is done right then those 4th line guys won't look or play the same as top line players.

I still think the only way to get the true feeling of player separation is to do what 2k did with their skill stick. Limit the puck handling and different moves that can be done by certain players in the game. Plus their skill stick is more realistic feeling because in EA's the reach the puck handler has is way too large. No player can just extend his hands way out and hold on to the puck all the time. It just looks and plays really bad. That's enough about that though.

Overall as long as I can begin to see the difference in players and teams playing styles I will be happy. That is all I'm asking for. I would love for goalies to completely redone as well, but this game will just be so much more enjoyable if the separation in players can be seen.

Another thing I just thought about is breakaways. Now that the skating and player AI have been redone, I think we may see more breakaways. In the skating video you see Hall just cruise down the middle of the ice. It was like he realized there was an opening to recieve a pass for the breakaway. Really cool to see even though it's a trailer. I hope it plays like that. We may actually see some more odd man and breakaway opportunities which would be very welcome.
 
# 64 Nittany @ 05/19/12 11:37 PM
Here's one innovation that better make it into the EASHL:

When you are down by a goal with less than 2 mins left and you are on the PK...your computer AI players shouldn't ICE THE PUCK!

Seriously...I hope they fix the AI in the EASHL. Not everyone can or wants to play 6 on 6. The AI needs better passing, dumping, shooting...nothing worse than watching your AI d-men get beat 2-1s all game...even when you are on the PP or PK.
 
# 65 BigPoppa17211 @ 05/19/12 11:51 PM
"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"

I really hope that this feature is done well. When was the last time there were any changes to the strategy element of the game? This could be a very usefull feature if done properly. May be the sleeper feature of NHL 13.
 
# 66 kevin23 @ 05/20/12 03:42 AM
I don't always post, but this makes me want to play my first online gm season.
 
# 67 ComaFaction @ 05/20/12 10:42 AM
Well, it's certainly a much more exciting list of features than NHL 12's bland offering. Looking forward to it.
 
# 68 johnnyrocks @ 05/21/12 12:24 AM
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.

This is what I want, finally EA Sports realize that some people do play offline! Thank you, EASHL better be better I swear.

EASHL = Glitchers doing some wacky stuff.. I am looking forward to what they are doing with Be a Pro mode. They should make it like fifa 12 or nba 2k12 even. NBA 2k12 was really entertaining.
 
# 69 NHLandPESFan @ 05/21/12 01:27 PM
I skipped NHL 12 as I had finally had enough of EA not giving a multiplayer Be a GM mode. Sounds like they are on the right track now but I am very curious to know if this new Be a GM mode is online only or if we could play games locally too like in 2k10. I am getting really sick of 2k10 and would come back to EA's game but if they don't allow local muliplayer Be a GM as well then I will skip it again.
 
# 70 jonapaloma @ 05/21/12 05:07 PM
So far its only word. So many times I've heard this and the results have been far from good. Its easy to say this and that but hard to really deliver. Well well its just to wait and see.
 
# 71 Fiddy @ 05/22/12 10:13 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jonapaloma
So far its only word. So many times I've heard this and the results have been far from good. Its easy to say this and that but hard to really deliver. Well well its just to wait and see.
i hear ya..

but, when has the EA NHL Dev's dropped info like this on us before? if i can recall, never. even when the skill stick dropped and even new physics based checking etc, never was this much info out there. strats, skating, online gm, etc etc..
 
# 72 Money99 @ 05/22/12 10:29 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fiddy
i hear ya..

but, when has the EA NHL Dev's dropped info like this on us before? if i can recall, never. even when the skill stick dropped and even new physics based checking etc, never was this much info out there. strats, skating, online gm, etc etc..
I'm curious about this as well.
Were sales poor for NHL12?
 
# 73 mercalnd @ 05/22/12 11:21 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Money99
I'm curious about this as well.
Were sales poor for NHL12?
As substantial as much of what they are touting seems, I actually think most or all of these items have been worked on for more than just this year and it was more of a "when will we get all this done" situation as opposed to a "what can we do this year to gain fans back".

This is speculation of course but it might also explain the whole revolution that was supposed to be announced last year and turned out to just be legends. They may very well have thought until fairly late that they'd get the new skating ironed out for NHL 12 only to have to madly scramble for something to tout as the back-of-the-box big feature when they figured out it wouldn't be ready in time.
 
# 74 jaiman @ 05/22/12 12:13 PM
Looking at the images, it seems as though the graphics have slightly improved as well. They look a little different. A little sharper.
 
# 75 Qb @ 05/22/12 01:21 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by mercalnd
As substantial as much of what they are touting seems, I actually think most or all of these items have been worked on for more than just this year and it was more of a "when will we get all this done" situation as opposed to a "what can we do this year to gain fans back".

This is speculation of course but it might also explain the whole revolution that was supposed to be announced last year and turned out to just be legends. They may very well have thought until fairly late that they'd get the new skating ironed out for NHL 12 only to have to madly scramble for something to tout as the back-of-the-box big feature when they figured out it wouldn't be ready in time.
I suspect your first paragraph is fairly accurate. Who knows about the second, but they did use the "it will change the way you play the game" line, didn't they? It still seems like a stretch to suggest they scrapped the new skating from the game that late in production. Once again, who knows...

Quote:
Originally Posted by jaiman
Looking at the images, it seems as though the graphics have slightly improved as well. They look a little different. A little sharper.
I believe one of the previews mentioned a lighting upgrade. Hopefully it has a big impact on the overall look of the game, as it can look somewhat "cartoonish" when compared to some other sports titles.
 
# 76 The_Kid77 @ 05/22/12 08:15 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaiman
Looking at the images, it seems as though the graphics have slightly improved as well. They look a little different. A little sharper.
While the graphics have probably improved I wouldn't read too much into the current screen shots as they generally have all types of editing done to them to give them that real WOW factor.

While it's hard not to get hyped about the features/improvements they have listed given the let down in previous years I am probably looking forward to this years game much more than previous years...let's just hope it all comes together in-game as well!!
 
# 77 JezFranco @ 05/25/12 11:15 AM
Quote:
GM Connected
The franchise’s most popular mode goes connected allowing gamers to manage, play, or coach with and against friends in their own 30 team human controlled league. GM’s can also take their experience with them with a mobile companion app, ensuring t...
I wonder... Me and a couple of mates has been hoping to make a private league, where we can set the rules/sliders and play against each other.
Thought it would happen last year, but think EA scrapped it.
However... Could the online BaGM be our hope for playing online against each other, without using the crappy default game settings, which is the only reason I don't play online today.
 
# 78 gopher_guy @ 05/25/12 01:48 PM
I think one of my favorite things about all this news is how you can tailor all of your lines to play how you want them to play. If implemented well it will be fun to have that much control over how your team plays.
 
# 79 hollywood_cpm @ 05/25/12 04:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by gopher_guy
I think one of my favorite things about all this news is how you can tailor all of your lines to play how you want them to play. If implemented well it will be fun to have that much control over how your team plays.
For me equally exciting (if it works) will be tailoring how individual teams play. I'd love to have to change my gameplan depending on the opponent.
 
# 80 Therion7 @ 05/25/12 05:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Money99
I'm curious about this as well.
Were sales poor for NHL12?
I think the core sales, i.e those who buy the game every year, were probably as strong as ever, but NHL 12 was something of a disaster.

Massive stability problems on PS3, slower loading times, the penalty issue, weird cutscenes, in many ways it was a backwards step for the series.

Some pretty big improvements need to be hinted at to at least get the core fans off the "wait and see" fence.
 


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