Sydney, Australia – Sept. 12, 2013 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) announced today that the award-winning, EA SPORTSTM NHL®14 is now available at retail stores throughout Australia on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system. Fans around the globe played nearly 4 million games in the NHL 14 demo. EGM scored NHL 14 a 9.5/10 and labeled it “an all-time great,” while IGN asserted that the game is “the most authentic hockey experience ever.” Canadian newspapers, The National Post and The Globe & Mail also scored NHL 14 a 9.5/10 and 9/10 respectively, with the former hailing the game as “the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be (until next year).”
Powered by a generation of the best EA SPORTS™ technology, NHL 14 lets players deliver game-changing hits with cutting-edge NHL® Collision Physics, drop the gloves with the all-new Enforcer Engine, and experience a new level of speed and control with the second season of the critically-acclaimed True Performance Skating engine. All this combines to make NHL 14 the definitive hockey experience.
NHL 14 also celebrates the 20th anniversary of the most iconic title in the history of the NHL videogame franchise with the inclusion of NHL 94 Anniversary Mode. Featuring nods to its hockey video gaming roots through a retro presentation style including blue ice, classic star-shaped player indicators, organ music and more, NHL 94 Anniversary Mode gives another generation of players a new way to play old school hockey.
New features and modes include:
• True Performance Skating – Built on the breakthrough innovation that introduced physics-based skating and more than 1000 new skating animations to the EA SPORTS NHL franchise. The second year of the True Performance Skating features improved acceleration, explosive first-strides, quicker pivots and enhanced lateral skating, resulting in greater player responsiveness and unprecedented control.
• One-Touch Dekes – Experience what it feels like to be a superstar through a new, more responsive deking system controlled simply with the left stick and one-button. From beginners to advanced players, the new controls allows for quicker reactive dekes and intuitive combination dekes, creating more moves than ever before.
• Live the Life Mode – The evolution of the Be a Pro Career Mode, now you can now truly Live the Life of an NHL player. On or off the ice, every decision you make shapes your legacy as an athlete. Interact with teammates outside of the rink. Take part in media interviews. Each choice you make will affect your relationship with fans, teammates and management, influencing your skills and progression.
• NHL 94 Anniversary Mode – A new way to get into old-school NHL action. EA SPORTS celebrates one of the most iconic entries in the NHL franchise with the inclusion of NHL 94 Anniversary Mode. Built within the NHL 14 game engine, NHL 94 Anniversary Mode has big goals, bigger hits and takes fun to a whole new level. The mode also offers nods to its hockey video gaming roots through a retro presentation style including blue ice, classic star-shaped player indicators, organ music and much more.
• NHL® Collision Physics – Developed from the same core technology that powers EA SPORTS FIFATM’s critically-acclaimed Player Impact Engine, NHL® Collision Physics introduces bigger, more thrilling hits, and truer-to-life collisions. A new left-stick control scheme makes delivering a game-changing hit simpler than ever.
• Enforcer Engine – Powered by EA SPORTS Fight Night® technology, the Enforcer Engine brings an all-new 3rd-person presentation where every player on the ice is LIVE! Now, you and your linemates (human or CPU) interact from the drop of the gloves to the trip to the penalty box, with no break in the action. Fight Night technology delivers, for the first in the EA SPORTS NHL franchise, true size and strength differentiation between players, new jostling mechanics and much more to create the most authentic and electrifying fighting experience yet.
• HUT & EASHL Online Seasons* – The Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) is the most played mode in EA SPORTS NHL. NHL 14 adds the best-in-class promotion and relegation system in the sports category to HUT & EA SPORTS Hockey League modes. Win games and advance to the next division to face tougher competition, fall short and see your team bumped down. Teams will be able to track their progress across multiple seasons.