Posted in: Electronic Arts, Games, NHL, NHL, Video Games | Tagged: EA Sports, hockey, NHL 25

NHL 25 Announces Hughes Brothers As The Cover Athletes

NHL 25 revvealed the cover athletes, new additions coming to the game, the new Utah hockey team look, and more in today's announcement

EA Sports revealed new details about the next incarnation of the NHL series, as NHL 25 has revealed the cover athletes in the Hughes Brothers. The trio of brothers who play for the New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks will race the covers of the latest edition, with two of the bothers on the Standard Edition for the US and Canada/World editions and all three on the Deluxe Edition, which you can see here. The team also revealed several new updates for this edition as they build off the success they saw from NHL 24. They even showed off the new jerseys for the generically named Utah Hockey Club (both EA's fault), which makes its debut in this game. We have more info, images, and quotes for you below, as the game arrives on October 3, 2024.

NHL 25

Built on an all-new logic-driven animation system, ICE-Q responds to contextual events with unprecedented realism and is the foundation of Chel's gameplay overhaul. Next-Gen Vision Control skating allows players to walk the blue line, square up to the puck carrier, stay locked on goal, and much more. The empowered AI helps players execute authentic plays with a refreshed playbook that improves power plays and opens up the ice for better overall positioning and offensive opportunities. Plus, Reactive Actions utilizes a series of new animations to make skaters more responsive in critical situations, increasing their urgency, collision avoidance, and reliability.

NHL 25's dedication to hockey intelligence is personified by this year's cover athletes. While Quinn, Jack, and Luke Hughes each have created impressive careers in their own right with unique skill sets, they are renowned as a family for their exceptional skating ability and hockey IQ. As the first siblings to grace the cover of an EA SPORTS title, their ability to anticipate the game perfectly matches the way that ICE-Q opens up NHL 25 and gives players time and space to create plays.

NHL 25 includes gameplay changes, skill-based one-timers, a new WOC Live Events structure, HUT Wildcard Mode, and a simplified, single-path XP progression shared across HUT. Skill-Based One-Timers enhance authentic gameplay and create unique moments. By reading the attacking zone and finding an open teammate, players are rewarded with the impact of a deadly one-timer, leading to heart-pumping scoring possibilities. The all-new Grudge Match System tracks the history of matchups between teams across all major online and offline modes and enhances the series with special X-Factors that are earned in previous matchups against rival teams. Additionally, the introduction of Sapien Technology and the power of our Frostbite Engine on next-gen consoles delivers a visual uplift to character likeness.

Fan-favorite Franchise Mode also gets a revamp, starting with the Franchise Hub, featuring streamlined navigation that gives players access to new, relevant and easy-to-digest information. This elevated Franchise Mode user experience is just one of the many updates coming to the mode, with more announcements coming in the weeks leading up worldwide launch. More details about each of these features will come in deep dive videos ahead of launch.

"The new ICE-Q gameplay system represents a foundational shift in how players will experience the game, with its deep intelligence giving them complete control of the ice," said Mike Inglehart, Senior Game Design Director at EA Vancouver." Hockey is built different, with NHL 25 delivering greater authenticity, bigger team rivalries, and inspired by the sport's next-generation superstars who continue to redefine the game."

"We feel incredibly honored to be on the cover of NHL 25," said Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks. "Being featured alongside my brothers is the sort of thing you dream about as a kid but could never imagine happening in real life."

"It was a very proud moment for all of us when we saw the Deluxe cover," said Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils. "It reminded us that on the ice, we're competitors, always learning from each other, but off the ice, we're brothers who love to play hockey."

"Being on the cover with my brothers is incredibly exciting," said Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils. "We have a one-of-a-kind hockey story growing up together and now a one-of-a-kind cover. We can't wait for fans to experience NHL 25."

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