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NHL 25 Reveals Women's Hockey Partnership & Launches Arcade Mode

EA Sports has announced a new partnership with the PWHL in NHL 25, while also launching the returning NHL Arcade mode in the game



Article Summary

  • NHL 25 partners with PWHL, adding six women's teams and rosters for an immersive gameplay experience.
  • Play as PWHL teams in modes like Play Now, Online Versus, and Season with authentic uniforms and players.
  • Arcade Mode returns with power-ups, offering a fun, non-competitive hockey gameplay option.
  • NHL Arcade+ and NHL Frenzy introduce new, exciting power-ups for even more chaotic on-ice action.

This past week, EA Sports had to major reveals for NHL 25, as they have a new partnership and a new mode that's gone live. First off, the game has announced a new partnership with the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), as they will add six teams with complete rosters to the game as a new section to play in, all of which will arrive the first week of December. Meanwhile, the game has launched NHL Arcade, a returning fan-favorite mode that isn't as serious or competitive but still brings the spirit of the game to a fun hockey mode. We have details on both below.

NHL 25 Reveals Women's Hockey Partnership & Launches Arcade Mode
Credit: EA Sports

NHL 25 x Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL)

Launching December 5, the PWHL in-game activation will feature all six teams – the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres in Play Now, Online Versus, Shootout, and Season Modes. In addition, PWHL uniforms will be available in World of Chel, with players, logos, and uniforms available from the Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT). To fully immerse players in the PWHL experience, the update will include The Walter Cup and advanced body skeletons through SAPIEN technology integration.

 "I was so excited when I heard the PWHL would be added to NHL 25," said Minnesota Frost Forward Taylor Heise. "As someone who grew up playing the EA NHL franchise, I am honored that the next generation of women's hockey players will have the opportunity to play the game as me and my teammates in the PWHL. It is so meaningful that young girls will be able to see themselves in the game. It is a big milestone for inclusivity within the hockey community and shows that women's prominence in hockey only continues to grow."

NHL 25 Reveals Women's Hockey Partnership & Launches Arcade Mode
Credit: EA Sports

NHL Arcade

A modern take on a classic. Take control of any of the on-rink players, including the goalie. Release power-ups for the team by landing body checks or raining in shots on goal. Featured Power-Ups include:

  • Supershot – An unblockable shot that clears a path to the net and knocks down the goalie, creating a mad scramble for the rebound
  • Big Player – Become the ultimate defender by growing in size. Land mega checks that can knock opposing players clean out of the rink
  • Freeze – Freeze an opponent and gain a brief player advantage. Frozen players can break out of the ice early by smashing buttons.
  • Banana – A trio of bananas create havoc with the opportunity to take down opposing skaters
  • Super Speed – Strap on a pair of rockets and blast around the ice at blinding speeds
  • Double Score – As the name suggests, get double the goals while this power-up is active
  • Small Goalie – Shrink the opponent's goalie to increase chances of scoring, but even tiny goalies can make heroic saves
  • Big Goalie – Supersize your goalie for mega saves and stop Supershots! Just remember, big goalies have big "five holes" (between the legs opening).

NHL Arcade+

This spiritual sequel features everything from NHL Arcade plus four additional power-ups to add mayhem on the ice. Featured Power-Ups include:

  • Lightning – Lightning strikes add a jolt of electricity to the game and can electrocute anyone – friend, foe, or puck – taking them out for a short time
  • Curse – A voodoo doll that drops a curse and reverses the controls
  • TNT Puck – Turn the puck into an explosive game-changer, knocking down anyone caught in its blast radius
  • Angry Mascot – Receive help from your club's mascot and let them run wild, smashing anyone caught in their way

NHL Frenzy

NHL action that is literally out of this world. Compete in the hilarious NHL Arcade experience with otherworldly guests who bring a few new surprises. Featured Power-Ups include:

  • Abduction Beam – An overhead UFO will blast down a tractor beam onto the ice, and any player caught in the beam will be pulled out of play for a certain amount of time
  • Laser Attack – An overhead UFO will send down laser beams that zap and split the ice, leaving behind trails of fire that will take out any player passing through the area for a period of time

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Gavin SheehanAbout Gavin Sheehan

Gavin is the current Games Editor for Bleeding Cool. He has been a lifelong geek who can chat with you about comics, television, video games, and even pro wrestling. He can also teach you how to play Star Trek chess, be your Mercy on Overwatch, recommend random cool music, and goes rogue in D&D. He also enjoys hundreds of other geeky things that can't be covered in a single paragraph. Follow @TheGavinSheehan on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, and Hive, for random pictures and musings.
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