EA SPORTS has NHL 24th announced for October 6th. In addition to the first gameplay scenes, the innovations and the cover athlete Cale Makar are also presented today.
NHL 24th feels like hockey and brings to life the thrill and exhaustion of high-intensity games. The new Frostbite-based fatigue engine includes the Sustained Pressure and Goalie Fatigue systems to give players the moments of intense focus hockey is known for.
The Sustained Pressure System rewards offensively oriented players who apply pressure in the attacking zone and trigger the Sustained Pressure Advantage, which reduces the opponent’s attributes for a limited time and allows more room for movement and playmaking. With the Goalie Fatigue System, the opposing goalkeeper becomes more and more tired the more pucks are shot at his goal. This affects the goalie’s responsiveness, which decreases over time, and up to 75 new goalie animations help bring this in-game storyline to life.
Physics-Based Contact will revolutionize body contact and enable realistic body checks thanks to revised physics and animations. New animation-based reactions create big moments at any point in the game, allowing players to take advantage of more puck-capturing opportunities through bigger checks. For those who want to play physical, there is now the ability to break glass and send your opponent to the bench.
“This is a game made by hockey fans for hockey fans, and bringing the full intensity of hockey into our gameplay has been a key focus for us this year in NHL 24,” said Mike Inglehart, creative director at EA Vancouver. “With the new fatigue engine system and gameplay features that truly capture the physical nature of hockey, NHL 24 offers realistic body checks and a deeper defensive toolbox full of more choices and tactics that bring a whole new level of immersion to the franchise.”
In addition to highly dramatic gameplay, EA SPORTS NHL is more connected than ever with expanded cross-platform play introduced in NHL 24. Within Hockey Ultimate Team and World of Chel, players can now play on and against players on the same generation of Sony and Microsoft consoles.
NHL 24 cover star Cale Makar
Cale Makar is considered one of the most exciting players in the league and has enjoyed numerous successes in his young career. He led the Colorado Avalanche to the 2022 Stanley Cup and won the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to his team’s most valuable player at the end of the playoffs.
“I’m honored to be on the cover of EA SPORTS NHL,” said Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche. “NHL 24 represents everything I love about hockey – it’s fast, physical and fun. I can’t wait for fans to pick up the game and experience the intensity of NHL 24 for themselves.”
EA SPORTS NHL 24 will be released on October 6th, 2023.