No EASHL in NHL 15 for PS4 & XB1

[RP-29]

I'm not sure how many folks on here play EA's NHL video game franchise, but I thought this was an appropriate heads-up I just read on IGN. If you were planning to buy NHL 15 for the Playstation 4 or Xbox One, this might be a deal breaker for you.

EA Reveals NHL 15 Game Modes - IGN

EA Sports revealed the modes for NHL 15, and it looks like PS4 and Xbox One owners will just have to be happy with the upgraded graphics and physics as the popular EA Sports Hockey League won't be present in the next-gen versions of the game.

"As a franchise, we’re 100% committed to the EA SPORTS Hockey League," EA Sports producer Sean Ramjagsingh wrote on the EA Sports website. The reason for the omission from the next-gen versions of the game came down to a lack of confidence on the part of EA in the quality of the mode. "We’re a franchise built on quality," he said.

Another notable mode that will release on Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, but not their newer counterparts, is the Online Team Play mode. However, unlike EASHL, OTP is planned to be added to the next-gen versions of NHL 15 in a future content update.

The remaining confirmed modes for all versions of the game are as follows:

• Play Now
• Be A Pro
• Be A GM
• Online Versus
• Hockey Ultimate Team
• NHL Moments Live

This is a big omission for fans of the series, who've come to enjoy the competitive EASHL mode first introduced in NHL 09.

 

[Comeds]

I wont buy it now. 90% of the time I spent playing the last few have been in that mode.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Is this anything like Ultimate Team in FIFA? Because EA has doubled down on that game mode and is even offering benefits that come with the game if you buy an "Ultimate Version" for ten bucks more. Seems weird that they're so in on a similar successful game mode in one franchise but completely killing it in another.

 

[RP-29]

Is this anything like Ultimate Team in FIFA?

Someone else would have to answer that one. NHL is the only EA Sports game I play regularly. I buy an NFL or PGA game every six years or so. I haven't bought a FIFA game since early in the PS2 lifecycle.

Seems weird that they're so in on a similar successful game mode in one franchise but completely killing it in another.

I suspect they tried to make it work on the new consoles, but there were too many obstacles to overcome before the unmovable release date, so they squashed it. It's very possible spending too many resources on FIFA was a cause of the failure. Both games are developed at EA Canada.

 

[Comeds]

Is this anything like Ultimate Team in FIFA? Because EA has doubled down on that game mode and is even offering benefits that come with the game if you buy an "Ultimate Version" for ten bucks more. Seems weird that they're so in on a similar successful game mode in one franchise but completely killing it in another.

No the Ultimate Mode in EA games are where people get virtual packs of cards and open them to build a team using those. There are player cards, uniforms, arenas, and team names. You can then use these in games you play against others. The cards dont last forever, so it always seemed like a money grab by EA to me, but some people love that mode. At least this is the way it works in the Madden and NHL series.

EASHL is a way 6 people could create players, form a team, and play other teams. So its basically online with up to 12 people. Teams can join leagues which have regular seasons, playoffs, and championships.

Or one could play drop in games without being on a team. It was quick, simple, and more fun than playing 1 on 1 or the computer modes.

 

[Jared]

Is this anything like Ultimate Team in FIFA? Because EA has doubled down on that game mode and is even offering benefits that come with the game if you buy an "Ultimate Version" for ten bucks more. Seems weird that they're so in on a similar successful game mode in one franchise but completely killing it in another.

I think EASHL is being phased out due to Ultimate Team, at least indirectly. EASHL was free. IIRC, there were no upgrades to buy, you just created your player and played onine.

Ultimate Team is profitable. My 19 year old played it on FIFA 14 and sunk way too much money into buying coins, which are used to purchase packs of cards. It's similar in Madden, where they tried to completely gut the franchise of the offline franchise mode in order to push Ultimate Team. There was such a public outcry that they brought back a version of it in Madden 25. This is a trend that really irks me. I'm already paying 60 bucks for the game, I'm not particularly interested in playing (strangers) online. I'm an offline franchise guy, probably because I'm 41 and don't have a ton of time. I fear for FIFA 15's career mode. Everything is geared toward Ultimate Team now. /rant

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Someone else would have to answer that one. NHL is the only EA Sports game I play regularly. I buy an NFL or PGA game every six years or so. I haven't bought a FIFA game since early in the PS2 lifecycle.



I suspect they tried to make it work on the new consoles, but there were too many obstacles to overcome before the unmovable release date, so they squashed it. It's very possible spending too many resources on FIFA was a cause of the failure. Both games are developed at EA Canada.

Well, one franchise is the best selling game on the planet, and the other is NHL. I don't think they're doing too much anything in developing FIFA, business-wise.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

No the Ultimate Mode in EA games are where people get virtual packs of cards and open them to build a team using those. There are player cards, uniforms, arenas, and team names. You can then use these in games you play against others. The cards dont last forever, so it always seemed like a money grab by EA to me, but some people love that mode. At least this is the way it works in the Madden and NHL series.

EASHL is a way 6 people could create players, form a team, and play other teams. So its basically online with up to 12 people. Teams can join leagues which have regular seasons, playoffs, and championships.

Or one could play drop in games without being on a team. It was quick, simple, and more fun than playing 1 on 1 or the computer modes.

Ohh okay so it's the mode that I've always fucking wanted in FIFA.

Yeah, that sucks guys. My condolences.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I think EASHL is being phased out due to Ultimate Team, at least indirectly. EASHL was free. IIRC, there were no upgrades to buy, you just created your player and played onine.

Ultimate Team is profitable. My 19 year old played it on FIFA 14 and sunk way too much money into buying coins, which are used to purchase packs of cards. It's similar in Madden, where they tried to completely gut the franchise of the offline franchise mode in order to push Ultimate Team. There was such a public outcry that they brought back a version of it in Madden 25. This is a trend that really irks me. I'm already paying 60 bucks for the game, I'm not particularly interested in playing (strangers) online. I'm an offline franchise guy, probably because I'm 41 and don't have a ton of time. I fear for FIFA 15's career mode. Everything is geared toward Ultimate Team now. /rant

I liked UT because it gave me an opportunity to discover players I wouldn't otherwise know about. But I haven't played it in a few editions - I wasn't about to buy FIFA coins and I usually put together a pretty good team just by winning online and buying players in the transfer market.

 

[RP-29]

I'm an offline franchise guy, probably because I'm 41 and don't have a ton of time. I fear for FIFA 15's career mode. Everything is geared toward Ultimate Team now. /rant

I also prefer offline modes. I have a wife, kids and pets; I need to be able to pause the game at any time. I've also found much more enjoyment playing multiplayer games with close friends and family sitting on the couch next to you rather than random selfish turds online who have never properly developed any teamwork or communication skills.

 

[RP-29]

Ohh okay so it's the mode that I've always fucking wanted in FIFA.

Yeah, that sucks guys. My condolences.

Yeah, it is a cool mode. I played it a little a few years ago. I joined an online team with some family members and some friends of one of my brothers. It's also like a Be-A-Pro mode where you build your online player's proficiency by playing the game and earning XP. I never had the time to build my character, so I'd be playing with a crappy 70-rated player against guys who are all in the 80's and 90's. I lost interest quickly.

And it's still available for the PS3 and 360 in NHL 15, just not the new gen consoles yet. Probably next year.