Will not purchase next year...

I never touch HUT, I refuse to play the money grab mode.  My issues are all with EASHL and Be A Pro never getting an update.

EASHL is just a cesspool for toxicity, people with the racist names, people just being an all around a-hole without getting booted from games, human goalies (some of them, I've played with a lot of good human goalies) being allowed to just * around without getting booted.  I would say give us a kick feature so we can kick the toxic players out, but idk if the NHL community is mature enough for that, the AI is an issue every year it seems, the zone abilities have killed the game, close quarters and truculance are AWFUL (And this is coming from someone that uses BOTH) goalies are horrible when trying to stop the puck against someone with CQ, not to mention most of the penalties.  I'm sure people can add more to this as well.

Here's another great point. They had time to add things nobody asked for whatsoever, but let people like : bolt upright and about 20 others absolutely ruin the online community for years with no bans or options to kick from games. Same name even. But there was definitely time to add hats, hut and ones. 

I'm curious if EA pays you or if you're just an alternate account because most of what you said is false. It's not hard to spot you when there aren't many on the forum. 

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@rsandersr47 wrote:
@EA_Aljo I feel like this team lost credibility so even the most open minded individuals have likely given up at this point.

"continually adding new updates and features. I'd love that as well, but the sport of hockey is essentially the same year after year. It's not exactly easy to keep the game fresh and new while also retaining legacy gameplay. Overhauling the gameplay year after year would probably be pretty frustrating for the playerbase."

This to me is the worst thing to hear and why I think it only makes sense to give up any hope with having a quality game.

Is the sport of hockey changing drastically? No! Does that mean it's difficult to keep this game fresh and new? NO!! There are SOOO many things that can be added to make this game feel fresh. Several people have come to the forums and offered ideas to make every mode better.

Overhauling gameplay year after year? Yeah, I'm sure if gameplay changed a lot every year that WOULD be frustrating.. when is the last time gameplay has been overhauled? No EA games (that I'm aware of) have been given a full overhaul since the switch between ps2 to ps3. EA would never do an overhaul "year after year" just one year give us a FULL overhaul of goaltending. I remember one year maybe 21 or 22 goaltenders were supposed to have better awareness when it came to rebounds and tracking loose pucks around the net. They are SO bad at these things. The only thing I noticed was rebounds coming off the goalie faster and they sometimes try to direct it into a corner. Those two changes should not be a year's worth of changes.. goaltending needs a LOT of attention, and user goalies need some sort of boost.

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Of course there are many things that could be added. I was talking about gameplay itself. We're not going to overhaul the gameplay each year. I agree it could be improved and I'd love to see goalies get more focus. The rebounds and lack of awareness with loose pucks in front of them drives me crazy. I'm in agreement with you there, but I was talking about having to redo the gameplay every year. That's just not necessary. It needs to be improved. Not scratched and started over with every new release.

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@Sega82mega wrote:
@EA_Aljo

So you mean theres stuff in this game that drives you crazy..

You give such a calm impression, I cant really see you lose your head 'just over a game'...


Still waters run deep.

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I don't lose my cool over it. Just hate that it happens. Nothing in any video game is worth getting so upset about that it negatively affects your mental health or causes extreme reactions. I hate losing as much as anyone, but there's no point in being upset about it. I try to learn from my mistakes and move on. If it was something with the game that specifically caused the loss, that sucks for sure, but I'm not going to let it get to me. It's just not worth it. This is a video game. It's supposed to be fun. If I had more frustration than fun, I wouldn't be playing. Thankfully, that's not the case for me and the good far outweighs the bad.

@EA_Aljo

Admirable attitude!

So true even though when I play video game its just as real for me like 'driving a car' or doing what-ever I like doing. 

It's hard to keep cool if you do something with passion.

I dont even know whats right, but ofc its not good if you let it go to your mental health.

But nothing wrong with a little bit of feelings..

Namaste 🙏

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@EA_Aljo wrote:

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@rsandersr47 wrote:
@EA_AljoI feel like this team lost credibility so even the most open minded individuals have likely given up at this point.

"continually adding new updates and features. I'd love that as well, but the sport of hockey is essentially the same year after year. It's not exactly easy to keep the game fresh and new while also retaining legacy gameplay. Overhauling the gameplay year after year would probably be pretty frustrating for the playerbase."

This to me is the worst thing to hear and why I think it only makes sense to give up any hope with having a quality game.

Is the sport of hockey changing drastically? No! Does that mean it's difficult to keep this game fresh and new? NO!! There are SOOO many things that can be added to make this game feel fresh. Several people have come to the forums and offered ideas to make every mode better.

Overhauling gameplay year after year? Yeah, I'm sure if gameplay changed a lot every year that WOULD be frustrating.. when is the last time gameplay has been overhauled? No EA games (that I'm aware of) have been given a full overhaul since the switch between ps2 to ps3. EA would never do an overhaul "year after year" just one year give us a FULL overhaul of goaltending. I remember one year maybe 21 or 22 goaltenders were supposed to have better awareness when it came to rebounds and tracking loose pucks around the net. They are SO bad at these things. The only thing I noticed was rebounds coming off the goalie faster and they sometimes try to direct it into a corner. Those two changes should not be a year's worth of changes.. goaltending needs a LOT of attention, and user goalies need some sort of boost.

---

Of course there are many things that could be added. I was talking about gameplay itself. We're not going to overhaul the gameplay each year. I agree it could be improved and I'd love to see goalies get more focus. The rebounds and lack of awareness with loose pucks in front of them drives me crazy. I'm in agreement with you there, but I was talking about having to redo the gameplay every year. That's just not necessary. It needs to be improved. Not scratched and started over with every new release.

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You keep saying "every year" how much has changed each year? How can EA even ask for $60 with a straight face w/o working on gameplay every year? At this point are they just admitting that we are gonna be paying $60 for updated rosters and the ability to re open the same hockey bags? I just want to remind everyone that games like Red Dead Redemption 2 was $60.. this had all new gameplay, an entire world, text, and detail and voice acting, they added dynamic weather, etc. We pay that much for a roster update. Sad what this company has become the last 10 years..it's just frustrating I guess. I don't get the feeling these devs care about the sport nor the game. It's usually very easy to tell when devs love the game they make. EA makes this game then hides in the shadows.

@rsandersr47We can't compare RDR2 to a Sports title that charges 4-5mil per year to use the license.

@rsandersr47 

There are gameplay changes every year. We always hear how it's just a roster update. Then people proceed to talk about the differences. Namely around the new meta that shows up each year. Regardless, I'm very well aware of the feedback on the lack of newness for 23 and it has all been relayed to the team so we'll just have to wait and see what happens in the future.

RDR2 was also in development for several years. It's an entirely different kind of game as well. I really don't see how the 2 even compare. I loved RDR2, but not the same way as NHL. It just satisfies the side of me that loves that type of game.

When it comes to sports games though, we all want something different. For me, I just need the hockey part. It's all about the gameplay and having fun with my friends in WoC as well as the competition that HUT brings. While I love the idea of BaP including a story as well as being able to live a life outside the arena, it's not important to me. Just like there are others that couldn't care less about online modes. Some people just want accurate goalie gear or having all players from all time in the game so they can make more historic rosters. Some people want mini games and more arcade-like features. Some want hardcore sim features, etc. We're never going to make everyone happy, but we will listen to the community and use their feedback to help shape future titles. 

Our dev team is incredibly passionate about the sport of hockey. I get that you don't see that because we don't have story elements, but that doesn't mean they don't have the same passion as yourself. Gameplay has been a bigger focus, but getting the nuances of an incredibly complex sport like hockey to translate into a video game while still keeping us all immersed doesn't come without its challenges. This game has come a very long way in the last 30 years even though the belief is that it's just a roster update with each new release. Hopefully, we'll have a game that's more to your liking down the road. 

Not trying to start an argument on it and maybe it's a slightly different topic but has the meta really changed that much year to year? I feel like the meta in like the late aughts was short, fast, either do a forehand,backhand,forehand, pass across to a friend or curve shot. There were other ways to play obviously you are only limited to how much you want to be. The meta now has to do with X-factors but by and large it's x-factors to make things like F,B,F, more effective on goalies(as pass across is stopped at a higher rate seemingly this year) which were already extremely susceptible to it.

with THAT said, it's absolutely absurd to compare a yearly sports title to a game like RDR2. Are you suggesting they stop releasing NHL and move to a once a decade release schedule? Is it right that we are asked to pay as much for a new game when it is released essentially as the patch update for the game? no it's really not but that's life. The team cares, the team tries, and the team WANTS to make a good game. I don't doubt that. It just feels like we have zero vision for the game beyond it should release every year. We just aren't getting games that feel that different which yes is a curse of the yearly cycle sports title but we also have, as the players, zero vision of what the best version of an NHL game looks like to the devs. Game feels like it exists just to exist. Is this the complete vision of offline BAP, is this the complete vision of OVP, EASHL etc? Is Franchise in 2023 the most complete franchise that will ever exist in an EA NHL game? I wouldn't know as they don't talk about literally ANYTHING about the game except when they have a marketing pitch just before release. It's so hard to just not be cycnical. It feels like the only long term planning they are doing is in relation to HUT(which I get, it's probably keeping the game afloat). 

That's why we get things like seemingly unprompted camera changes and people are mad. There's zero dialogue. There's only vague reasoning(after the fact) or no actual explanation. I don't want to relitigate that true broadcast camera thing because i don't have a horse in that race as I have never used it but I do feel like that was a very obvious example of the dev team not communicating their moves with the playerbase and it turning into a bigger deal than it needed to. If for instance, a couple months prior they had run a survey and asked about the camera and they were using the information they got to make changes based on the playerbase feedback they had newly acquired. Instead it was an unexepected change that led to a bit of a metldown by some and i'd say there was definitely some bad faith by forum users who just wanted to rile up new anger against the devs. We all need to be better honestly.

@CleanHeart 

I agree about the communication. The team is definitely aware of that as well. While I can't talk about what's coming, I can at least say this is recognized and I'm optimistic it will improve.

The meta changes a bit each year. This year far side shots replaced the short side, for example. However, you're also giving someone a prime opportunity because this means you've let them get to the slot where they can get off a good shot. The same goes for FH, BH and vice versa. These are especially easier outside of WoC where many like to let the AI play D for them. Most like to use more passive D so it's easier to get in good position for these shots. My point is, a lot of people don't consider the opportunities they give for good shots and instead blame the game for a shot that gets scored on them often. You have to be good at both ends of the ice by recognizing those opportunities and either scoring on them or defending them. 

With the games being considered as roster updates from the sentiment the community has given, it just feels like the features we get are very gimmicky in a sense. Like a trend starts in the game of hockey and EA NHL adds it as a priority thing to add when it could have waited to make way for needed content that brings quality of life to the series. Gameplay such as skating has been a target for years now, and we need balance between gameplay focus, and content. NHL 23 I find is very dry when it comes down to content, especially with offline game modes like BAP and Franchise mode, which got boring around November.

We need to have the ability to setup our own feature preferences in these game modes, such as in BAP toggle on/off cinematics/cutscenes, give us the option to include full junior seasons/AHL. Franchise mode we need All-star and prospects game returned, along the option to have more than 25 seasons available for those of us career simulations...

Now online WOC Drop-in has to change drastically! The whole casual 6's outdoor arena with only 2 hoodies available just doesn't work. Many of us who used to play OTP/Lobbies were able to find games as we all had lives outside from online, and forcing us to play club when we are on different schedules just doesn't work. Having to search through drop-in over and over for a full game takes forever. I would love to be able to play in an indoor arena selecting my jersey again since club just isn't an option given my busy IRL life. 

Adding presentation was a key component but to take it away for a design issue kind of ruined that. Was a big reason I bought the game when I was about to skip this year but nope it got me, just to be disappointed. Adding women into the game is an awesome start, but we need to add more diversity when it comes down to the long-run. Creation features for them, are very minimal which makes it frustrating to have accurate facial features for roster building. Also you can't do a female vs male team in PlayNow nor Online Versus... 

Last few years just feel like things are being rushed with trendy content that can more likely wait when we need ingredients to bring us a better overall content experience. Gameplay was never much of an problem when we could focus more on the content and enjoy the features. NHL 23 lacks quality in every sense, which is very upsetting considering a full price tag was put onto the product...

NHL 24 is a make it or break it situation. Longtime consumers, along content creators/gamechangers, and new customers are fed up, which is eventually going to hurt product sales, and then what? Can't rely sorely on microtransactions when 99% of the community has a negative outlook. I just hope there is light at the end of the tunnel for EA NHL or IDK...

Aljo you do a great job at relaying info to the team, and this isn't on the community managers or devs, we need higher end support and realistic deadlines. Just feels like things are being rushed and the direction is going backwards instead of forwards.

@rsandersr47 

I think we have a different definition of overhaul. What I'm saying is completely starting over every year. That's really not feasible nor required.

The devs don't come engage here because of the backlash they received. They spent their own free time here. Why do that when it feels like that's not a good use of their time?

If game development were as easy as you're making it out to be, there would be more hockey games on the market. Certainly, other NHL games or sim style hockey games. 

I get that you feel the change is small. There weren't exactly sweeping changes, but there's also a ton that goes on under the head that isn't so noticeable. I just always think it's interesting when we're told the game is the same, but then give us feedback on the differences.

RDR2 is one of my favorite games. I just can't compare it to hockey. I never exactly felt like a cowboy. Especially with Dead Eye being an ability. Regardless, if we didn't release an NHL game for 8 years, I imagine it would be pretty incredible as well. I know there isn't enough change in the game for you. That's fine. We all have different ideas for what makes a hockey game enjoyable. Hopefully, we'll hit that mark for you in the future. In no way am I saying 23 is a perfect game or that the last several years have been. I still play a ton because the overall enjoyment is there. 

@rsandersr47 

I believe last time there was a true overhaul was with the NHL 15 Xbox One/PS4 release. A foundation is built that keeps growing and getting added on to over time so we don't need to start over and not include features due to a lack of time between games. We'd have to take years off to accomplish the game you're asking for.

Again, we are extremely well aware of how the community feels right now. I just can't talk about what's coming.

There is plenty of issues they have been aware of for years and refuse to fix or even acknowledge. They don't care and it is very obvious. Until there is another NHL game out there this is what will happen. People will still buy the game because even with it's insane amount of faults it is still the best NHL video game. Between lying in the trailers and literally removing options it is getting tiring.

I will definitely not buy the last year of NHL23 from EA in my life, even if the game is made of gold, such a company does not know how to make anything out of the response, but it will still throw you to the Finns who have a ping of 4, how can you play those bugs stick through the player for I would crawl through the channels for this game, but yes, you move the game but you know where. And it's fun, the support, everything works as it should and nothing works :D but what about the billions they already have, what about us as customers.

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@EA_Aljo wrote:

@rsandersr47 

I believe last time there was a true overhaul was with the NHL 15 Xbox One/PS4 release. A foundation is built that keeps growing and getting added on to over time so we don't need to start over and not include features due to a lack of time between games. We'd have to take years off to accomplish the game you're asking for.

Again, we are extremely well aware of how the community feels right now. I just can't talk about what's coming.

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Maybe it’s time to cater to hockey fans again, instead of gimmicky/cringy dancing for 10 year olds. Maybe, just maybe, if you fix the bugs and make it a hockey game again, perhaps both EA and the consumer would benefit? 

Nahh, why do that, we have to make sure we have silly goal cellies and little old women as refs 🤦‍♂️