Statement on NHL 25 Cheating and Competitive Integrity

Thanks for the continued input.

At least we can agree there the game isn't perfect, it doesn't have to be. That's not the point. If you play, you should be aware of the overly repetitive Goal styles that I can exploit which I can choose to do but rather not. If this is the new way to " play good "  then we are removing a big fun factor when it comes to competitive play. 

How often do you see a goal scored in real world hockey that you've never seen before? They're probably more uncommon than you think. Teams will use every advantage they can. Which means knowing their opponent's weaknesses and exploiting those. The same applies the video game. If I notice my opponent going for D to D one Ts, I'm going to adjust my strategies and cover the points better. If they're only going for short side/far side shots from the slot, I'll pressure them harder when they skate into the slot. The same goes for cheesing tips and rebounds. I'll adjust strategies and play lower so I can block those shots and pick up the rebounds. They are taking advantage of what you're giving them.

My club does exactly this. We recognize a team's weakness and exploit that. We tend to work the puck around and find someone open and put good shots on net. Not every time. Just like everyone else, we'll throw some shots on and hope for the best. Which, again, is a part of hockey. The least-threatening shots and turn into a goal just from a good bounce or a lucky rebound. 

The population isn't as low as being assumed. Yes, it says low in the matchmaking. I get that. Still, my club consistently is finding new clubs to play. Our matchmaking is quick as well. Low or not, all that matters is that we quickly find different teams to play and that hasn't been an issue. We regularly play 5s and 6s.

Again, the game isn't perfect. I'm well aware of that. The gameplay is pretty solid though. Especially in WoC when you have 5 skaters. If you're playing 2s, it's probably more challenging since you're relying on the AI to stop teams from taking those shots. Especially if you're running with 2 human forwards.

You're more than welcome to get some video of the exploits you're talking about. I'm always happy to get them reviewed for any issues.