Community ManagerA "deep dive" should be far longer than five minutes. This was a "brief overview".
A "deep dive" would have explained:
Does EDGE data only affect NHL players, or all players on the roster? Does it change the way generated prospects in FM attributes are created, or will they still have crazy, unrealistic combinations of attributes?
What are all the new and returning X-Factors and how specifically do they affect on-ice play?
Do tendencies have any affect on human-controlled players? Or just AI controlled? Can we change tendencies in the roster editor? Can we set tendencies on created players?
LT/Vision Control change -- I'm glad to hear this was changed, but the video should have demonstrated how NHL 26 differs from NHL 25 in this respect.
Hip Check tuning -- again, I'm glad to see this was changed, but where's the video showing how it's different?
There's a section the blog post labeled "Puck Skills". It says toe drags can now be done while moving backwards or laterally and that there's a new fake shot animation that you can pass out of. Where's the demonstration of these new moves? How are they done?
Goalies -- I don't play goalie at all, so I don't know what to ask, but I'm sure there are others here who do play goalies that have questions the video did not answer.
Community ManagerThank you. I agree it would have been good to see more details on these. I'll let the team know.
This will be the first time in decades, maybe since NHL Hockey, that I’m skipping the new release. Not that I am looking for validation, just stating facts. The reasons are simple. Core issues remain unaddressed, transparency is non-existent, and the “deep dive” gameplay video was underwhelming to the point of being more like filler than an actual deep dive. Five to ten minutes is not a deep dive, and what we got barely scratched the surface.
Where’s the real look at how IceQ 2.0 interacts with NHL Edge? For that matter what is IceQ 2.0, beyond vague marketing talk? The feature is being positioned as a major advancement, but EA hasn’t actually explained it in concrete terms. Where are the side-by-side comparisons between last year and this year so we can see measurable differences? Instead, we get vague promises and pre-orders pushed before showing meaningful substance. How many years have we heard about some kind of advanced AI?
Beyond finally touching LT and hip checks, things that potentially could have been patched long ago, there’s little evidence of any real response to community requests. What’s been done about trolling, quitters, or matchmaking problems? Where are the fixes for menus and persistent bugs that have carried over year after year? We’re a month from release and EA is still slow dripping information as if hype alone is enough to close sales.
What in the current reveal cycle would convince you to buy this over last year’s version, other than the fact there’s no competition? The hype window has been non-existent for six months. Another poster recently suggested a live-service model instead of yearly “new” releases, and I agree. The yearly cycle is outdated and guarantees limited, incremental updates at best.
There absolutely should be a public roadmap, no dates needed, with statuses like “Investigating,” “In Progress,” or “Fixed,” especially for known bugs. The ongoing communication gap between the NHL team and its players is the real problem, and it’s been there for years. We’ve heard “things will get better,” but they haven’t. We’ve heard about how developer morale suffers when feedback is harsh, but that’s a symptom of ignored frustration, not the cause.
I don’t know how EA plans to turn this around. I don’t know the NHL franchise’s exact financials, but from where I sit which is anecdotal, the trend isn’t good. My entire group has already walked away from NHL 25, and none of us plan to buy 26 at launch. Maybe I’ll pick it up when it’s half off, maybe not. At this point, burnout has set in, and the trust is gone.
Well said.
Community Manager
