NHL Video Game Sales

TTZ_Dipsy wrote:

with so many people angry on the forums ans reddit

People who just took a sweaty L don’t exactly offer the most reliable feedback. Sure, some of their complaints have merit (OP hits in 3s, stick lifts, poke checks, etc.), but most of the time it’s the same recycled rant about “seeing the same goals every game” — with zero self-awareness about why that happens.

The social-media addicts never look at their own habits or patterns. Everything is automatically the fault of “the game” or “EA,” and their echo chambers hype them up for every hot take. They always start with the classic “I’m basically a pro hockey legend who’s been playing and coaching for 117 years,” followed by “I know real hockey and this ain’t it.” As if any of that matters in a videogame.

Meanwhile, there are players who actually love the sport, understand the game’s mechanics, recognize the patterns that let you defend and score realistically, and know that real-world hockey knowledge can only take you so far in a competitive videogame landscape.

TTZ_Dipsy wrote:

I'd wager numbers are stagnating if not reducing year to year

Probably a good bet. I'm a franchise loyalist - a sucker for punishment, if you will. There's a lot of folks like me, but I can't imagine it's enough to see year-over-year increase in players. 

That being said - I play OVP and EASHL and aside from lengthy matchmaking in Playoffs, I've never encountered a period of time where there isn't an active player base in any given online mode.