Re: 17th year without a PC release

“Millions”?!?!?!?

Incorrect!  You’re over exaggerating just a wee bit.  😆

Give it to this PC crowd for being persistent though for something that hasn’t happened in years and probably several more to come maybe even never again.  Think about it people!  If EA could make money and/or have it worth their while to make a PC version don’t you think they would?!?!?!?  There are also other possibilities and/or other factors (contractual etc) why they haven’t made a PC version in over 10 years plus.  EA ideally/probably would love all their games on all platforms but they obviously have their reasons why.  

98Formula_Bird wrote:

Consoles will soon be running Windows natively (XBOX) and you now have no excuse to launch a game for PC.

Still rumored as to which storefronts it'll have, but if it has access to the steam store it would make much for sense to finally release the game on steam. Estimated to release in 2027 though so probably wont happen until NHL28 given the release timing of the game and unknown release of the console... Although if it is confirmed early enough that xbox will support steam, They could release NHL27 to the steam store to work out potential issues that way 28 would have issues fleshed out.

98Formula_Bird wrote:

You control the rights to the NHL

They actually don't, they have a license with the league that anyone can get, just cause EA has a license does not mean anyone else can't.

98Formula_Bird wrote:

If your worried about hacking just do what you did with Battlefield to prevent cheating (Javelin)

This would be a given, they'd absolutely slap an anti-cheat on it if they do release on steam.

98Formula_Bird wrote:

Cloud gaming is not the future and is a lag disaster.

I've only done cloud gaming a few times and it was horrible even on a wired connection, but remote play works fine but this doesn't really solve the needing a console problem.

The reasons why are. As a sports franchise game, they are in the lower tier of sales. And do to this, the staff has been reduced from what it use to be when the game was in far better shape. Its not that they cant make a PC version. That idea was established decades ago. Your point regarding the money aspect, is spot on. Its all about profitability. And unless the franchise can turn the ship around and gain ground with other sporting games. The future of a PC version is bleak.

The reasons why are. As a sports franchise game, they are in the lower tier of sales. And do to this, the staff has been reduced from what it use to be when the game was in far better shape. Its not that they cant make a PC version. That idea was established decades ago. Your point regarding the money aspect, is spot on. Its all about profitability. And unless the franchise can turn the ship around and gain ground with other sporting games. The future of a PC version is bleak.

This is all pure speculation and really not accurate. I can't go into details since we don't release sales numbers and we can't talk about staffing, but these claims are exaggerated.

dogheels wrote:

The future of a PC version is bleak

Hoping they do come out with a PC release. Looking at steam charts for some hockey games that came out in the last few years and there is definitely a market for hockey games, both these games were free and done by independent developers.

Slapshot: Rebound 
Released in April of 2024, highest estimate ownership at 2.01 million.
Gamalytic puts total downloads in the range 1.2m - 2.7m with 2.3k in the last 7 days

Puck
Released in January of 2025, highest estimate ownership at 681.8 thousand.
Gamalytic puts total downloads in the range 392.4k - 717.9k with 6.1k in the last 7 days

Hey bud. Im on your side regarding bringing back a pc version. It was because of the original pc version that i got into playing. My comment about it being bleak  is based on the current attitudes of this franchise, as well as the financial losses, and player reduction, that i made that comment. Now that EA may be under new ownership. Will have to see the direction they take regarding sport franchise games.

If it isn’t profitable, worth their resources and/or not due to partnership agreements they’re not going to make a PC version.

Simple as that.  All companies would want their game to be able to be played on all platforms to maximize their players.  Obviously EA has their reason for not making a PC version. 

Even our President had the NHL Olympic gold team in the white house and we can't even play Olympic hockey because of EA's greed.

@King EA presently, doesnt have a contractual agreement with the olympic commitee. So no olympic segment.

While it may be speculation, there can be only a few reasons, why EA is not wanting to bring a PC version back, even when so many folks tell you that they would love to buy one. It can only be money or development complexity. You are EA, development is your thing. You cannot tell me, that you could not do it, if you would get enough money back from it. So it must be the financial aspect. Since you do not release any figures (what is understandable and legitimate imho) there can be nothing else than speculation. I bet you underestimate the market on PC. A Steam release would be an almost secure success.