NHL 15: Ya blew it.

[BigCat8]

Has anyone else been following the car wreck that is this game's release?

About a month and a half ago, rumors started going around that EASHL would not be in NHL 15 for next-gen consoles. It was all the shadiest sources, though: "My buddy playtested, and..." or "I know a guy that used to be on the NHL dev team and...", so a lot of folks brushed these rumors aside. But things started stacking up. Mods confirming EASHL for next-gen had their posts deleted on the EA forums. Retailers posted details that included the phrase "2-2 Network Players". Three and a half weeks before release day, EA makes their game mode announcement: no EASHL, no GM Connected, "Live the Life" downgraded to "Be a Pro". EASHL players (like myself) and GM Connected fans vow not to buy the game, while HUT/Online vs./Be a GM folks stick with it.

Fast forward to today, EA Access's early release: Be a GM players attempt, unsuccessfully, to draft. Be a Pro players attempt, unsuccessfully, to sim up to their shift. HUT players attempt, unsuccessfully, to play their friends or play offline seasons. Edgrr at the EA forums compiles this list (linked instead of embedded due to absurd size) documenting features lost in the jump from PS3/360 to PS4/XB1. The PS3 and 360 versions still have the features removed from the new game, but are basically a $60 roster update with new commentary. The reaction so far to all of this? Raging shit-firestorm.

Half the game got sacrificed for somewhat improved gameplay and wavy jerseys. My club is sticking with NHL 14.

[ric]

Lots of acronyms. No idea what's going on. I'm in thread because I'm commiserating about how awful EAs sports franchises are compared to what they could be

[BigCat8]

Lots of acronyms. No idea what's going on. I'm in thread because I'm commiserating about how awful EAs sports franchises are compared to what they could be

I know you know what a GM is. Be a GM is an offline manager mode, while GM Connected was an online manager mode with up to 30 participants.

EASHL is the EA Sports Hockey League, which is a cooperative team play (up to 6 people playing their own position) mode.

HUT is Hockey Ultimate Team- if you know EA Sports, you know the Ultimate Team concept.

Honestly, I don't think any other franchise has dropped the ball nearly as much as NHL just did. This just feels like a completely dismantled game. So many game modes and features lost, and it's still a full price game.

[ric]

Ea is acting like it's owned by Disney or something

[Truth.]

NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4 to be Updated With New Modes

NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4 isn't quite as fully featured as its last-gen counterpart, as we've previously reported. But EA is planning to update the new-gen version of the game with further modes, although notable exclusion, EA Sports Hockey League, or EASHL, for short, will still be absent.

However, this month will see the addition of Playoff Mode for NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4, as well as updates to Be A Pro, Hockey Ultimate Team and more, including the inclusion of 3 Stars of the Game and Online Team Play in October.

"We’re committed to keeping the experience fresh throughout the hockey season, in addition to the roster and ratings updates you’ve always received, the list below contains the free content updates for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 we’re working on and our expected window on when you will see them in the game," EA Sports' Community Manager writes on the EA Forums.

Here's a rundown of what's coming to NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4 in the coming weeks:

September:

Playoff Mode - Create a custom offline tournament bracket with up to 16 teams from any of the 12 leagues in the game. Play or simulate each game and track player and team stats throughout the tournament.

Be A Pro - Coach Feedback - Get the coach’s feedback while you are on the bench. The coach will give you tips on how to stay on top of your game and grade you on your play.

3 Stars of the Game - At the end of the game, see the three stars and their high level stats. Will apply to every game mode.

Hockey Ultimate Team - Several content updates, including:

Changed layout and navigation in HUT store
New animations for player items
Improved edit lines screen to better identify players that are injured or require contract extensions

October:

Online Team Play - Online multiplayer mode where every player on the ice can be human controlled.

GM Draft - For the first time in the NHL franchise, you will be put on the clock and feel the pressure like real NHL GM’s. You will now only have 3 minutes to make a draft pick. If the pressure is too much, you can also call timeouts to extend the amount of time you have to make a draft pick or potentially negotiate a trade. You can make trades at any time during the draft. The CPU will also propose trades to each other and the user throughout the draft.

[BigCat8]

Even with that stuff added back, there's a long way to go. I do think there are probably quite a few frustrated people on the dev team, and I think those calling for Rammer's head are off-base. I just don't trust EA to get this done in a timely and effective manner. Then again, I already vowed not to buy it when EASHL was pulled.

I'm a launch-day buyer any other year, but I'll wait to see how low the price gets and how the patches play out before I bother with it. (IF I bother with it.)