EA names Bruins' Bergeron as NHL 15 cover athlete
Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron was named the cover athlete of NHL 15 this week, EA Sports announced. Bergeron's claim to the front of the box was earned after winning a cover vote that started back in early May and eventually garnered 10 million total votes from fans. Bergeron defeated Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban in the contest's final round.
The vote, in which fans were able to participate by using hashtags on Twitter, drew ire from the community when it was revealed that small-print language in the contest's terms allowed EA and the NHL to pick an athlete other than the winner of the vote. EA told SB Nation last month that the language in the terms is standard for contests like the NHL 15 vote and used only to protect "the integrity of the fan vote" from those that might auto-generate votes for their favorite player. NHL 15 will launch September 9 for Xbox One, PS4, PS3 and Xbox 360. While the game will include some flashy new features for the next-gen consoles, those versions will not receive the 94 Anniversary mode.
[Image: EA Sports]
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EA SPORTS Announces Patrice Bergeron as Fan-Selected NHL 15 Cover Athlete
Boston Bruins Forward Selected To Lead New Generation of Hockey Videogames After More Than 10 Million Fan Votes
REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA), the National Hockey League (NHL®) and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA®) announced today that Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron has been voted by hockey fans to be the EA SPORTS™ NHL®15 cover athlete, kicking off a bold new generation of hockey videogames for the award winning franchise. Bergeron topped Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban following more than 10 million votes from hockey fans around the world. Earning 4 wins and 5 nominations for Best Sports Game at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2014, NHL 15 is the next leap forward in the genre-defining franchise from EA SPORTS.
"The fact that the cover is selected entirely by fans is an incredible feeling. The passion and support from hockey fans, especially Bruins fans, is unlike any other sport and I'm so grateful to everyone who voted for me."
"Being featured on the cover of NHL 15 is a dream come true," said Bruins center Patrice Bergeron. "The fact that the cover is selected entirely by fans is an incredible feeling. The passion and support from hockey fans, especially Bruins fans, is unlike any other sport and I'm so grateful to everyone who voted for me."
"Congratulations to Patrice Bergeron for being chosen by the fans as the EA SPORTS NHL 15 cover athlete," said Adam Larry, NHLPA Director of Licensing and Associate Counsel. "We enjoyed seeing the passion that fans displayed in supporting the eight NHL players participating in this year's NHL 15 vote campaign, as well as the entertaining activations from the players who were vying for the title. This program is a great way to kick off a big year for the NHL videogame franchise."
"We would like to congratulate Patrice on this incredible honor and to recognize the outstanding fan support that helped him earn the NHL 15 cover distinction," said Dave McCarthy, NHL Vice President of Consumer Products Marketing. "Once again, we were amazed with the level of engagement, creativity and support exhibited by our teams and our fans that truly exemplified the unrivaled level of passion and commitment only found in the NHL."
NHL 15 ushers in an exciting new era of hockey videogames with the most detailed and authentic hockey experience ever delivered. Introducing true collision physics for all 12 players on the ice, NHL 15 delivers a level of realism for a new generation of game consoles that allows players to be immersed in the sights, sounds and feel of the sport like never before. Players can now look, move, play and think like an NHL athlete with detailed new player modeling and an expansive new set of tools, including the Superstar Skill Stick and Vision AI that heighten on-ice control and player intelligence.
Emotions run high in NHL 15 as players compete in arenas filled with dynamically modeled fans that react to the play on the ice like they would in real life. Announced by an all-new broadcast team led by veteran NBC Sports hockey commentators Mike 'Doc' Emrick, Eddie Olczyk and TSN on-ice analyst Ray Ferraro, NHL 15 takes revolutionary steps forward in authentic game commentary.
NHL 15 launches on September 9, 2014 in North America and September 12, 2014 in Europe on Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.
NHL® 15 is an Officially Licensed Product of the NHL and the NHLPA.
NHLPA, National Hockey League Players' Association and the NHLPA logo are trademarks of the NHLPA. © NHLPA.
NHL, the NHL Shield and the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2014. All Rights Reserved
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 300 million registered players around the world.
In fiscal year 2014, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.
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