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Canada celebrates Boxing Day with two-game PS4 bundle
Boxing Day, the festive day following Christmas in which folks shop even more is upon us, friends. To celebrate, Sony will offer Canadian players a new PS4 bundle that includes two games. For $450, players can pick up the 500 GB PS4 console with NHL 15 (because Canada) and LittleBigPlanet 3 this Friday, December 26. Pre-orders for the Boxing Day bundle open on Wednesday, and it will be available through "major retailers." Canada's Boxing Day bundle's value compares fairly well to previous ones: Sony offered a PS4 for $400 earlier this month that packed in the buyer's choice of one game out of four options, LittleBigPlanet 3 being one of them. Walmart later sweetened that deal by tacking a $50 gift card onto the offer. While NHL 15 wasn't received well at its launch due to a number of missing modes, some of which returned in via patches, the platforming sequel starring Sackboy did get praise in our review for its "vibrant and inviting" world. [Image: Sony]
Joystiq Weekly: Destiny's loot cave, Shadow of Mordor review, building narratives and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Season passes that add content to separately-sold video games that also offer bundled in video games? Ubisoft's dollop of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China on top of this year's double-portion of Assassin's Creed is interesting, both due to being bundled in a season pass and its sidescrolling platformer nature. We're already looking forward to when season passes include trilogy HD remasters, which will in turn include their own season passes, complete with spinoff-pack ins. Everything is connected, you see. There was a lot more to this week than alternative business strategies though. Have you heard of a little series called Super Smash Bros.? What about Lord of the Rings? We've got reviews of the latest (interactive) installments in both, as well as news of Destiny's loot cave, features on developing narratives and what developers and YouTubers think of Steam Curators. They're all joined by many other stories, waiting for you after the break!
NHL 15 review: Unsportsmanlike conduct
EA Sports had a secret weapon in its pocket, something it called the NHL series, a franchise that grew better over time despite facing zero competition in the hockey space over the last few years. Leading up to its PS4 and Xbox One debut, NHL 15 looked to be another clear step forward for the EA Canada series, a franchise known for its solid adaptation of the sport and one that has earned the respect of its fans. To the dismay of this NHL franchise fan, however, EA Canada has lost its way in the transition to new consoles, and it has presented players with a half-baked product.
NHL 15 update revives a few missing features on PS4, XB1
EA Canada has released a free update for the PS4 and Xbox One versions of NHL 15, adding a number features missing from the franchise's current-generation debut, despite being available on Xbox 360 and PS3. In addition to tweaks to its Hockey Ultimate Team mode, which transitioned to new consoles unscathed, the update has added a Playoff Mode, Coach Feedback in Be a Pro mode, and an end-game Three Stars selection of a hockey bout's best performers to NHL 15 on PS4 and Xbox One. The Playoff Mode in today's update allows players to create a 16-team, offline playoff bracket to compete for Lord Stanley's Mug. The added feedback in Be a Pro mode scores players based on the on-ice actions; however, it still does not appear that players can simulate to their next on-ice shift, which will result in watching the game from the bench. NHL 15 launched earlier this month for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. In an opinion editorial prior to its release I expressed concern over the game's thinly featured current-generation debut. Following its launch, EA Canada promised to revisit missing modes and add a number of elements to the game, such as those added today and Online Team Play, which has yet to be added. [Image: EA Sports]
Joystiq Streams: When a Canadian coaches a scrub in NHL 15
The Rangers versus Kings Stanley Cup final this past June was one of the most watched Stanley Cup finals in a generation. NBC reported it had about 5 million viewers total. To put that in perspective, the Super Bowl snagged 111.5 million viewers in February. Who cares, though! So the NHL doesn't have the same kind of following as the NFL. Big surprise. That doesn't make the league or the sport any less fascinating. What we need is a guide to walk us through those confusing frozen halls. Lucky for us, Joystiq has a secret weapon: Xav de Matos! Starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch, Xav (@Xav) is going to teach Anthony John Agnello (@ajohnagnello), a complete NHL neophyte, how to play NHL 15 on PlayStation 4. Don't know what icing is? We're going to find out. How weird is it going to get? Pretty weird. Joystiq Streams broadcasts on Joystiq.com/Twitch every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST, but we regularly broadcast other days of the week so make sure to follow us on Twitch to know when we go live. [Images: Electronic Arts]
PSN Tuesday: Destiny, NHL 15
Happy Destiny day! You can celebrate by playing Destiny on PS4 and PS3, or by playing NHL 15 on either of those systems. The choice is all yours. Destiny comes in two forms on Sony systems: a $60 option for either PS3 or PS4, and a $90 Digital Guardian Edition that gives you the game across both platforms. NHL 15 is $60 on both PS3 and PS4. Also on PS3 is Mega Man X5 for $6 and Alawar Farm Frenzy Bundle for $6. Pre-orders for The Evil Within on PS3 and PS4 are now live. Plus members can snag that pre-order for $54, rather than the full $60, and there's a Grand Theft Auto series sale happening right now. We're playing a bunch of Destiny this week live on our Twitch channel – catch all of the action here or there. NHL 15 is missing a few fan-favorite modes, and we also have some things to say about that.
EA Canada details start of NHL 15 post-launch content
EA Canada revealed content updates it's currently working on for NHL 15 on PS4 and Xbox One, such as custom offline Playoff Mode tournaments and Online Team Play. The annual hockey sim takes to the ice this week under the weight of recent criticism, after it emerged several modes and features are absent from the new-gen versions. On the EA forums, Producer Sean Ramjagsingh detailed updates which are expected to arrive across the next two months or so. EA Canada estimates the offline Playoff Mode tournaments will land in September, along with Coach Feedback for Be a Pro, 3 Stars of the Game stats for every mode, and a number of minor updates to Hockey Ultimate Team. GM Draft, which limits draft picks to 3 minute countdown, is due in October, as is Online Team Play, which the studio previously said would be added to as part of the post-launch update program.
Report: NHL 15's EA Access version missing options
With the absence of EA Sports Hockey League and other modes from the PS4 and Xbox One versions of NHL 15, fans have spent a fair amount of time hearing about what they won't be doing on the ice. If you recall EA Access' reveal, one of the service's benefits is granting early access to games before their official launch date. Unfortunately, Operation Sports' compilation of accounts from players skating around the EA Access version of NHL 15 lists feature absences beyond what we've already heard about. In addition to the previously-confirmed absences of GM Connected, Online Team Play and Live the Life from the launch build of NHL 15, Operation Sports' report notes that Online Shootouts, Battle for the Cup, Be A Legend and EA Sports Arena are missing from NHL 15's EA Access version. Support for creating players, custom music and editing individual players is also absent, as are options for custom cameras and Action Tracker replay highlights. In the case of Be A GM, Operation Sports' report states that yearly drafts are completely automated by the CPU and that fantasy draft options are missing, with AHL games for your chosen franchise also being unplayable. In the case of Be A Pro, the choice to jump ahead by simulating matches is also gone, as are All-Star and matches outside of the NHL. It's fair (and slightly comforting) to stress that these accounts are based off NHL 15's EA Access version, meaning there's the possibility of elements changing for the launch version or in future patches. Still, considering we've already heard that several modes will sit out NHL 15's face off with its September 9 launch, wondering whether the EA Access version's absent options will eventually come into play is understandable. [Image: EA]
Op-ed: NHL 15 and the Case of the Missing Modes
It would come as no shock to anyone, as stereotypical as it may seem, that I have been looking forward to NHL 15 on Xbox One and PS4. I am, of course, Canadian. Some of my chief complaints from the series in recent years have been its presentation, which has made a habit of reusing animations, commentary, presentation packages and more. I apparently wasn't the only one with these issues. By E3 2014, the language coming from EA was "We heard you, NHL 15 is going to pull out all the stops." A brand new and impressive presentation package, in collaboration with NBC Sports, was created bringing the quality of the NHL series to heights that I haven't seen (or felt) since I watched an animated Ron Barr welcome me to a game in NHL '94. EA Canada also added a new commentary team to the mix, piled on new physics that brought the series closer to reality and seemingly shoehorned an impressive list of other technical ideas into a game that, on paper, seemed bursting at its seams (or laces, whatever floats your boat). And then the shoe (or skate, perhaps) dropped.
NHL 15 hits the ice with six game modes, EASHL absent
Publisher EA has unveiled a list of the game modes to be included in the upcoming hockey simulation NHL 15, and it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect from a modern EA Sports production. When you absolutely, must play hockey this very second, NHL 15 offers the de rigueur "Play Now" mode. For more depth and persistent stat tracking, NHL 15 includes the "Be A Pro" and "Be A GM" modes, which allow players to assume the roles of either a pro hockey player or a team's general manager, respectively. "Online Versus" is exactly what it sounds like: An online multiplayer mode that pits two (or more) players against one another. "Hockey Ultimate Team" adds a virtual card-based collectible wrinkle to NHL 15's on-ice gameplay, while "NHL Moments Live" allows users to "relive, recreate or alter some of the most exciting situations from the current NHL Season." Notably absent from the list are the fan-favorite six-on-six EASHL mode and the Connected GM mode. EA claims that while these are the game modes that will ship with NHL 15, the development team may change things as time goes on. "As part of the move to next generation consoles, our team is focused on delivering significant content updates post launch," reads a message from producer Sean Ramjagsingh. "Our commitment is to continue to optimize the gameplay experience for you in the months to come, as well as deliver new game content throughout the year for free." Edit: The above description of the NHL Moments mode was originally incorrect. It has sinced been fixed. [Image: EA]
NHL 15 and NBC hook up, birth swanky presentation
I mentioned it in my review, NHL 14's broadcast package was a dated mess. Developer EA Canada aims to fix that problem with NHL 15, which features a new NBC-themed presentation and fresh commentators in the next-gen version. A first look trailer of the new package in action is getting me excited to drop the puck. A demo for NHL 15 lands on Xbox One and PS4 on August 26. [Image: EA Sports]
Warm up NHL 15's ice with an August demo
You can break in your skates early in an incoming demo for NHL 15, announced today during EA's Gamescom 2014 presentation. The rink will open early on Xbox One and PS4 on August 26.
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]
NHL 15 missing '94 Anniversary mode' on Xbox One, PS4
The '94 Anniversary Mode' featured in EA's NHL 14 will return in the sports title's next installment, but not on the newest generation of consoles. NHL 14's '94 Anniversary Mode' re-envisioned the classic speedy gameplay of the EA Sports hit NHL '94, presenting matches in the game's modern engine. Speaking with Joystiq, EA Canada Producer Sean Ramjagsingh confirmed the bonus mode would not make the transition to the Xbox One and PS4 versions of NHL 15, but would return on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
NHL 15 hits the ice on September 9
The "new generation" of EA Canada's NHL 15 is scheduled to arrive in stores on September 9 in North America and on September 12 in Europe, EA has announced. NHL 15 is coming to Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. EA's pre-order plan for NHL 15 is intricate and varying based on retailer. As previously announced, "a minimum $15 value" in content for NHL 15's Ultimate Team mode – EA's staple card-based squad developing feature – is the pre-order bonus for most retailers. Putting money down at EB Games and GameStop raises the value of Ultimate Team content to $24. A press release announcing the game's street date adds players can "kickstart their hockey experience with the NHL 15 Ultimate Edition," featuring $40 of added value of exclusive content for Ultimate Team.
Watch EA's E3 2014 press conference right here [Update: It's over!]
Find out what new games are coming from EA with us on our liveblog and in video form on this page. The action begins at 12:00 p.m. PT (3:00 p.m. ET). The publisher's E3 2014 press conference in Los Angeles will feature games like Dragon Age: Inquisition and Battlefield Hardline, spotlight the latest entries in the Madden, FIFA and NHL series, and maybe dish out some fresh information on the next Mass Effect game from BioWare or Mirror's Edge 2. Update: Show's over, folks! Feel free to check out all of EA's big announcements and rewatch the press event above. [Image: Electronic Arts]
NHL 15 checks first screenshot, pre-order bonuses
EA Sports offered a first still image of the next entry in its hockey series today, NHL 15, spotlighting San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton in striking detail. The game was announced near the beginning of May as the first in the series for next-gen systems, and will include character models with three layers that behave independently: the athlete's body, their equipment and their jerseys. Thornton's jersey certainly seems to be wrapping well to his pads in the screenshot. EA also recently announced the game's retailer-specific pre-order bonuses. Those heavily invested in the game's Ultimate Team mode will want to pre-order their copy through either EB Games or GameStop, as they will receive $24 in Hockey Ultimate Team gold-level card packs, amounting to one pack per week for 24 weeks. All other retailers will include a similar offer, though limited to $15 in Ultimate Team card packs instead. NHL 15 will launch this fall for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3. [Image: EA Sports]
NHL 15 skating to PS4, Xbox One this fall
Now that the NHL playoffs are in full swing, EA decided it's the perfect time to offer the first details for its next hockey game, NHL 15. As the first game in the series to grace Xbox One and PS4 this fall, much of its features focus on its visuals and physics. For starters, next-gen versions of the game will feature "12 player NHL collision physics" as well as rebuilt puck physics, the former governing all actions by every player on the ice (like when they slam into each other) with "real-world physics."
