Your First Look at NHL 21 Arrives on August 24

As promised last month, EA is giving us our first look at NHL 21 on August 24. As most of you are aware, NHL 21 is launching on October 16 (3 days earlier by pre-ordering the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition) instead of the usual September release, due to “extraordinary circumstances”, mainly transitioning from the workplace to home, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

First look at #NHL21 coming August 24th 👀 pic.twitter.com/xkMiSYzhSc

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 20, 2020

As for next-gen consoles, there won’t be a true PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X version, only forward compatibility.

As many of you recall, NHL 14 had a similar situation, as it skipped out on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions, only to miss a megaton of features, when NHL 15 finally arrived on the new consoles the following year.

How many features were missing on NHL 15’s Xbox One, PlayStation 4 debut you ask? Here’s a list.

Modes/Features

• No GM Connected
• No Online Team Play (when this is patched into the game later this year, it will use real NHL players and teams)
• No EA Sports Hockey League
• No EA Sports Arena
• No Online Shootouts
• No Live the Life
• No Be A Legend
• No Winter Classic
• No tournaments or Battle for the Cup
• No season mode (you can only play seasons in Be A GM, which is limited to NHL teams)
• No NHL 94 Anniversary mode
• No custom music support
• No create-a-play designer
• Cannot customize each team’s AI
• No create-a-team
• No way to edit individual players
• Practice mode is now limited to one skater vs. an AI goalie

Gameplay

• No custom camera option
• No Action Tracker replay highlights
• No Top 3 Stars at the end of games.

Be A GM

• Yearly draft is fully automated by the CPU
• Cannot play the AHL games for your chosen franchise
• Players sent down to the minors do not accumulate any season stats
• No fantasy draft option
• No preseason games

Be A Pro

• No option to sim ahead to the next shift
• You only play in the NHL; you cannot play for minor league teams
• The Memorial Cup tryout period is gone. You now begin by picking an NHL team, or by letting a random CPU team draft you.
• No All-Star game

Ultimate Team

• Cannot play against your friends
• No tournaments
• No mobile app

Some of the above items were patched in later in the season, but it left a very sour taste in the mouth of many fans. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen with NHL 22.

For those of you looking for pre-order bonuses, here’s what’s included in each NHL 21 edition.

NHL 21 Standard Edition ($59.99)

• Up to 2 HUT Diamond Player Choice Packs (1 per month for 2 months)
• 1 Unlocked Hockey Bag

NHL 21 Deluxe Edition ($79.99)

• Up to 5 HUT Diamond Player Choice Packs (1 per month for 5 months)
• 1 HUT Synergy Veteran Choice Pack (Choice 1 of 10; +1 OVR per month until August 2021)
• HUT Cover Athlete Choice Pack (Choice 1 of 6)
• 3 Days Early Access
• 2 Unlocked Hockey Bags

NHL 21 Ultimate Edition ($99.99)

• Up to 10 HUT Diamond Player Choice Packs (2 per month for 5 months)
• 1 HUT Synergy Veteran Choice Pack (Choice 1 of 10; +1 OVR per month until August 2021)
• HUT Cover Athlete Choice Pack (Choice 1 of 6)
• 3 Days Early Access
• 2 Unlocked Hockey Bags