The Unfortunate Downfall of NHL Video Games

[@HecticHockey]

Sorry for the 2 week hiatus!

[@lukewatson411]

Take your time man! Your content is some of the best out there and I'm so okay with waiting haha

[@honkingantalope]

NHL07 Wasn't on ps3. It was only ps2. It was on xbox360, because they came out a year earlier.

[@alexnas9634]

btw EA bought 2K because they didnt want to compete, they did the same for basketball too when playgrounds came out, playgrounds 2 was put on hold cause EA bought it to add in more MTX in the game

[@HEWYSSHED]

Could of done without this you miss being young nhl dosent suck lol

[@ryanparsons6843]

@@HecticHockey It's all good

[@LouieNJ]

Hut was the worst thing to happen to hockey games. The online card stuff is the worst thing to happen to sports games.

[@JarkMohnson]

100%. They could be focusing on Be A Pro, Franchise, and the overall changes to the game than stupid gimmicky emotes and shit aimed towards little kids. So many game franchises do this. The audience that made them money are all in our late 20s and 30s. And they abandon them to focus solely on youth. You can do both, but the aging fanbase have careers and money now. Makes no sense to abandon that generation completely. Lol

[@kallemetsahalme5701]

everything can turn ugly. if these guys are greedy of money they will find something. i say this because back in nhl98 era with some friends we used to build teams that our cards allowed us and it was epic. it was epic because we each had like 100 cards. we didnt need to buy new ones every year etc

[@max-is-loud]

1000%

[@coolioso808]

Micro-transactions are plaguing the gaming industry, like music and film industry are being bogged down all for the lame pursuit of content and endless little profit-making schemes. If EA was a worker co-op, this wouldn't happen. Real game developers who also have a say in how the company does business, provides for the fans and implements features and then share the profits would make better decisions than the big corporate bosses doing none of the real work and just looking at the cash flows. A EA worker co-op might even decide to ONLY release the game once every 4 years, but provide regular roster and other upgrades in those gap years, possibly with some reasonably priced DLC.

[@RelentlessGamingX]

I kinda disagree, I just think they put too much effort into it and not new content or modes anywhere else

[@Alech-g3t]

every song on the EA NHL soundtrack: "I have dementia, claustrophobia, high PTSD, and I hate myself"

[@websitedomainhaver]

high ptsd nigga read a book

[@DubberRucks]

Maybe it's a hidden insert of a cry for help from the devs who are trapped in a warehouse somewhere producing this game. 🤣

[@shawklan27]

@@DubberRucks right?

[@stablestables1866]

California dream girl got me feeling zesty

[@thegreatesttoeverdoit]

@@DubberRucksgame hasnt had devs in about 10 years. They just remove more festures and update the rosters every game now

[@HumanAction76]

It won't get better until people stop buying it.

[@p.g.944]

i buy it on sale every year, they don't sell enough 1st month than boom 50% off

[@hhtptai]

@@p.g.944You're still giving EA money aka more incentive to keep producing terrible games.

[@p.g.944]

@@hhtptai I buy the games because NHL is a great game. I have as much fun playing 24 as I did 14. The thing is that for 80$ a year (for me more around 35$) the added value is often disappointing, but the base product is still great

[@TravisHowrish-v2c]

It’s a great game that 99% of people have lots of fun with. It’s just a small number of whiny incels like you that complain about it.

[@badguy89o32]

I wouldn't go that far I would say it wouldn't get any better until people stop buying ultimate team packs It's what killed the franchise to begin with things were fine up on till people started buying stupid digital card packs

[@DSD288]

The issue with these current Chel KZbinrs is that they refuse to be honest about the state of the games. Almost like guys such as Nasher have a blank check from EA for being able to make the most insignificant “additions” to the new installments seem like the most groundbreaking thing

[@AJR-zg2py]

This is a HUGE problem in the gaming space, whether it's on the journalism side or the streaming/KZbin side. The second you dare speak out, you potentially lose your access to that company's games and thus your job (for journalism) or whatever money you're getting from the company as promotion for your gaming channel. It's disgusting.

[@Skumtomten1]

​@@AJR-zg2pyThats why I lost trust in journalism over 10 years ago when I realized this. You can buy everything with money, especially opinions

[@MikaTuukkanen]

It is the same for F1 games. EA seems to pay enough for them to lie to their viewers. Except that F1 24 was so bad that even some youtubers paid by ea has started to bash the game.

[@inneedofmedication]

If KZbinrs and streamers that are popular enough for the current game, the publisher will pay them to play and low-key promote the games. So if you see a streamer or KZbinr playing a bad game and talking it up, chances are they have been paid to do so. The honest ones at least warn you it's a sponsored steam/video.

[@ccramit]

2BC rags on them all the time and idiots just say he's angry because he sucks at the game. Even though he's been playing for decades.

[@jordanbeck2310]

the two people who disliked this video are EA president and head of microtransactions

[@DubberRucks]

And don't forget the pay pigs who dump ridiculous amounts on it every year. Them too. 😂

[@HughJorgan1]

The reference to old video games brought back some great memories. I also remember the Hartford Whalers. Feeling really old right now lol. Great vid!

[@DubberRucks]

Ikr I had an old NHL game on the Genesis that I sunk so many hours into. It had fighting, you could break the glass and, of course, UT was nowhere near born then! 😂

[@zerkle82]

If 2k dropped a hockey game you’d see a major shift in EAs effort into their nhl games

[@AJR-zg2py]

NHL2k was an AMAZING game. Next to EA's NHL 2004, it ranks as one of the best hockey games I've ever played.

[@oilerguy5494]

I really wish someone else would make a hockey game

[@91_Revolution]

@@oilerguy5494 EA has the NHL rights until 2029 so lol wont happen until then

[@oilerguy5494]

@@91_Revolution yeah that’s rough

[@corvettezr1ification]

Right since they are in control they do what they want but if they had competition that stole money / players from them, then EA would be more open to listening to fan’s feedback and request . But until that happens the game will always be mediocre.

[@SingKahKah]

Real ones know that the last great EA NHL game was Legacy Edition for the 360/PS3 (tbf its essentially just a more refined NHL 14)

[@p.g.944]

It's basically the same game ever since, NHL 25 is still agreat game, there'S just little to none added values so it seems like it's bad

[@lukebraddford3287]

I’m running NHL Legacy on my PC through the emulator, with updated rosters and custom music. It’s absolutely awesome.

[@formulabedrin]

on the 360 nhl 14 15 and legacy editions were the same game with new rosters

[@madkitty2801]

@@lukebraddford3287last time i tried that the game kept crashing on me

[@kevenmartin9661]

@@p.g.944 The thing is if we compare to 2k games like NBA, they have so much more features, more game mode and the gameplay is so much more realistic, graphics are better. Idk i've been buying every NHL since 2012. I wont buy it this year, it feels boring. I love franchise mode and its not good in NHL. I liked be a pro when you could pick an existing player. The fun was to make an AHLer become good for me, they remove all of that. + now you cant even play a whole year in junior, only the mem cup. Its a downgrade again. They are not adding stuff they just remove things every year and its annoying. Aint buying till they put Online Gm back. Cause even the Ai is awful. I need to play in superstar and buff the shot and passing of ai to the max to have some type of competition.

[@toast12397]

You missed that they dropped all the PC games in the early 2000s with the excuse that piracy made them unprofitable, even though PC gaming was a massive market, and it was never an excuse for other genres. I loved NHL 97, as well as 96 and 94. Never bought a single hockey game after EA screwed us PC gamers over.

[@MartinPierreBeaulieu]

Seems like console market is around 30B, PC is at 45B… They’re missing out.

[@Furcapper]

They dropped PC games because if they release a supbar product, the modders will make the last years game just as good with a couple of mods and people will not buy the new game.

[@MartinPierreBeaulieu]

@@Furcapper What about Madden or Fifa ? Why would that not apply ? Seriously they just need to rethink the model. Skip years and sell update pack. Make a kind of battlepass if you're greedy. Make people pay to participate in some kind of tournements with prizes... Idk, they gotta figure it out themself :)

[@ericjames19]

NHL 98 to 2003 were god tier games on the PC

[@ponyboycurtis007]

NHL07 was the last one on PC if I recall correctly. Sucks but I've already forgotten and stopped caring.

[@YouBroWho]

I still can’t customize my goalie helmet, it’s been like this forever

[@ryanbowen9718]

What you don’t enjoy the 4 helmets they let you choose from? Red with lighting isn’t cutting it 😂😂😂😂 not to mention the fact that all the goalies do not have real life helmets. If you’re gonna repost the same game every year atleast just add the helmet models that year. As simple as scanning it lol

[@DimoN.G11]

Yes. Creating your drawing on a goalkeeper’s mask is a dream.

[@superflo9768]

I bought every NHL from 13-23 but I just can't do it anymore, it truly is a shame how bad it is.

[@coolioso808]

Don't feel bad. Pull back a little. I suggest every 3-4 years consider getting the new game. I've done that, more or less, I'm actually on a 5 year gap right now between NHL 19 and NHL 25. Fans should train the developer to what they want. One major release every 4 years, and then support and online roster updates and some reasonably priced DLC in the gap years, until another major release. That's more reasonable, to me. Kind of how the Winter Olympics are only once every 4 years or the World Cup of Soccer. The quality and interest would probably diminish quite a lot if it were just every single year. Could you imagine how sick of the Olympics we would be if it happened every single year or every other year? I have the same feeling about sports games.

[@zeked4200]

If you wait until the summer you can usually see the newest game on sale for under $20 on PSN...I'm sure Xbox has similar deals. I'm still playing NHL 23 though, which I paid $15 for. I stopped buying yearly around 2019.

[@HoudiniGameArtist]

I bought it every year from 94>2014. I got this one 21 copy someone gave me for free, i played 1 period and led 2-1 after outshooting AI 14-1. I turned it off and put on NHL 94.

[@4.0.7.7]

The moment 2k folded EA stopped investing in their game. Why bother when you have the only option

[@DubberRucks]

Exactly. When that happened EA had no incentive to innovate. Like their other games they unfortunately dominate in. And not in a good way

[@Site17]

I think this take is incorrect. I think when they found out how to monopolize HUT, they stopped caring about every game mode except HUT. Why make things better in other modes when they don't earn EA money?

[@MikaTuukkanen]

It also happened to happen just during the start of the microtransaction infested hellscape.

[@jpatel7768]

NHL powerplay 1996 is my favorite NHL game of all time. The fact that you could actively check players who celebrated after scoring was the best

[@mrcustodian47]

One of the best! I had it on PC. Did you know there was hidden music on it if you put it in a regular cd player? lol kzbin.info/www/bejne/bYeQmmxqrb6gl80si=AfOrtIBAM9ivcWKb

[@KalvinSingh]

2003 and 2004 was a peak sports gaming era

[@walexander8378]

Yeah definitely no bugs or cheese in the past games

[@canuck2444]

​@@walexander8378I remember in nhl 2001 scoring from right in front of my goal crease. Grab the puck in the corner, skate upwards(or down depending which side yer on) through your crease get your player lined up and he would loft a shot 200 feet right over the goalies head.

[@coolioso808]

Yes it was, especially for PC NHL gamers, like me. The old Thunderpuck and Puck Theory forums were a great time with awesome mods and roster updates, great community. So much fun.

[@brandonboudreau235]

Stop buying it. $60 plus for essentially a roster update. If they're not gonna listen to words.....speak with your wallet.

[@coolioso808]

I agree on staggering the buying of sports video games to once every 3 or 4 years like the gap between Winter Olympics. We don't need a full game every year, it doesn't change enough. Once ever 3 or 4 years is good enough. The developer should provide roster updates and reasonably priced DLCs in those gap years. But first, we got to start a movement. Sports video game fans, unite! Buy only once every few years. Let's say if you get NHL 25, don't bother with a new one until NHL 29 or maybe easier to manage would be NHL 26 and then not until NHL 30.

[@KingTonyBatts]

This is the first year I haven’t bought since NHL21. Last year was the icing on the cake

[@davisoreg1604]

Lmao.. and roster update .. I've been playing since day one , enjoying the new features ..I think it's pure comedy that every single year all you clowns want is a new game ...what do you want from an nhl franchise game , flying robot hockey ?? 😂😂😂😂

[@brandonboudreau235]

@@davisoreg1604 I think what everyone is looking for is for the developers to justify the cost, and increasing costs at that. If you want to blow $60 plus every year, that's up to you. Truly I don't plan on buying another one until they release for PC again like every other sports game. With that being said, I understand that I'm probably going to be waiting a while.

[@TheHitman_Official]

The best feature for 93 (I think it was) That during the intermission you could watch an entire other game, so that you could see what's going on in the league. That was so dope!

[@who399]

Always watched it

[@TheHitman_Official]

@@who399 ngl every period i would hope to watch a game, loved when they tied then saw like a 5 min O.T

[@its_jimbooh_no6572]

2:57 man nhl 95-97 and that music just brought me back to when life was so much more simple. I was 9-11 yrs old and these games were just amazing

[@Dino83]

Now they've taken away weekly rewards so they only way you can get decent players is by opening packs. Scummiest company around

[@SleevelessGaming]

Absolutely fantastic video, well done boss

[@HecticHockey]

Thank you man! Love the content.

[@gopenguins7587]

I miss the old games😢

[@alanbrown2477]

I miss NHL 95 on the megadrive,

[@robertjacobs2188]

Great Vid. A note for NHL 07: There wasn't a PS3 version since almost every game company was working on games that could run on the new Xbox 360 at the time. It was more powerful than the PS3, so most game companies had games only on the 360, like NHL 07, Ace Combat 6, etc.

[@aceassn716]

If 360 was more powerful.. then the game quality outside of shooters is suspect at best Bought 360 before I bought PS3 huge regret! PS3 im playing/using until the casket drops! 360 well after having a 3rd new system red ring been done ever since

[@dero2430]

@@aceassn716 Butthurt Sony fanboi...

[@DimoN.G11]

PS3 was more powerful than x360, but had a more complex architecture.

[@interstellartravel]

yet oddly there was NHl 08 on PS2.

[@interstellartravel]

yet there was an NHL 08 on PS2.

[@ThreeDrives718]

Gen X NHL OG here with some comments and a critical error you made: 1. The original NHL Hockey for Genesis did NOT have players, only licensed teams. (NHL License but NO NHLPA license) 2. NHLPA Hockey 93 had ONLY players, and NOT licensed NHL teams. Just city names with colors like the real team. (NHLPA license but NOT NHL License) 3. NHL 94 was the first game to have BOTH real NHL teams, AND official players. (The first game with BOTH NHL and NHLPA licenses) I remember taking my Genesis to my Dad's (he had original Madden on floppy for his PC) for the weekend (child of divorce, shocker) in the fall of 1991. We went to Blockbuster and rented NHL hockey. I imagine this is what crack feels like to an addict, the first time they smoke it. I was hooked, and got the game for Christmas a few months later. I got so good at these games that in 1992 or 93, I had my name in Sega Visions magazine for scoring 222 goals with Pavel Bure in a single playoffs in NHLPA 93 (I played this game more than any other or any since). Maybe I'm old, or whatever, but they just don't have the innocence they once did. To me, the PS and disc games killed them... as the load times and awful choppy 3d graphics just kinda ruined it for me. You kids have no idea how amazing it was to have cartridge games back then. ZERO LOAD TIME... ZERO... put game in, press start, you're playing a game instantly. No "oh hi sir you haven't played in 2 weeks here's an Effing 49 gig update for you to download. No thanks. The last few games of the XBox 360 were AMAZING... like 12, 13, 14 ish. They were AMAZING. Then I get a ps4 and they suck again. Haven't played the game at all in 4 years. Ok, I'm done now that I feel old AF. Also, NHL Stanley Cup for SNES was the first game with 3D graphics. No players, really no game modes, and the whole screen would rotate every time you got the puck.. it was weird. Go find a video. This is one of those areas where I feel that WE had it better.... and that technology doesn't always improve things. Good video...

[@chronicpark670]

The original game was still my all-time favourite. you are correct that they didnt have NHL players name. They had player numbers, so you basically still knew who the players were. I scored 90% of my goals with #23 (Brian Bellows) playing as the Minnesota North Stars, Right-handed shot on that left side with a boomer of slap shot. Good times.

[@NJDevil1982]

This ages me in a huge way but I still think the Sega Genesis NHL games are the G.O.A.T's. There were some others over the years that kind of brought the magic back (NHL '98 for PS1, NHL 2004 for PS2, NHL 2007 with the intro of the skill stick, etc.) but overall, I never quite had as much fun with hockey video games as I did in the 16-bit era.

[@Mike-ix5sv]

Having your birth year in your name also ages you! Genesis sports games were always better than their SNES counterparts. NHL 95 will always be special to me. I was in grade 8, played it alot. Introduction to player creation, season modes, trades, league leaders etc. The good ol days

[@Gigatoast]

The last NHL game I bought was NHL 16. I am DESPERATE to play some NHL again. I always tell myself Ill check out this next one. But then I see the reception from the community...nope. I dont play ultimate team. Thats where all the work has been going for the most part.

[@craigfletcher-zn8kl]

try NHL19 it's the first hockey game I've got into in years loads of game modes and teaches you the game really well.

[@moeski8199]

well said man... well said... one thing i miss that never gets talked about from what I can tell is the "create a play". I miss being able to set plays on the PP and get my players to move in the directions I want them to move. Forgot which version of EA that was though.

[@CarPig]

Seeing myself at 7:53 was crazy cuz I was just minding my own business eating a sandwich watching some KZbin and chilling out lmfao that was trippy af (great vid btw)

[@HecticHockey]

lmaoo made sure to include you

[@andrewk7199]

It's all about inclusivity. It's important to have representation from the gay community in these kinds of videos.

[@hockeyplaya1155]

NHL Hits was freaking amazing, who remembers "Get up, Get up, Get up, drop the bombshell"

[@hcoco7739]

other than nhl 14, nhl 17 was my goat. lasted me 3 years

[@stillfree1133]

NHL17 was the best

[@PensOneTimer]

nhl 17 was the best game on ps4. Still nhl 14 just had so much more depth.

[@centralhockey12]

Underrated comment. NHL 17 was actually a great game in the “newer” era

[@lambknot]

I miss Be an NHL Pro, when I could play as any player on any team.

[@DavidWsTrainVideos]

Yeah. And the freaking cut scenes and off ice challenges are so repetitive. Plus, I also miss when you do your “custom” celebration being able to control it, not having the game jump to some stupid cut scene,

[@ryanbowen9718]

And get drafted to any team based off your performance. Not just go 1 or 2 in the draft

[@sacreligious74]

Last year in BE a Pro. I got 1 assist and 23 or 24 penalty minutes and we lost all games in the memorial cup. I still got drafted 2nd overall. 😂😂😂 No I'm not that bad. I wanted to see how far down the draft I would go. Lol

[@DavidWsTrainVideos]

@@sacreligious74so how was your time on the Ducks. Lol. Same here but I dummied the memorial cup (played on beginner) couldn’t beat Bedard

[@ryanbowen9718]

@@lambknot too bad it’s not like nhl 12. Every time you play a new be a pro, the teams have a different draft order, so say you have two guys who both went #1. They won’t play for the same team and they teams that go #1 aren’t always a terrible team

[@Fenrirmaster30]

ESPN NHL Hockey 2K4 was the best hockey game of all time imo

[@mrcustodian47]

I still have it. Play it every now and then. The presentation was great, the scoring was satisfying. Such a shame 2K doesn't make hockey games anymore.

[@coolioso808]

Hey man, you are so right. I was a huge NHL video gamer from the 90s to the 2000s and you highlighted the best ones, for sure. I still have NHL 19 for PS4. But I know movies, music, video game franchises are going down hill chasing the almighty dollar. Micro-transactions are the new way, sorry to say. Makes them too much money to focus on Be a Pro or better Franchise mode that doesn't add money after the game is bought. See, in NHL 2004, not only did EA have competition, like the NHL Hitz franchise and 2k had some real bangers around that time, but also console gaming didn't have nearly the Online capabilities as today. The game had to come pretty good out of the box, usually, or else fans won't buy and they'll struggle to survive. Now you mentioned some flops in between those great years even in the 2000s and 2010s... this brings me to the other point: An unwritten rule for me now as a sports-franchise gamer is that I only buy them, maybe, every 3 or 4 years. Kind of like the wait for the Winter Olympics, only worth investing in them every 4 years, they just don't improve year over year nearly as much for consoles. I might get NHL 25 this year and get a PS5, but I wouldn't expect to get another EA NHL game until NHL 29 or NHL 30. Since EA is the only NHL franchise in town, and apparently their HUT makes them billions... they'll be 'fine' in those 3-4 year gaps. Not much else can be done, in the meantime other than staggering our purchase of these games. Don't see a competitor gaming developer anywhere close. I think it was a yearly purchaser of the EA NHL games, first it was always for PC because of the great mods you could get, and then for consoles. I think I stopped the yearly purchases around NHL 14, it became two years, then by NHL 19, I'm actually at 6 years between new games.

[@vidgetgaming]

I wish that this monopoly would end, it has been hurting the customer experience for so long.

[@averageidiot6645]

My biggest issue with Be a Pro, is just how ridiculous it is for trying to get a goalie a calder. Like sure, irl it's also really rare, but the fact you can put up 15 shutouts and 30 wins, yet still lose it to a player with 50 points is ridiculous. Any rookie tender that can match Tony Epsosito's rookie shutout record would easily win the calder without contest.

[@humanversion3163]

Losing Drop-In killed this game for me. I didn’t want to get into a team or league because I couldn’t devote the time, and drop in allowed me to play with others easily. Yeah, the position lottery sucked sometimes, with those stuck on defence either screwing around while sooking, or just dropping out, but it was still fun. Re: the new games, I’m not sure much else can be done tbh. Gameplay tweaks, arena updates… I guess I’m wondering what else can be “added” at this point without requiring 8 hands? I think they should just go to a DLC model for “in between” releases, and only release a new game when serious changes occur. Graphic fidelity for most games has hit a plateau years ago. It’s going to take a while for consoles and graphics cards to be able to push true photoreal textures and animations in a game ( yes I’ve seen Bodycam and Wukong, I said most ;) ). I’ll wait for the PSX I guess :P

[@tatutee5350]

Nice video man! I think you spoke with a voice of many nhl fans. 🤝🏼

[@blueshattrick]

0:22 Since when did Pronger become a Sith lord...

[@hmwpyro18]

Remember back throughout the 2000s, to around 14, when the NHL games were winning "best sports game" awards and were an actual blast to play?

[@allenstephens4234]

Well said. This will be my first year opting out by finally learning my lesson. Good video, keep em coming

[@gregsaldi1292]

i remember opening NHL 95, putting it in, and discovering that you could add players. I had never seen anything so amazing. Yannick Perreault was the first player I made. What a game.

[@masamosotin]

Wow, this video hit harder than a Scott Stevens body check! My friends and I have been having this exact conversation for over a decade now, so it’s good to know that it’s not just us getting old and cranky-EA has truly shat on all of us who grew up with this franchise! Back in the 2010s, we’d drop cash on the latest NHL game every year like clockwork, grab some beers and pizza, and have epic nights playing till dawn. Now? That's long gone. Around NHL '21, we just one by one stopped buying the games-EA somehow made hockey feel less exciting than a team stuck in a never-ending rebuild. We still love the real NHL, watch games together, but the gaming side? Pfft, barely exists anymore. Every once in a while, we might break out NHL '14 or '19 for a nostalgia trip. Some of my friends were even ranked globally back in the day, but EA found a way to bury that fun under a mountain of microtransactions and laziness. "More disappointment from the greediest company on Earth, EA Sports" really is a fitting tagline for this era of hockey gaming. Damn shame EA benched all of us loyal fans just so they could chase that extra cash.

[@brandonmcfellin6773]

NHL HITZ 2002 was 🔥 NHL 06 🔥 Been playing NHL games since N64 NHL 25 will be the first NHL game I don't purchase. Honestly haven't had a fun experience playing NHL games in years.

[@badguy89o32]

Finally a KZbinr who speaking the truth about the NHL series I've been saying this for years but it doesn't seem like anyone ever listens and then of course you've got these content creators who focus on ultimate team and put their ugly mugs on their start of their videos like I don't care what you get in your packs dude I don't care how much money you spend or didn't spend give me a good franchise mode a good be a pro mode and fix the world of chel and I will be happy and oh yeah don't forget about the gameplay cuz the gameplay is kind of what feeds those modes

[@jakewilliams8193]

The shooting button and the hitting button are the same button! This results in so many interference calls when I'm just trying to swat a loose puck into the net

[@NJDevil1982]

Agreed. That’s been a problem for years.

[@andrewborody]

Hold LT when doing that and you won't body check

[@ryanbowen9718]

@@jakewilliams8193 never been a problem for me ever lol for sure skill issue

[@davisoreg1604]

It's cause you suck .😂

[@65mcman]

I think the one thing many people forget though at the end of the day, the Vancouver devision at EA (where the game is made) is the least funded out of all the devisions. If they had the funding like other EA titles had, I guarantee they would be able to do all the modes they want. (I also have a family friend that works there and say most of the problems are financial.)

[@SamFisher1717]

25 isn’t a bad game. It’s far better than 24. The walk the line feature is welcome for easel defense.

[@connormcleod6479]

Great video dude. Your perspective and critiques are literally carbon copies of the grievances I’ve had for years - feel like I helped make this video bc you nailed every rant to the T . Spot on lol

[@HecticHockey]

Thank you!

[@ZacharyDarkes]

Be a pro was my favourite game mode bought the game every year for it, but I haven't bought a new NHL game since NHL 21 and it's probably gonna stay that way until they actually do something with it. The cutscenes are way too much and the X factor system in be a pro needs a rehaul, you should be getting x factors on how you play not through "storylines".

[@JP-pr9re]

Listening to another year of Cybulski fellating my player for minor achievements and having random radio people say I'm the shittiest hockey player of all time for not having a point in a game even though I already have potted 50 in 10. Thinking each year that they'll finally fix BAP in some significant way. Single player modes don't interest EA anymore, it doesn't make them money. HUT and CHEL do. As long as that remains prevalent, single player modes and innovations in online modes will continue to stagnate

[@JustMatt91]

At this point, Id give ANYTHING to get 2K to hop back onto the ice and create a new NHL game. EA needs competition but nobody's willing to step up and challenge them.

[@davisoreg1604]

Because they got out sold .. and beat out of competition ..😂😂😂😂

[@metalmilitia623]

I stopped playing NHL after 14 because of EA being EA but also that was the year I decided not to buy the next gen of console and switched to PC. Another segment of the gaming community seemingly ignored by EA's NHL. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@hockeyguy731]

Well said! Couldn't agree more with the stuff you mentioned in the video. The last NHL game I bought brand new was NHL 21. I bought 22 and 23 on sale and then I didn't even bother with 24. It's just such a shame, because I thought EA was making leaps in the right direction from NHL 16 to NHL 19 gameplay wise. I always remember the tuner updates at release feeling fresh and fun aside from a few issues some years, that I think they could have easily fixed. (I can't remember the year, but I remember one launch or update it being impossible to use R1 without getting a penalty). Then slowly as the season went on, people in the community would start to bitch about the newer tuner changes that made it harder to score or just small things that made the game feel more like a real hockey game. By the end of the season, the game would just slowly get tuned back into the same broken crap from the year prior. I find the AI players have been inconsistent literally forever it seems. I find I can play two back to back games and they are playing the complete opposites in each game. I feel as though you can notice it the moment the puck gets dropped. Any 1v1 mode online is just atrocious to play because everybody just abuses the AI on defense and never plays any real defense themselves. They will just switch focus away from the player closest to the puck, which in my eyes kind of defeats the purpose of even playing online. How poorly I think the goalies play now is a whole other discussion. World of Chel is the only thing I can really think of the last few years where I can actually find myself wanting to go and play. On a side note, NHL 07 was actually an Xbox 360 exclusive and had not been released on PS3.

[@ChiknNugg3s]

One of my new favourite hockey creators! Thanks for feeding my IV!

[@HecticHockey]

Thank you!

[@Swullmark]

NHL 2004 was the first hockey game I ever played, I was three and I still am nostalgic for it!

[@valitsemllaluokanavahyvaks3556]

NHL06 is my favorite of the series. Second best is probably NHL2014

[@CHTHHA]

NHL 2004, which I think had Dany Heatley on the cover, and NHL 2K5 with the ESPN presentation… Those were the last 2 hockey games that I had an absolute blast with and really felt like I was playing a game that simulated the real life sport that you saw on TV. And now ever since 2015ish, it feels like we’ve been fed the EXACT SAME game every year; and you just don’t get that same feeling of playing a sport that you see on TV, because the presentation is so bad/lacking.

[@AJR-zg2py]

The early releases of NHL 2004 had Heatley on the cover (which I had) before he was replaced by Sakic after the whole Dan Snyder drunk driving incident.

[@bryan89wr]

Still got my copy of NHL 2004 for the GameCube with 50 in '07 on the cover

[@CR-Nova]

In the indie scene we have games like Tape to Tape and Super Blood Hockey, but in general, we don't really see a lot of hockey games in the AA or indie scene either. The older hockey games such as the Actua Hockey franchise and Backyard Hockey are also other examples, but in general, we really don't see a lot of people developing hockey games. I'd say the other major sports seem to have way more developers ready to put their own spin on the genre. Hopefully, we see more indie hockey devs come out of the woodwork so that people don't have to wait for EA to eventually make ONE good NHL game. Only thing is, people searching for alternatives will have to be comfortable without said games having NHL license, since most devs making these games don't always get the license.

[@joeonthego8247]

HUT is the biggest downfall of the game. People who think the number 87, or 89, or 92, or 94 is somehow going to make their game special and more enjoyable so they keep buying the random packs and keep hoping for another number. It is absolutely sickening when you really think what they are buying

[@botsareeverywhere]

💯 it’s amazing there aren’t more comments saying this. This is the cash cow of the game and where they put all their resources. I prefer EASHL and couldn’t care less about the NHL license.

[@AverageBobGaming]

Great video m8. My friend group asked if people wanted to get back into world of Chel again and I can’t bring myself to do it. I played ‘24 on game pass or whatever and it was not much different from when i last played a few years ago, maybe even worse. Don’t think I’ll buy this years. Wish EA cared about making good sports games again.

[@bostonhockeyco]

Unless another company decides to make an NHL game (or something of that sort), EA just won't care about putting 100% into the NHL series. So, if I were you, save your money. This is coming from someone who only has two games from this series & they're several years apart. 🤣

[@DubberRucks]

Agreed. Without competition they can just rest on the bare minimum knowing the paypigs will keep the game profitable, even if it's not a good product

[@marzix427]

The more realistic it got, the less fun it got. It's a weird phenomenom. I picked up NHL 23, it was cool, but i don't like how there are too many things I personally am not a fan of as far as like replays or 'cut scene' type things between periods or when there is a dead puck and its on xbox. Before that I had last played NHL 2001 (for PC)and loved it. I had customized my entire team with players (which did not take all that long which was nice) compared to NHL23 where i get a little time to play, make a character and next thing I know it's been like an hour because loading menus and visual options seems to just take a long time. I also had a very difficult time moving players between NHL and AHL and getting them on the correct lines I wanted them to be on. Sometimes when I take someone out of the lineup who was maybe on a bunch of 2nd or 3rd line pairings, and I want to put a new person in, and it just swaps that person in every place, but then I cannot put someone else in the space because it ends up swapping them in all the places that player was at. It is hard to explain, but it has been almost a year since I played. I was just too frustrated trying to edit my lineup and roster. I like the gameplay, but creating teams, players, custom league (I do not have online on my xbox, but my wife did not buy me the PC version for some reason) is just a lot of frustration.

[@croceyzx2433]

As someone who only plays Be A Pro & Franchise Mode, one thing I can say is that it doesn’t really feel like a career mode. EA have added quite a few European leagues including the CHL yet despite this, I can never go play in these leagues other than a short stint in the CHL before being drafted. As a European myself (UK) it would feel amazing to be able to head over to the DEL, EIHL, KHL and so on. It would also be great if (especially in the early years of your career like 23y/o and under) that if you have one of those seasons and underperform, you get sent to the AHL and have to hit certain goals in order to play in the show again. I think it would also be a cool concept that you just never get drafted, instead just spend your time jumping between the East Coast and the A. We also need to bring in playing for the national team! I just feel like adding these features will be Be A Pro and Franchise Mode wayyyy more entertaining and realistic. The NHL-AHL and maybe then ECHL should be the minimum at least. It’s strange how you can score 100 own goals, collect over 2k PIMs, get hundreds of off-side calls, ejected every game and pick up 0 pts, yet still be given regular minutes 😂 Also, what’s this BS about becoming a captain in your 4th year lmfao. Even joining a new team your pretty much instantly named the captain skipping getting the ‘A’. -- IK FIFA had to do this for licensing reasons but maybe it’s time for EA to drop “NHL” and perhaps replace it with IIHF or IHC. Ik this breaks tradition and both names sound kinda trash for a game, but maybe if the name of the games were more “open” (especially IIHF which represents ALL hockey in EVERY country) that EA will feel more obliged to expand the Career Mode to ALL leagues and teams rather than just the show?

[@Terminatedd]

NHL 2003 is the absolute best one for me. It had the slow motion breakaway camera, slow motion replays with music, matrix - style savecamera and a replay with music if the play stops quickly after the Hasek - style save. There also were also hockey cards that could alter the game & players if you so chose. It was the absolute pinnacle of a fun NHL game that we haven't seen since in my opinion. I wish they brought back those slow motion aspects and cool replays.

[@russ99a]

The only way NHL recovers is if they give it to a new studio and it’s rebuild using a new engine, the current one just tacks on gimmicky features and the core is permanently broken.

[@nichonr95]

Tbh at first rn 25 feels better than in many years. Maybe the bugs havent been found yet but they were even in the older ones. The thing we need to really stop is microtransactions and hut

[@ajmpatriot4899]

Yes, absolutely! 💯

[@ryanhammond7730]

Never played 2003, but NHL Hitz 2002 was my favorite hockey game as a kid. I also had NHL 2003. My dad preferred to play me in NHL, but Hitz was something else. I miss that game.

[@bigjohn2241]

I bought every NHL since 2008 and stopped buying them in 2021. Now I just wait for them to come onto gamepass and im always thankful I didn't purchase it as they feel worse every year. NHL 14 was the best but I also didn't mind NHL 19. Now they feel too clunky and awkward to play. I think they forget it's a video game and should have abit more of a arcade style with huge hits

[@atarileaf]

Genesis NHL 94/95 is still and always will be the pinnacle

[@Matt-wf7ry]

The problem is obvious - lack of competition. Be A Pro has been, for all intents and purposes, completely untouched since its introduction. Franchise mode is still lagging behind 2K's last NHL game 15 years ago. Presentation is worse than 2K's last NHL game. There is absolutely ZERO reason that a online/connected franchise mode with a ton of customization options isn't in the game. The reason EA can get away with the garbage they put out is because it is the only true NHL "simulation" game that gets released anymore. If you want to play a NHL video game with recent rosters, you are forced into one option.

[@MayonnaiseOreo]

NHL 08 was the peak for me in terms of gameplay. 12 was the last one I truly enjoyed and by 19 I'd fallen off completely. I'm 31 now and don't have much time for sports games but I miss how good the NHL series used to be. I can't tell you how many hours I put into it from the time I was 5 until I was 20.

[@RyanVentura604]

Everything about this video is ON-POINT. I became sick of what EA had to offer and I don't even really enjoy current gen consoles all that much. I'm a proud Steamdeck owner and I emulate the PS3 version of NHL 2K10. Which is a VERY slept on hockey game and was really well done. I really missed the boat on that game.

[@cow4094]

It's just crazy to me that while NHL 2k10 wasn't perfect, when you compare it to NHL 25 in terms of presentation, modes, options, features...it is absolutely insane what we don't have anymore. It took EA YEARS to make a simple change of the scoreboard location, so imagine any other small things we wish were still here and how long that'll take. We will probably get more realistic presentation and updated goalie masks on NHL 36 on the PS7 and Xbox One Series YX.

[@Wheels_029]

“Pricey pond hockey you got going there”.

[@HecticHockey]

Awful

[@hiitsgabe___]

45 seconds in I pressed the like button.

[@Basegud]

Everything I see related to NHL content these days is HUT, everyone is talking about HUT, and EA props up HUT to be a huge thing. Instead of buying HUT packs, maybe people should start buying therapy for their softcore gambling addiction 💀

[@vsty7z]

Playing those super old NHL games in the 90s and early 2000s make me feel like I was the Asian Gretzky as a kid

[@WowOafus]

As a kid, I spent more hours playing NHLPA 93 than any of my other games. Almost spent as much time searching for pen and paper to write the codes for the playoffs since it didn’t have save.

[@trevcore86]

Last year I didn't even finish my 10 hour free trial. Truly sad that a piece of my childhood is basically dead

[@jakezaretsky]

Great video man. Frustrating to say the least. I get it, EA is a business and they have to make money. But, greed is one of the biggest sins on the planet and it rears its ugly head with every new release. A battle pass in an NHL game? A $100 HUT pack on Day 1? The same BAP for 5 years in a row? It’s disgusting. The whole “don’t buy the game” thing sucks because I WANT to play an NHL video game. EA is lazy, careless, and disrespectful to ALL of their fans, not just NHL. Sadly, until I’m proven wrong, I don’t and will not get excited for any EA releases. I’ve been that way since 2019. Again, great video HH. You summarized everything really well. Do they have mods for NHL 14? Might have to look into that. Thanks for the read if you’ve gotten this far! 😁

[@HecticHockey]

Not sure if '14 is able to mod. I think most the modding comes from PC versions of the games and those stopped in '09.

[@wilhelmtorikka508]

Solid breakdown buddy! Loved how you started from the beginning of nhl games and brought me on a trip down memory lane! However the choice of background music is horrible in my opinion. It’s repetitive and does not match well with your commentary at all… Keep on grinding buddy!

[@HecticHockey]

Ah sorry it was annoying. It was NHL 94 music!

[@vsty7z]

Lmao!! Playing be a pro was like deja vu I seriously could not even remember if I was playing a new or old game, now I know why hahah thanks

[@threethrushes]

Blades of Steel. Back when I didn't know anything about hockey. Never thought I'd ever play the game. Moved to the Czech Republic. Game saved my life. Blades of Steel.

[@TheLoganSomers]

Gretzky NHL 2005 was a banger! Had such a good soundtrack 🤘😤🔥

[@theanimeshack1373]

So I used to play nhl 13 and 14 alot and even nhl 11 but I stopped once they made being a goalie in be a pro so hard. It's sad to see EA ruining franchises because even in games like apex they're seeing a beloved franchise fall before their eyes

[@funkygamer2251]

I remember 2k had a CHAT room in the main vs lobby.. Showed how many players every team had... showed their record. Talking smack before and after the game was a thing! Also it showed the others team colors... let you choose a position before the faceoff... Had a lot of things going right back in the day.

[@tigerofwar99]

bring back nhl to pc

[@93ryan5]

Firing up NHL 12 on the Xbox 360 for the first time in 11 years. I'm looking forward to it. Great memories.

[@nogodsnomasters666]

Wayne Gretzky Hockey on the Amiga 500 was my jam

[@NicEeEe843]

It’s as simple as if there’s no competition, if you’re the only officially licensed NHL hockey game in town why would a company try extra hard to make their game awesome if they know from experience that every year these sports games are some of the highest selling and people will buy them anyway. It’s legitimately that simple, if a company doesn’t have to compete to sell a product then they don’t have to work as hard and why would they? If you sold a product that nobody else could sell (you have the exclusive rights to NHL video games) why would you try extra hard if you’re already making tons of money every year and it’s already in the bag? These games have been going down in quality and you’d think that would slow sales down sales but again when you’re the only NHL licensed game in town you either play the game or you play the complete knock off version with the Calgary heat and Tampa bay thunder 🤣 doesn’t hit the same. Maybe someday someone will make an unlicensed hockey game that’s so good people will play it instead of the licensed game. The issue is it’s very hard to compete with official licensing, your hockey game with teams like the Minnesota timber’s just isn’t the same as official players and arenas 😂. Even if this game was good lots of people won’t try it just because they can’t play as their team and favorite players

[@wonduhbroz]

6:56 you didn’t mention that EA Sports & NHL signed an exclusive rights agreement at this time. I could be wrong, but i think they were selling NHL games cheaper than EA & the NHL did not appreciate that. I know this was the case with NFL.

[@fv7669]

As long as youtubers like Nasher and TicTac (or whatever his YT name is) won't tear apart EA it won't get better...

[@Ziggz47]

It went downhill also when the dumb outdoor rink shit was introduced to sell “cosmetics”. When online EASHL drop in didn’t allow you to play as actual teams was so horrible

[@DavidWsTrainVideos]

And this is exactly why I don’t buy it every year. Only buy it when something actually new happens or there is an event that I’m personally interested in that will be in the game (Adding the WHL, my cousin winning the cup)

[@A15H]

Every EA sports game gets like 2 -4 star rating

[@Youtubeuser797]

Great video. I have a small nitpick though, when you were talking about NHL 07, you showed gameplay footage/trailers from the previous gen. Version, which lacks features such as the Skill stick and is functionally very similar to NHL 06.

[@samuelsoto5855]

The problem with modern ea sports games is the frostbite engine because is always not designed or always not allow for any ea games or ea sports games, which is bad because of code complexity that nothing works properly, riddles with glitches, and it's rather difficult to use. It's became an absolute nightmare on how they ruined it. Just remember, the frostbite engine is only allow for fps games which is good, most notably the battlefield series was created by dice.

[@dizeestl]

Rammer should have been fired a decade ago. Havent played a game in many many years and it will stay that way until a challenger enters the market.

[@sosababy583]

Brooo how did you not even mention NHL 12! That is seriously goated

[@dantml]

Thanks for the 94 special mention. But I'd love to fill you in on some of the actual lore around it, from being someone who has been in the cult for 5 years now, after maining '97 for 22 years. Let me know if you'd like to hear my story 😊

[@disappointeddaily6344]

If limp bizkit can make a return so can NHL Hitz 🙏