Everything You Need To Know From The NHL 25 Reveal Trailer

EA SPORTS has officially released its reveal trailer for NHL 25. With the trailer came information about all-new gameplay features, presentation enhancements, and the reveal of this year's cover athlete. We also got recent news about when the game will be released, what to expect from each edition of the game, and additions that will be seen in multiple game modes.


Click here to watch the Official NHL 25 Reveal Trailer

Hughes Brothers Named Cover Athletes

For the first time ever, an EA SPORTS title will feature siblings together on its cover, as brothers Quinn, Jack, and Luke Hughes will grace the cover of NHL 25’s Deluxe Edition together. For the game’s Standard Edition, all copies that are purchased in the United States will feature New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes, while Vancouver Canucks defenseman and captain Quinn Hughes be featured on the cover in Canada and the rest of the world. 
Along with being NHL 25’s cover athletes, the Hughes brothers also took the ice to contribute motion capture to the game; providing NHL 25 with authentic animations that represent the modern style of hockey that fans love and enjoy today.

ICE-Q Intelligence System

 
NHL 25 will introduce the new “ICE-Q” intelligence system, which gives players the time and space to control every facet of their game and every inch of the rink. 

The new system is highlighted by three major components; Next-Gen Vision Control, Empowered AI, and Reactive Actions.

Next-Gen Vision Control - This new skating system grants players more mobility both with and without the puck; allowing for players to move for more time and space on the ice. Gives players the ability to navigate the ice with more precision. 

The new system includes over 250 new skating animations. For example, now you can do things such as walk the blue line and execute precise turns while still staying locked on goal; helping players utilize the half circles and small spaces available on the ice.

When activated with the puck in the attacking zone, the net becomes the target to give you a better chance for quality shots, passes, or increased options when keeping possession. When activated off the puck, your player will target the puck to allow you to open up your body. This allows players to utilize body positioning and certain skating angles. These new capabilities will also give players more ways to defend. All of these abilities will also apply to AI and CPU players.
  

Empowered AI - This system is intended to be an overhaul of the AI system from previous NHL titles; giving CPU skaters increased agility and more accurate awareness of the play that is in front of them. Empowered AI also helps CPU players recognize player positioning and will help them be more consistent positionally.  This is something that I’m sure will catch many players' attention, as AI awareness and positioning has been one of the most common criticisms of the NHL titles over the last few years. Refreshed and updated playbooks will also be a part of this new system.
 

 
Reactive Actions - This improves on-ice positioning and collision avoidance with new animations and is aimed at making skaters more reliably responsive in critical situations. Reactive Actions will trigger animations that will make sense for specific situations on the ice; meaning that if your player should ideally react to a situation in the way that a player ideally would in the context of real-world hockey. 

These actions include things such as panic turns and changing direction quickly, and players being better aware of where they are on the ice and improving to avoid players around them. The hope is that this feature will help scenarios in-game play out as you would expect them to in modern-world hockey. 
 

Skill Based One-Timers
Another new feature that will be talked about is the addition of “Skill Based One-Timers”. This feature will reward a player’s ability to read the attacking zone and find an open teammate for a high-danger scoring chance. Doing so will reward you with a high-impact one-timer that the player can see, feel, and hear. 

These are triggered through an in-game indicator that will identify a player that is ready for a skill-based one-timer based on their openness and their position on the ice. Once you pass the puck to the player, you must time the shot input as the puck arrives at his/her stick. A well-timed shot will create more velocity and will also impact goalie fatigue. This feature will be most prevalent on power play opportunities, but can be triggered at any point in the attacking zone. 

These skill-based one-timers are intended to create authentic gameplay tension; combining the excitement of creating a high-quality chance on offense with the importance of anticipating the play on defense and trying to deny that high-danger opportunity. 

This is a feature that will be an interesting addition for players with NHL 24’s full pressure system and new fatigue system being back in the game for NHL 25. This means that possession time could become even more critical to player success than it already was in NHL 24. More details about gameplay are expected to be released in late August.
 

Presentation Improvements
NHL 25 sees expansive improvements to character likeness and creation. ALL in-game characters have received a serious face-lift for NHL 25.; utilizing the power of the Frostbite Engine to do so. With these new next-gen characters, players will notice new cloth wrap and new strands, hairs, and beards that give players realistic hair.

NHL 25 will also be introducing Sapien Technology to the NHL series; providing the game with anatomically correct skeletons to give players authentic lifelike models. Players will also notice that jerseys and clothing will dynamically flow to react and adapt to player movement.  

Also featured will be the new “Grudge-Match System”, which will keep track of the competitive history between teams. This system will be featured in both offline and online game modes to create additional context within games across all major modes. These rivalries will also feature special X-Factor abilities that can be earned from previous matchups against rival teams; making the stakes even higher against your fiercest competition. 

A deep dive into the presentation is anticipated to be released in early September.

Game Mode News
Franchise Mode will receive a complete revamp in NHL 25. One of many updates to the mode will be the Franchise Hub. This will provide players with streamlined navigation in the mode to access new, relevant, and easy-to-digest information.  A deep-dive regarding Franchise Mode is expected to be released in mid-September and will feature additional updates.

World of Chel will be getting an expanded schedule for live events with new ways to play. Though there is no specific timeline for when details about World of Chel will be out, news can be expected to be released at a time closer to the game’s launch on October 4th.

Hockey Ultimate Team will now feature a Single-Path XP Progression System in NHL 25 that will be shared across HUT. HUT players can also look forward to the new “Wildcard Mode”. A deep dive for HUT will be coming in late September.

Release and Pre-Order Information
NHL 25 will be released worldwide on October 4th on Xbox Series S/X and PlayStation 5, however, players who go for the Deluxe edition will be able to lace their skates up already on September 27th. Players who pre-order the game will receive the following benefits based on the edition.

NHL 25 Standard Edition

• 500 NHL Points
• HUT NHL Player Pack
• WOC Battle Pass XP Boost (x2)
• Immediate Reward In NHL 24 with digital pre-order (Choice of Jack, Quinn, or Luke Hughes at 99 OVR)

NHL 25 Deluxe Edition

• 7-Days Early Access, including a head start in initial HUT campaign and WOC season
• 4600 NHL Points
• HUT NHL Player Pack
• HUT “Hockey is Family” Objectives Choice Pack (x2, 82 OVR)
• HUT Cover Athlete Choice Pack (85 OVR, 1 of 8 )
• HUT Wildcard Starter Choice Pack (84 OVR, 1 of 6)
• WOC Battle Pass XP Boost (x2)
• WOC Season 1 Premium Battle Pass
• Exclusive WOC Player Set
• Immediate Reward In NHL 24 (Choice of Jack, Quinn, or Luke Hughes at 99 OVR)
• Players that pre-order the Deluxe Edition by September 13th will also receive an 84 overall Hughes Brother choice pack with their pre-order content.

Finally, here are some more NHL 25 screenshots that you can feast your eyes on!