EA Sports has announced that NHL 19 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on September 14. This year’s hockey sim will feature the Nashville Predators’s PK Subban on the cover, along with new modes of play (including outdoor rinks) and “Hero Teams” built with more than 200 Hockey Legends.
In addition to the Gameplay Trailer embedded above, EA Sports has offered up plenty of details on NHL 19’s new animation system, as well as Hero Teams, and the revamped Create-A-Character mode:
Powering the core of NHL 19 is cutting-edge gameplay technology, Real Player Motion (RPM) Tech, which redefines the way movement and animations are captured. RPM Tech enables explosive-edge skating, giving players more control, faster acceleration and more responsiveness as they move up and down the ice. RPM Tech combines with a new collision physics system that introduces more contextual body-checking, bringing bigger, badder, jaw-dropping hits that are dynamic based on speed, size and point of impact.
Fans can enjoy all that NHL 19 has to offer while also paying tribute to stars of the past with the addition of Legends, featuring over 200 of hockey’s greatest from all eras, including Wayne Gretzky. Players can compete as Hero Teams that combine squads of superstars from the past and present for an ultimate fantasy matchup. Play with the best of the best from all eras in both single-player and multiplayer modes.
The youthful expression of today’s hockey is also represented in NHL 19 where, for the first time, players can create a unique look with lifestyle gear and clothing, including hoodies, jackets, parkas, and knits frame hockey lifestyle brands and unique custom designs. New playstyle classes and player traits also let players customize the way they perform on the ice, allowing fans the freedom to create and compete as the players they’ve always wanted to be.
NHL 19 will also feature the return of 3-on-3 hockey in NHL Threes, but players will also get to compete in a 1v1v1 free-for-all with no rules and no stoppages in NHL Ones. A new practice mode (NHL Pro-Am) will also make its debut in the game.
Finally, as is customary with all of EA Sports’s games, players who pre-order NHL 19’s Legends Edition (featuring Wayne Gretzky) or Ultimate Edition will be able to begin playing three days early on September 11.