Electronic Arts Inc. says EA SPORTS NHL 24 will be “the most intense NHL game yet,” and a Colorado Avalanche defenseman from Calgary is the best one to represent it..The company announced Cale Makar would be cover athlete for this year’s edition, coming to PlayStation5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation4 and Xbox One on Oct. 6. .In a press release issued out of Redwood City, California, EA Sports said they chose the 2022 Stanley Cup winner and playoff MVP for his “vision, dynamic puck abilities and total control on the ice” and for being “one of the league’s most exciting players.” .“I am honoured to be on the cover of EA SPORTS NHL,” Makar said. “NHL 24 represents everything I love about hockey - it is fast-paced, physical and a lot of fun. I can’t wait for fans to get their hands on the game to feel the intensity of NHL 24 for themselves.”.EA SPORTS NHL, updated annually for more than 30 years, is more connected than ever before with enhanced cross-play coming to NHL 24. Within Hockey Ultimate Team and World of Chel, players can now play with and against players across same-generation Sony and Microsoft consoles. .This year’s presentation introduces Flex Moments with 75 new goal celebration animations, camera angles, lighting effects and the ability for players to map their celebration to their controller..The game will also have a brand-new Exhaust Engine..The Sustained Pressure System will reward offensive players who keep pressure on in the attack zone, triggering the Sustained Pressure perk. This lowers their opponent’s attributes for a limited time to create more space for movement and setting up plays. .A new Goalie Fatigue System means the more pucks you put on net, the more fatigue the opponent’s goalie will experience. This will affect the netminder’s ability to react to shots as they wear down over time. Upwards of 75 new goalie animations have been added this year. .Updated Human Goalie Controls will make playing in goal more accessible and intuitive..A new Tethered Control System allows players to slide back and forth to make saves and then auto-returning back to a centered position. Additionally, a new Instinct System gives players the opportunity to guess the location of the shot for a bonus on their save attempt..The game, developed by EA Vancouver and EA Bucharest, has incorporated more extensive physics and animations for more realistic body checks. New animation-based reactions will give players more chances to create turnovers with bigger checks. They can now break the glass and send their opponent to the bench..“This is a game made by hockey fans, for hockey fans, and bringing the full intensity of hockey to our gameplay was a major focus for us this year in NHL 24,” said Mike Inglehart, Creative Director at EA Vancouver. .“With the new Exhaust Engine system and gameplay features that really capture the physical nature of hockey, NHL 24 delivers realistic body checks and a deeper defensive toolbox full of more choice and tactics that bring a whole new level of immersion to the franchise.”.Fans who pre-order NHL 24 will get a variety of bonus in-game content, while EA Play members can have three days of early access and member-only rewards throughout the season..In the meantime, the company has put trailers and videos on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram and keps fans updated on Twitter at easportsnhl.
