NHL 23 will be the first sports game to feature female players in its Ultimate Team mode when it releases October 14 \u2013 a major step for a genre that has only recently begun to feature women\u2019s athletics in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n
It was among the highlights of NHL\u2019s second year on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, having made the leap to the current generation of consoles last year. Other additions of note include cross-platform matchmaking, meaning players on Xbox Series X will be able to play with their peers on PS5, and a more customizable franchise mode.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s the addition of players from the International Ice Hockey Federation [IIHF] Women\u2019s National Team to Hockey Ultimate Team that really stands out, putting well-known players like Sarah Nurse on the ice alongside their male peers. To celebrate, NHL 23 will feature Nurse on the cover alongside Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras, who pulled off the lacrosse-style flip pass that stunned the hockey world last year (and will be possible in NHL 23).<\/p>\n \u201cIt is such a tremendous honor to be the first woman on the cover of the EA SPORTS NHL franchise,\u201d said Nurse, who plays for Canada. \u201cHockey is really for everybody and I\u2019m excited that NHL 23 is celebrating the diversity and inclusivity of the sport. I hope that the increased representation of women in such a prominent game will inspire young girls everywhere to know that there is a place for them in hockey.\u201d<\/p>\n Hockey Ultimate Team [HUT] is NHL 23\u2019s version of the card-collecting mode that has drawn criticism in Madden and FIFA for its focus on microtransactions. Female players will appear in packs and in the auction house, and their ratings will be comparable to their male peers, meaning that a \u201c94 rating will be a 94 rating no matter what,\u201d according to EA.<\/p>\n The addition of female players to Hockey Ultimate Team is part of an overall push across EA\u2019s sports games. Fresh off England\u2019s win in the Women\u2019s European Championship over the summer, FIFA 23 will be adding women\u2019s club football for the first time. NBA 2K has similarly featured the WNBA since NBA 2K20, with Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi featuring on this year\u2019s cover.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, NHL 23 will seek to upgrade its gameplay with new \u201cdesperation shots\u201d that can be pulled off as players stumble to the ice, as well as enhanced goalie A.I and updated power play strategies. The presentation is also being upgraded with an improved arena atmosphere, including a brand-new hat trick animation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Franchise players will be able to build their own customizable league with as many as 48 teams or as few as six while also being able to tweak the salary cap, the number of games, and playoff formats. In effect, dedicated simulation enthusiasts will be able to recreate virtually any era in NHL history.<\/p>\n Cross-platform matchmaking will be available in the EA Sports Hockey League online team mode, HUT, and the casual-focused World of Chel. The immediate benefit for players will be an expanded player pool, though cross-play does not include the ability to play with counterparts on consoles from previous generations.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Sarah](\"https:\/\/assets-prd.ignimgs.com\/2022\/08\/25\/nhl-23-cover-1661408926063.jpeg\")
‘Hockey is really for everybody’<\/h2>\n