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NHL 26

NHL 26

PlayStationXbox

EA Sports NHL 26

Released

Release Date: September 12, 2025

Sports, Ice Hockey, For 2 Players, Splitscreen, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Multiplayer, Singleplayer, Internet, PC Game Pass

The thirty-fifth installment of the hockey sports series, published by Electronic Arts. NHL 26 offers various innovations, including an ICE-Q 2.0 system, an improved Be a Pro mode, a HUT Season mode and the X-Factors feature with 28 different skills.

7.3

OpenCritic

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Ratings
[8:14] - First Look Gameplay Overview Videos: 4
Screenshot Images: 7
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The sports game series titled NHL, published by Electronic Arts, was initiated by the game NHL Hockey released in 1991. NHL 26 described here is its thirty-fifth installment, prepared by the EA Vancouver studio.

Biggest new features

NHL 26 introduces four main innovations that distinguish this title from its predecessors:

  1. ICE-Q 2.0 is an improved version of the system responsible for the behavior of players controlled by the AI, as well as for the realism of the gameplay. The whole thing was based on NHL Edge data.
  2. Thanks to X-Factors, we get 28 skills, which are divided into 5 categories.
  3. The Be a Pro mode has also undergone changes, which allows us to accompany our player on the journey "from novice to hockey superstar".
  4. The last big novelty is the HUT Seasons mode.
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Platforms:

PlayStation 5

PlayStation 5

Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Series X/S

Early Access:September 5, 2025

Developer: EA Sports

Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc.

Game Series

NHL 26
NHL 26
NHL 26

31GAMES

NHL Game Series

A series of ice hockey simulators based on the license of the largest American hockey league. The brand is owned by Electronic Arts, and the development is handled by EA Canada studio.

NHL Game Series

Features

News

NHL 26 has a release date. Electronic Arts sees the game's success in 4 new features

NHL 26 has a release date. Electronic Arts sees the game's success in 4 new features

On the occasion of the announcement of NHL 26, we learned about the game's release date, target platforms, and key new features.

video games

Christian Pieniazek

August 7, 2025

NHL 26 has a release date. Electronic Arts sees the game's success in 4 new features

Ratings

Game Ratings for NHL 26 Video Game.

7.3

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 56% of Critics. There are 29 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

IGN: 6 / 10 by Marc Deschamps

NHL 26 is a fine take on the sport of hockey, but it largely fails to offer any significant jumps from last year’s game.

Full Review

TheXboxHub: 4 / 5 by Gareth Brierley

NHL 26 is one of those games that will easily last you the year, working as a welcome return to the franchise. Whether you are a hockey fan or not, you’ll get thrills from the on-ice action, taking you back to the glory days of decades gone by.

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Rectify Gaming: 7 / 10 by Tyler Nienburg

While EA Sports NHL 26 successfully captures the realistic elements of the sport, there is still room for improvement. The game lacks arcade-style modes, and the overall gameplay feels monotonous. At times, it seems that the franchise gets overshadowed by other EA Sports series. NHL 26 has the potential to be even better, but aside from two improved game modes and minor gameplay adjustments, it resembles its predecessor.

Full Review