Breaking: Electronic Arts (EA) has confirmed a Q2 release window for NHL 26, positioning it to launch before EA FC 26. This announcement, made during a recent earnings call and detailed in the company’s investor relations materials, suggests a potential release timeframe of early to mid-September 2025.
The confirmation of NHL 26’s release window follows the announcement of EA FC 26’s launch date of September 26, 2024. EA typically spaces out major sports franchise releases, making an early fall launch for NHL 26 highly probable.
NHL 25, currently in its Season 8, has generated anticipation for potential connections and features in the upcoming NHL 26 installment. Last year, the Hughes brothers – Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils), Luke Hughes (New York Rangers), and Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks) – were revealed as the cover athletes for NHL 25 on August 19, 2024, through a leaked trailer. This marked the first time three brothers shared the cover of a major sports video game.
Beyond the release date and cover athlete speculation, NHL 25 introduced new features like 99-overall Team Builders in the Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) mode. These Team Builders allow players to create highly skilled, customized teams. The inclusion of such features in NHL 25 suggests a continued focus on customization and competitive gameplay in future iterations.
Evergreen Context: The NHL video game franchise, historically known as NHL 2K until EA acquired exclusive rights in 2005, has been a staple in the sports gaming world for over two decades. EA’s NHL series consistently ranks among the top-selling sports titles annually.The franchise has evolved substantially over the years, incorporating advancements in graphics, gameplay mechanics, and online multiplayer capabilities. The HUT mode, introduced in NHL 11, has become a central component of the NHL gaming experience, attracting a large and dedicated player base.
For ongoing coverage of NHL gaming news, resources include The Hockey News Gaming Site and a dedicated Google News Feed. Further details on EA’s financial performance and future releases can be found in their investor relations materials.
