REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) today announced a multi-year partnership with the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which will bring the players and teams into EA SPORTS™ NHL® 25. The partnership advances EA SPORTS commitment to grow and authentically represent women’s sports within its games, promoting and championing the next generation of athletes. In addition to the PWHL integration, EA SPORTS will provide new ways to play NHL 25, starting with NHL Arcade launching this Friday and 4 Nations Face-Off content coming early next year in time to celebrate the heavily anticipated mid-season, international tournament hosted by the NHL and NHLPA and featuring NHL stars from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the USA.
“We are thrilled to bring the PWHL into NHL 25 as part of a massive holiday update giving players all-new ways to play, starting in a couple of days with the frenetic energy of NHL Arcade through to the launch of 4 Nations Face-Off in the New Year,” said Bill Dollar, EA SPORTS NHL Executive Producer. “EA SPORTS continues to drive inclusivity and authenticity through its games, and in partnership with the PWHL, we will amplify the excitement of the women’s game for all fans.”
Professional Women’s Hockey League Comes to NHL 25 This December
Launching December 5, the PWHL in NHL 25 will feature all six teams - the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, and Toronto Sceptres in Play Now, Online Versus, Shootout and Season Modes. In addition, PWHL uniforms will be available in World of Chel, with players*, logos, and uniforms available in Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT). To fully immerse players in the authentic PWHL experience, the update will include The Walter Cup and advanced body skeletons through SAPIEN technology integration.
“Our partnership with EA SPORTS opens new doors to elevate women’s hockey across all levels,” said Amy Scheer, Senior Vice President of Business Operations, PWHL. “Through this alliance, we’ll develop in-game and out-of-game experiences that strengthen the bond between our teams, players, and fans, bringing the PWHL closer to the global hockey community.”
“EA SPORTS is proud to support the PWHL, which has pioneered the growth of women’s hockey in North America,” said Andrea Hopelain, GM & SVP, Publishing, EA SPORTS. “We look forward to working together to help elevate and grow women’s hockey to new and existing fans worldwide, starting by bringing PWHL teams and athletes to EA SPORTS NHL 25.”
The integration of the PWHL in NHL 25 reflects EA SPORTS ongoing commitment to authentically representing and growing women's sports in-game by capturing the excitement of game day and showcasing the emergence of the next generation of elite athletes. Having initially showcased the women’s game in NHL 22 through the International Ice Hockey Federation agreement, Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse starred as a cover athlete the following year to celebrate their inclusion into Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT). The addition of PWHL teams and players complements recent women's leagues and features introduced in EA SPORTS FC™, UFC, and PGA TOUR over the past few years.
Alongside the in-game PWHL integration, NHL 25 features a breadth of new content coming for the holiday season, giving players new ways to experience the fast-paced world of hockey:
NHL Arcade
The NHL Arcade event series will begin on November 15 within World of Chel, offering players a unique and fun arcade-style 3-on-3 experience with the return of Big Heads and power-up features that can be collected on the ice and used against opponents. Power-ups include Supershot, Freeze, Super Speed, Small and Big Goalies, and more.
Played in the NHL Arcade Arena, a bespoke rink with no glass, rules, or stoppages, NHL Arcade will include multiple events throughout the year to make the experience fresh for players. Stay tuned to EA SPORTS NHL social channels for more information on NHL Arcade following its release on November 15.
4 Nations Face-Off
New content for NHL 25 will continue into 2025 with the integration of 4 Nations Face-Off, a round-robin tournament hosted by the NHL and NHLPA featuring four international teams packed with superstars.
4 Nations Face-Off content will feature NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the USA and will be included in Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT), Play Now, Online Versus, Shootout and a bespoke Tournament mode. The nations’ uniforms will also be available in World of Chel as part of the major tournament update.
New Content and NHL 25 Offers This Holiday Season
Players who play NHL 25 between November 15 and January 2* will receive 6 NHL Arcade Vanity Items in World of Chel and an 84 Road to 4 Nations Face-Off Player Choice Pack redeemable immediately. With the Road to 4 Nations Face-Off Player Choice pack, players can represent their nation by choosing one of four available items from the country they choose to play. In addition, players will receive a PWHL 83 OVR Team Building Choice pack, redeemable on December 5, along with the PWHL integration, which contains a choice of 1 of 6 PWHL players.
- November 15 - Arcade Series, Free Content Drops, Redeem Road To 4 Nations Face-Off Player Choice Pack in HUT
- December 5 - PWHL In-Game Update and PWHL Choice Pack Redemption
- New Year - 4 Nations Face-Off
Developed by EA Vancouver, EA SPORTS NHL 25 is rated E10+ and is now available globally on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. For more information on EA SPORTS NHL, visit https://www.ea.com/games/nhl/nhl-25.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for all our Trailers and Videos. Join the EA SPORTS NHL community on TikTok and Instagram. You can also follow us on X at @easportsnhl to stay updated on the latest news.
*As final PWHL rosters are confirmed, NHL 25 will continue to add to the real-life player likenesses in-game as part of a multi-year effort to authentically represent the league.
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About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.
In fiscal year 2024, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FC™, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, EA SPORTS™ Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ College Football, Need for Speed™, Dragon Age™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and EA SPORTS F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS FC, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Dragon Age, Titanfall, and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. John Madden, NFL, and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.
About the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL):
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprised of six teams in Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa, and Toronto, each with rosters featuring the best women’s hockey players in the world. Launched on Jan. 1, 2024, the PWHL has broken multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game. In 2024, the PWHL was recognized by Sports Business Journal as the Sports Breakthrough of the Year and received the top position in the first-ever Canadian edition of the Harris Poll, which ranks companies’ reputations. Visit thepwhl.com to purchase tickets and merchandise, and subscribe to the PWHL e-newsletter to receive the latest league updates. Follow the league on all social media platforms @thepwhlofficial.
About the NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 32 Member Clubs. Each team roster reflects the League’s international makeup with players from more than 20 countries represented, all vying for the most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Every year, the NHL entertains more than 670 million fans in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio; more than 191 million followers - league, team and player accounts combined - across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube; and more than 100 million fans online at NHL.com. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including ESPN, WBD Sports and NHL Network in the U.S.; Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada; Viaplay in the Nordics, Baltics, Poland and the UK; MTV3 in Finland; Nova in Czech Republic and Slovakia; Sky Sports and ProSieben in Germany; MySports in Switzerland; and CCTV5+ in China; and reaches fans worldwide with games available to stream in every country. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL® App; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™; and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring unprecedented access to player and team statistics as well as every regular-season and playoff game box score dating back to the League’s inception, powered by SAP. NHL Productions develops compelling original programming featuring unprecedented access to players, coaches and League and team personnel for distribution across the NHL’s social and digital platforms.
The NHL is committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey to celebrate fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. The NHL’s Hockey Is F for Everyone® initiative reinforces that the official policy of the sport is one of inclusion on the ice, in locker rooms, boardrooms and stands. The NHL is expanding access and opportunity for people of all backgrounds and abilities to play hockey, fostering more inclusive environments and growing the game through a greater diversity of participants. To date, the NHL has invested more than $100 million in youth hockey and grassroots programs, with a commitment to invest an additional $5 million for diversity and inclusion programs over the next year.
NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2024. All Rights Reserved.
About the National Hockey League Players’ Association
The National Hockey League Players’ Association, established in 1967, is a labour organization whose members are the players in the National Hockey League. The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund was launched as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 24 years, more than 80,000 deserving children in 34 countries have benefited from the players' donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $25 million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com.
NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license. © NHLPA. All Rights Reserved.
*Requires NHL 25 (sold separately), all game updates, internet connection, & an EA account. This promotional offer is valid from November 15, 2024, to January 2, 2025. Redeem offer by logging into the HUT Store and World of Chel in NHL 25. Limit one per player. Offer has no cash value and may not be substituted, exchanged, or sold for cash, goods, or services. May not be combined with other offers or prepaid card redeemable for the applicable content unless expressly authorized by EA. Customer is responsible for applicable sales tax. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law.
** Offers may vary or change. See retailer site for details.
