Nashville’s All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban will grace the cover of #NHL19, which also adds new game modes and new legends, as announced at the NHL Awards.
If you’ve been watching the NHL Awards from Las Vegas this evening, you will have seen all the details that EA Sports has revealed about this year’s NHL 19 title. P.K. Subban will be on the cover, a first for the All-Star defenseman from Nashville.
“Growing up, and still to this day, my friends and I love seeing who is on the cover and ultimately getting to play the game,” said Subban. “Being the cover athlete for NHL 19, for me, represents growth within our sport, embracing different personalities, and showing that anything is possible. I’m honored to be able to sport the Smashville colors on this year’s cover.”
New Features
It wouldn’t be a new season of our favorite sport without some new additions to the game modes in NHL 19. EA is bringing players outside for the first time ever, letting skaters experience the roots of hockey in a new game mode called World of CHEL. This unified progression hub unites EA SPORTS Hockey League, NHL THREES Drop In and two new modes, NHL ONES and Pro-Am. NHL ONES pits three players against each other in a 1v1v1 free-for-all with no rules and no stoppages. Players can win to rank up to new outdoor locations and defend their position as king-of-the-hill. Players can also play in any World of CHEL mode to progress their online Create-A-Character, unlock rewards, and customize their look and their playstyle.
This new look extends to outfits not typically seen in NHL arenas, by the way, so be prepared for some pretty funky and unique looking opponents!
The youthful expression of today’s hockey is also represented in NHL 19 where, for the first time, players can create a unique look with lifestyle gear and clothing, including hoodies, jackets, parkas, and knits frame hockey lifestyle brands and unique custom designs. New playstyle classes and player traits also let players customize the way they perform on the ice, allowing fans the freedom to create and compete as the players they’ve always wanted to be.
Improvements to Gameplay Mechanics
If you read our review of NHL 18, it was clear that some changes to the core mechanics of the game were needed. Fortunately, EA has heard those complaints and made some key changes to the underlying technology.
Powering the core of NHL 19 is cutting-edge gameplay technology, RPM Tech, which redefines the way movement and animations are captured. RPM Tech enables explosive-edge skating, giving players more control, faster acceleration and more responsiveness as they move up and down the ice. RPM Tech combines with a new collision physics system that introduces more contextual body-checking, bringing bigger, badder, jaw-dropping hits that are dynamic based on speed, size and point of impact.
I’ve had a chance to see this new technology in action at EA Play recently and can say that it is a definite step in the right direction. Stay tuned for a more in-depth preview of my time with NHL 19 coming soon.
More Legends
The Legends in the NHL series have been a welcome addition over the past few years and EA will be expanding its roster again this year. The biggest addition will be Wayne Gretzky, but there will be others announced in the future. EA has now recreated over 200 legendary players using technology that brings players into your game that you may not even have had the chance to watch on TV before.
NHL 19 will available on September 14, 2018, for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. You can unlock the full game three days early on September 11, 2018, when you pre-order the NHL 19 Legends Edition or NHL 19 Ultimate Edition. EA Access members can play for up to 10 hours starting September 6, 2018, with the EA Access Play First Trial.
