Knuckle-puck time: NHL 13 slated for Sept. 11, collector's edition announced
EA Sports Canada recently announced the feature set for NHL 13, which is due for release on September 11 in North America and September 14 in Europe on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Among the more noteworthy features listed are the additions of "True Performance Skating" and "EA Sports Hockey I.Q."
True Performance Skating is the latest in EA Sports' apparent efforts to introduce physics-based engines to player movement. Much like FIFA 12's Player Impact Engine, True Performance Skating promises to deliver the "explosiveness, momentum and top end speed displayed by today's NHL players," while utilizing over a thousand new player animations. The result, according to the team, should allow for more realistic and creative player movement.
NHL 13 also features EA Sports Hockey I.Q., and unfortunately it isn't a sports-themed quiz show. EA Sports elaborated on the shortcomings of the computer A.I. in last year's game, saying that "players were only aware of skaters in their immediate proximity and goalies could only react to the player in control of the puck." EA Sports Hockey I.Q. is expected to encourage, you guessed it, more intelligent decisions by computer-controlled players, who will now "read the whole ice."
The series' Be a GM mode, traditionally a single-player feature, will allow players to pit their teams against one another in a full 30-team online league in NHL 13. EA Sports Canada says there will be a "companion mobile app" for players to connect to their online leagues as well.
EA Sports also listed details on collector's edition versions of the game, which mostly includes Hockey Ultimate Team card packs. Both the standard and collector's editions of the game are available to pre-order now from the Origin store.
True Performance Skating is the latest in EA Sports' apparent efforts to introduce physics-based engines to player movement. Much like FIFA 12's Player Impact Engine, True Performance Skating promises to deliver the "explosiveness, momentum and top end speed displayed by today's NHL players," while utilizing over a thousand new player animations. The result, according to the team, should allow for more realistic and creative player movement.
NHL 13 also features EA Sports Hockey I.Q., and unfortunately it isn't a sports-themed quiz show. EA Sports elaborated on the shortcomings of the computer A.I. in last year's game, saying that "players were only aware of skaters in their immediate proximity and goalies could only react to the player in control of the puck." EA Sports Hockey I.Q. is expected to encourage, you guessed it, more intelligent decisions by computer-controlled players, who will now "read the whole ice."
The series' Be a GM mode, traditionally a single-player feature, will allow players to pit their teams against one another in a full 30-team online league in NHL 13. EA Sports Canada says there will be a "companion mobile app" for players to connect to their online leagues as well.
EA Sports also listed details on collector's edition versions of the game, which mostly includes Hockey Ultimate Team card packs. Both the standard and collector's editions of the game are available to pre-order now from the Origin store.
