The final installment of the NHL franchises typically in the fall of each year, which means we're getting closer and closer to launching NHL 21. If you're wondering what's going on with NHL 21, Gamepur has you covered. Here's what you need to know about the upcoming release of NHL 21.
What is the release date?
As of yet, we don't know the official NHL 21 release date. We do, however, know when to expect the game to launch, thanks to documents released by EA in May. In EA's fourth quarter earnings report for 2020, the company announced that NHL 21 is expected to be released in the third quarter of the company's fiscal 2021.
Since EA's fiscal year ends on March 31 of each year, that means players can look forward to the NHL 21 release between October and December. Players should expect the game to be released closer to the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, however. The franchise typically releases its annual game about 2-3 weeks before the start of each season.
Who is on the cover?
Typically, the cover athlete for the annual game is announced in late June at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas. That did not happen this year, however, as the NHL awards ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19.
EA has yet to nominate a cover athlete for NHL 21 at the time of writing.
Have any new features been announced?
As of yet, no new features have been announced for NHL 21.
Will NHL 21 be available for the next generation?
It's not officially confirmed, but the chances that NHL 21 will be available for the next generation are slim. During the EA Play 2020 event, EA showcased what several of its sports games for the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 will look like. Although both FIFA and Madden were shown during the presentation, NHL did not. not part of the games that received time during the event.
In addition, a precedent also indicates that NHL 21 will not be available for the next generation of consoles. In 2013, the current generation of consoles, the PS4 and the Xbox One was released. Several EA sports games (FIFA 14, Madden 25) received a version for current and next-gen consoles, but NHL did not. NHL 14 was only available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
Considering these two factors, along with the small NHL franchise development team, it is highly unlikely that the NHL will receive a next-gen release in 2020.
