NHL/NHLPA sign new deals with EA and 2k Sports

[Guy Legend]

NHL, NHLPA announce multi-year license renewal agreements with EA and 2K Sports

NEW YORK/TORONTO -- The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and the National Hockey League (NHL) today announced that Electronic Arts (EA) and 2K Sports have agreed to non-exclusive, multi-year licensing extensions. EA and 2K Sports will continue to offer a full complement of NHL video games with rights for all current and next-generation consoles, including the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, PlayStation 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation.Portable) system, Xbox 360 and Xbox. video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PC, and Nintendo Wii.....

http://www.nhl.com/news/2006/06/275056.html

Great news. Competition in video games is a must. Most would agree that the quality of football games (Madden) has gone down since exclusivity began. The same could probably be said for baseball.

Glad to see that both the NHL and NHLPA get it.

Click to read more...

 

[strungout]

Now if we could only get them to add the AHL to the games we'd be getting somewhere.

 

[Snap Wilson]

http://www.nhl.com/news/2006/06/275056.html

Great news. Competition in video games is a must. Most would agree that the quality of football games (Madden) has gone down since exclusivity began. The same could probably be said for baseball.

Say what? The NFL went exclusive within the past year. We haven't seen Madden's first game under these circumstances yet.

 

[Rand]

As long as no one touches SI's license I'm happy.
NHL EHM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> EA/2K Sports.

Then again, Madden is probably a better simulation of hockey then NHL 2006...

 

[Guy Legend]

Say what? The NFL went exclusive within the past year. We haven't seen Madden's first game under these circumstances yet.

Madden 06 has been out for a long time (and to lower overall ratings than years past).

Note that the last 2k football game was NFL 2k5.

 

[Naych_PHX]

Say what? The NFL went exclusive within the past year. We haven't seen Madden's first game under these circumstances yet.

Sure we have. Madden 2006 came out but there was no NFL 2K6. Theres no other 2006 NFL game out there besides Madden. They stopped after 2K5 cause the exlusive deal was signed.

I was worried EA would do start this exclusive crap with other sports, and if I had my NHL 2K taken away...

 

[Stevedude530]

I wish they'd create NHL Street.

 

[rwilson99]

I wish they'd create NHL Street.

That would be cool.

3 on 3... guys on fire scoring 3 goals in a row.

That would be hilarious.

 

[robert terwilliger]

take out the 3-on-3 and you have nhl06. mike comrie is the next gordie ****ing howe in that game.

great news that they got this extension, now they need to get to work on the defense and the flopping goalies.

 

[TerrieRizer*]

NHL 2004 had really good gameplay. Once they switched to the new crap in 2005, I stopped playing the game because it became a non hit, clutch and grab game and that gets old really fast. At least in 2004, you could skate around guys and actually have fun playing. I didn't even try 2006 but I heard it was just like 2005 so I didn't bother. As someone who's been playing hockey games since NHL 94, I really hope they figure out a quick way to fix the series as it used to be awesome. Better goaltending, More REALISTIC saves, less grabbing, more hitting, better shooting are all just some of the things that neesd to be fixed. And I agree that the AHL or a ripoff should be put in the game as well so you can actually improve your prospects without having them toil away in the minors.

 

[robert terwilliger]

prospects improve in 06 by updating your minor league coaching. seriously. that's it. i'm in year nine of a dynasty and have absolutely ridiculous talent because of the easy updates. need more money? win games and fulfill ownerships "difficult goals".

for example, for season nine of my dynasty, ownership's "goal" for me (no pun intended) was to break the record for goals in a season. i did it by game #50.

gameplay needs to improve, severely.

 

[Roke]

I really liked the NHL 2004 gameplay and it was probably the best I played yet for EA (the recent games for me were 99, 2000, 2004, 2005). 2005 just annoys the heck out of me. I adjusted the sliders but even with hitting as minimal as you can get Martin St-louis can still deck Chara and there was just way too much hitting.

 

[CombatOnContact]

Whatever company makes Winning Eleven needs to make an NHL game.

 

[StellaArtois881199]

As long as no one touches SI's license I'm happy.
NHL EHM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> EA/2K Sports.

Then again, Madden is probably a better simulation of hockey then NHL 2006...

!00% Agree

 

[Icicle]

nhl 97 for the sega will always have my heart

 

[Michael Morbid]

Now if we could only get them to add the AHL to the games we'd be getting somewhere.

That'd be awesome but the AHL unfortunatelly have an exclusive deal with Sony's crappy Gretzky series for PS2/PSP.

 

[VanNistelrooy]

That would be soooo sweet if they could add CHL to the game

 

[Rand]

That'd be awesome but the AHL unfortunatelly have an exclusive deal with Sony's crappy Gretzky series for PS2/PSP.

I'm assuming it's only a console exclusive then as SI has a license for the AHL.

 

[SickMonkey]

As long as no one touches SI's license I'm happy.
NHL EHM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> EA/2K Sports.

I agree completely. I'm torn between desire to get the new game and happiness that it doesn't come out until the Fall. (That thing will no doubt ruin my life for a while when the new one comes out. After the summer would be a good time for that.)

That being said, I just reinstalled NHL 2006 again the other day. It's kind of a lousy game, but it is fun. (As long as you avoid the BS dynasty mode) I just wish they'd stop regressing features to fit with consoles. Can't save a game in progress, the line editing is a joke (remember the old click and drag line editing, that was sweet), etc. etc.

They do have a fantasy draft though, which is always fun. I'm really hoping they put that back into EHM 2007.

 

[KzooShark]

I'd imagine the fact that it took this long for a new agreement to be made means this year's games will be hastily slapped together repeats of last year's, with perhaps the salary cap added on.

I doubt EA or 2k had people working on improving the gameplay of a non-premiere series when they didn't even have the deal yet.

 

[Evil Ted]

Great news I am very happy there will be a choice in games come this fall.

 

[SuperMario45]

Joe Thornton - cover of NHL 2k7
AO - cover of NHL 07

 

[BD]

cannot wait for NHL2K7. I love that franchise.

 

[Snap Wilson]

I picked up NHL 2k6 for the X-Box for five bucks. Gameplay isn't bad, but christ almighty, it takes the game several minutes to load anything. Whether I'm playing a game or one of the little side things. Is this a known problem?

 

[Phil Parent]

I love the 2K series because I make guide for those games.