NHL 16 Review (PS4/Xbox One)

[acelang123]

Ok, so they had to rebuild the game. I wonder how their sales were last year at a steadfast 60 bucks.

[Wiggy]

I hope my comment didn't come off as rude.
I would love deeper modes, all star competitions, more and everything you said.

No problem at all =) I knew how you were asking the question. But it's a valid one. It's why I think something like the next UFC game will have a hard time coming up with compelling new modes, but I'm certain they'll try.

[Wiggy]

Ok, so they had to rebuild the game. I wonder how their sales were last year at a steadfast 60 bucks.

According to VGChartz, which is hardly definitive, it sold about 800k across both platforms. That doesn't count digital or bundling. I'd say somewhere between 800k and 1.1 million is about right, which doesn't exactly hurt their bottom line too much. Previous games were routinely around the same range.

[Smirkin Dirk]

Re: NHL 16 Review (PS4/Xbox One)

Any word on differences between players/teams?

[canucksss]

Re: NHL 16 Review (PS4/Xbox One)

Any word on differences between players/teams?

THANKS for posting this question....you beat me to it

[aaron777]

Did u happen too see if the penalties are being called? All this talk during the 10 hrs early play, this was a huge concern barely any penalties called. Also how does moral system seem to be working ? Does it toward g.m mode or not?

[GlennN]

Any word on differences between players/teams?

Yep, this is the number one thing I need more info in deciding whether to buy this year. As an offline BeAGM player, there has to be better difference between the elite players and the fringe players. It just kills the need to build a team properly if all the players feel similar.

[IncognitosX]

Maybe someone can answer me a question. I was playing this last with a few of my buddies and we couldn't find a way to mix Couch Play with Team Play. We could play Online Verses but could only get me and my couch buddy against my online friend. We couldn't all join up and play against another group of people online. When we tried Team Play we didn't have the option to invite my couch buddy to the game. Anyone know if this is possible?

[[Icy]]

Offline BAP is finally fun again, enjoying it a lot

[redsox4evur]

Re: NHL 16 Review (PS4/Xbox One)

75 seems like a fair score though. This game is what NHL 15 should have been, and EA should seriously start thinking about doing away with the year development cycles. It's going to happen at some point. They could innovate in this area.

First that is never going to happen. Second, how do you know that it is going to happen? I'm using the numbers posted in this thread, so you have anywhere between 800K and 1.1 million units sold. Now just to make the math easiest, I'm going with a straight $60 price tag on every unit sold. The gross revenue is anywhere between $48M and $66M. How do you explain to your shareholders that they are going to lose out on all of that revenue because you decided to skip one release? It's not going to happen anytime soon.

[peter21]

Re: NHL 16 Review (PS4/Xbox One)

First that is never going to happen. Second, how do you know that it is going to happen? I'm using the numbers posted in this thread, so you have anywhere between 800K and 1.1 million units sold. Now just to make the math easiest, I'm going with a straight $60 price tag on every unit sold. The gross revenue is anywhere between $48M and $66M. How do you explain to your shareholders that they are going to lose out on all of that revenue because you decided to skip one release? It's not going to happen anytime soon.

EA has actually brought this up (I'll link to it if I can find the source). I don't know it's going to happen, but I think the industry is realizing it needs to happen. The advent of revenue streams like HUT keep money rolling in year-round. It wouldn't be skipping a release, it would be building out a game over two years - much like Battlefield or CoD but in a shorter timeframe. Then you charge for certain updates (add-ons, expansion packs, game modes) and you potentially stand to make even more money. It allows developers more time to produce a quality product, and the ability to continually fine tune it.

Thinking outside the box, you could turn NHL into a buffet-style game. Pay for the modes you want, or the whole package. I don't know, I'm spitballing here. I think the yearly sports video game culture needs a shake-up. Consumer demands are only increasing with the power of new systems. We're seeing a lot of these yearly release games suffering in quality and or quantity because of it. You want to be an industry leader? You innovate. EA will certainly find ways to monetize the entire process.

[redsox4evur]

Re: NHL 16 Review (PS4/Xbox One)

EA has actually brought this up (I'll link to it if I can find the source). I don't know it's going to happen, but I think the industry is realizing it needs to happen. The advent of revenue streams like HUT keep money rolling in year-round. It wouldn't be skipping a release, it would be building out a game over two years - much like Battlefield or CoD but in a shorter timeframe. Then you charge for certain updates (add-ons, expansion packs, game modes) and you potentially stand to make even more money. It allows developers more time to produce a quality product, and the ability to continually fine tune it.

Thinking outside the box, you could turn NHL into a buffet-style game. Pay for the modes you want, or the whole package. I don't know, I'm spitballing here. I think the yearly sports video game culture needs a shake-up. Consumer demands are only increasing with the power of new systems. We're seeing a lot of these yearly release games suffering in quality and or quantity because of it. You want to be an industry leader? You innovate. EA will certainly find ways to monetize the entire process.

OK then another reason why it won't happen. The NHL, in their licensing deal, with EA probably will not allow it. And that second idea is terrible, and doesn't make sense from EA's point of view. Why would you change an already successful business model to one that probably gets you less money in the long run. Because you can't go out charging $60 for BAGM, Season, HUT, etc. people won't buy it. That's why you tie in the whole thing for $60, 80, etc. and the people that are solely buying the game for BAGM, Season, etc. you are making $60 off of them instead of $15 or $20.

[Wiggy]

Maybe someone can answer me a question. I was playing this last with a few of my buddies and we couldn't find a way to mix Couch Play with Team Play. We could play Online Verses but could only get me and my couch buddy against my online friend. We couldn't all join up and play against another group of people online. When we tried Team Play we didn't have the option to invite my couch buddy to the game. Anyone know if this is possible?

Couch co-op only works with other local players. So you can play with friends locally against one other person online who also has local friends.

[peter21]

Re: NHL 16 Review (PS4/Xbox One)

OK then another reason why it won't happen. The NHL, in their licensing deal, with EA probably will not allow it. And that second idea is terrible, and doesn't make sense from EA's point of view. Why would you change an already successful business model to one that probably gets you less money in the long run. Because you can't go out charging $60 for BAGM, Season, HUT, etc. people won't buy it. That's why you tie in the whole thing for $60, 80, etc. and the people that are solely buying the game for BAGM, Season, etc. you are making $60 off of them instead of $15 or $20.

Hey, you're entitled to your opinion.

Conversely, you could make $20, $30, $40 off of people who might otherwise not have bought the game. Like I said, it was an idea off the top of my head. If you want to shell out $80 for a game that is just now becoming what it should have been last year at least, rock on.

"Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"

[THESHAMISASHAME]

OK then another reason why it won't happen. The NHL, in their licensing deal, with EA probably will not allow it. And that second idea is terrible, and doesn't make sense from EA's point of view. Why would you change an already successful business model to one that probably gets you less money in the long run. Because you can't go out charging $60 for BAGM, Season, HUT, etc. people won't buy it. That's why you tie in the whole thing for $60, 80, etc. and the people that are solely buying the game for BAGM, Season, etc. you are making $60 off of them instead of $15 or $20.

Very fair review though the score is a bit low IMO as I Love the game and agree with redsox4evur it wouldnt financially make sense just because a few people want it and theres only so much you can do with modes , so why waste resources on trying to fix what isnt broken .

But heres a few of my ramblings on NHL 16

This game is NHL Hockey for me and it also has the best broadcast and announcers of any sports game and it will just get better especially because of the authenticity of the NHL on NBC .

Now even though they didnt get in every players real face scan its seems they did a great job on matching lesser players pretty closely and it was probably done because of the addition of playoff beards but either way its nice not having a blue eyed Corey Crawford ect .

Penalties have once again been slightly tweaked but Im still getting 6 to 8 combined in 8 to 10 minute periods and all different types so no problem there if you stick to playing real hockey strategy .

Goalies are much improved even when the puck it misdirected the goalie then scrambles flawlessly to recover and hitting is also greatly improved as Kaner mostly bumps off skaters while Seabrook gets more solid hits just like in real hockey .

I also find getting the puck into the offensive zone is alot tougher this year and Im actually forced to dump and chase alot more which is nice .

The Screen navigation is smooth and sleek and I like that most teams have their Horns and goal celebrations song since we cant really do it anymore on the ps4 .

The new help screens and overlays on ice are done quite well and should help non hardcore fans learn the game quickly and I didnt say much on gameplay because I really like how its programmed with just the right amount of sim and player skill to give realistic results and you always feel like your actually playing the game and not just a helpless spectator of a sim result you had no part in.

I give this game a solid 9.0 for a great rebound year and the only cons are selfish wants like all players to have their real faces and goalies to get new mask designs after almost 8 years of the same ones .