Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

[RaychelSnr]

There are a variety of rumors and a distinct lack of news when it comes to the popular EASHL mode and its status in the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 version of NHL 15. Today, Best Buy Canada added a lot of smoke to the no EASHL in XB1/PS4 NHL 15 fire by posting gameplay specs which tend to indicate the game will only support two-player online play. In comparison, the Xbox 360 version's product page shows 2-12 players are supported online, which fits with EASHL's requirements.

Up to this point, there has been no indication EASHL is in this year's game on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, with a feature list from the American Best Buy website completely omitting EASHL as well. It stands to reason that EASHL might have been a difficult feature to program on newer generation consoles and the NHL team simply ran out of time. However, given the relative popularity of the mode, the possible absence of EASHL is something which will not go unnoticed by the NHL community.

Now granted, this is NOT confirmation from EA that EASHL is not in the game -- and it is entirely possible it is a mistake, so let's not all panic just yet. With a month to go until release, there are obviously many features we haven't heard about, so it's premature to lift this above idle speculation -- but there are some dots beginning to connect on this story. We have reached out to EA for comment on this and we will certainly update this post if/when that comes back to us.

H/T to @grayisthecolor on Twitter for alerting us to the Best Buy page and sending us down this rabbit hole this evening.

Update (Tuesday 1:30pm CST): A user on Reddit is claiming that there will be no EASHL or GM Connected in the game on X1/PS4 and that confirmation will come within a week or two. Of course, this is an unverified user on Reddit, so let's not get too panicky on this one. What the post does do is it continues to add smoke to the fire. We still haven't received any word from EA on the matter, despite putting in a request for comment, which could mean anything. NHL will be shown at GamesCom, so it's likely we'll probably find out the truth one way or another within a day or two.

UPDATE #2: (Wednesday, 11:50am EST) EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL) is clearly indicated on 360/PS3 (via Amazon, Best Buy) but NOTHING for Xbox One/PS4.

Would no EASHL change your buying decision of NHL 15?

[snc237]

I will still buy it however that has been my friends and I go to game mode. It will be a huge let down if they don't have it. Every other EA game had all game mode and features in last years games aka Madden and FIFA. They better not strip this out.

[acidraindrops08]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

If this is true I'll definitely be sticking with the 360 version. This would really be a slap in the face to the eashl community. Considering their probably the most die hard fans of the game. I know that a few of the leagues have already decided to go with the xb1 version for next year. This would be a huge blow.

[sweatyteddytaco]

If that's the case then looks like I'm saving my $60

[spidertour02]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

Eh, this wouldn't affect me one way or the other. I can see why this is a big deal for some people, but I never bothered with the mode myself.

[The Visualizer]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

There was a post on OS a couple months ago from one of the guys that got to go play an early build that EASHL was in.

With a 2 year dev cycle on PS4/XBO leaving EASHL out is unacceptable.

[Trevelyan]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

I can't imagine they would leave EASHL out. That would be a mind blowing mistake. I'd stick with the 360 version if that was the case.

[xChAsEx]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

If this isn't in the game, they have lost 4 sales from me and my friends. This is the only mode we play.

[Zer0 C00lness]

No EASHL-No purchase. It is that easy. How could they leave that out? They had an additional year to work on this.

[bigwill33]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

This is what happens, EA! This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps! Wait, wrong tangent.

Seriously though, this is the sort of stuff that comes out when you fail to release information on an soon-to-be released title. We must start to look for other signs to get our info. And you know what? If this info is incorrect or not it may just spread like rumors on the internet tend to do and when that happens you lose sales.

There will be people out there that never hear about the features in the game from EA because they have announced hardly anything at all and it is less than one month from release. Those people will go off of what rumors they have heard. We see it all the time at a site like OS where the masses are generally more informed than the casual gamer. Imagine what the outsider that just Googles for info a few weeks before the release is seeing and hearing.

Bottom line; your marketing campaign, or lack there of, is costing you big time! If your game play is rehashed and broken in the many areas it has been in the years prior it may be the nail in your coffin for your current development staff, EA. At this point that may be a good thing for the consumers. But it is just a damn shame what a downward spiral this series has seen over the past 5 years.



And personally, my favorite reaction thus far is from my club's center: "I already hate the game why would I want to hate it alone?"

[TDYRX]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

And personally, my favorite reaction thus far is from my club's center: "I already hate the game why would I want to hate it alone?"

Quoted for truth. My friends and I agree, we have never loved and hated a game at the same time as much as we do NHL games lol. And to be honest, that love/hate comes from playing together in the EASHL. Its the reason we all got into the series to begin with (back in 09 or 10 I think). But yeah, this would be a huge exclusion and sadly would turn NHL 15 into a definite no buy for me.

[DirtyJerz32]

Wow! I havemt purchased NHL in a few years and my friends and I were all in with X1. This may hurt the decisions.

[Wizeguy]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

What does EASHL stand for and what is it exactly?

[xChAsEx]

Re: Is EASHL in XB1/PS4 Versions of NHL 15?

What does EASHL stand for and what is it exactly?

EA Sports Hockey League. You create your own player and team to play with up to 5 other friends vs another created team. It has leaderboards, stats for your player and playoffs at the end of each month. This is the only reason many of us buy the game.

[Retropyro]

This stuff is entered in by a person at desk who enters basic product description into hundreds of products everyday. They always leave things out. Until it comes from the developer, it's baseless speculation.