With the September 12 release date for EA Sports NHL 26 being just around the corner, the company has now revealed new details about how the Hockey Ultimate Team mode will work in this year’s instalment, and what kind of new features we can expect from the game. Along with this, there is also a new trailer for the upcoming hockey title, which you can check out below.
The first thing players will notice in EA Sports NHL 26 is the brand new main menu for the game. The redesigned menu focuses on reducing clutter and speeding up overall interactions that players will have with the title. Overall, the redesigned main menu is set to let players get into matches more quickly with faster load times, and keeping features that players want closer to the surface.
EA Sports NHL 26 is also getting a new game mode for players who prefer offline matches in the form of the Cup Chase. The new mode is an 18-game session with playoffs at the end, as well as best-of-three rounds. The game mode has been described as a “connected season format” with player progress and performance being important. Cup Chases have their own reward tracks that are separate from the XP Path. Cup Chase progress also, however, feeds into the overall XP Path.
For online players, HUT now has a proper competitive system, complete with ladders and Ranked game modes. Ranked will feature divisions, with the matchmaking floors ensuring that players never feel like they’re losing progress even if they lose a few games. Once a player reaches a certain division, they can’t be demoted below it. Reaching the higher-ranked Qualification Division also unlocks the most competitive stage in the game mode – HUT Champs. This is the division where the best players compete against each other, with winners then moving on to the Ultimate Ranks, which has season-specific jerseys as rewards. The ladder also resets with every seasonal cycle.
Team building in HUT is also getting more improvements in an effort to prevent the mode from just turning into a collection game where only the highest overall cards matter. HUT in EA Sports NHL 26 will feature a salary cap system, as well as player combinations to provide more depth to the team building. Player combinations are essentially ways for teams to get bonuses depending on the players in the roster, with requirements ranging from item type to nationalities, to even team links. Bonuses from this can affect Ability Points, Salary Cap space, and even overall ratings.
The system, along with the salary cap, feeds into the new seasonal programs that will be coming to HUT. Each season will bring with it four core programs: Captains, Heroes, Icons, and Rookies. Each program, in turn, will feature multiple drops throughout the year, and Alumni items are being reworked into being their own distinct card type.
HUT will be kicking off its first season early, before the game’s launch, with a season titled Fresh Ice. The season will include objectives, Moments and rewards. Those who buy the Deluxe Edition of EA Sports NHL 26 will also get their hands on a Fresh Ice player. Paired with this, the game is also bringing with it a new live content program dubbed Chel Weeks. Each one of these Chel Weeks will feature daily content drops spread out over five days, and the first of these will feature the Cult Superstars theme that spotlights fan-favourite hockey players.
EA Sports NHL 26 is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. For more details, check out some of the new systems powering the upcoming hockey title.
