Now powered by the Frostbite engine, every real-world player and arena will have unrivaled visual detail, while the addition of Superstar X-Factors will elevate the league’s biggest stars with an all-new layer of class-based play. Toronto Maple Leafs superstar center Auston Matthews, whose world class skills personify what it means to be an X-Factor on the ice, returns to the EA Sports NHL cover in NHL 22 after an incredible 2020-21 season that included winning the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy for most goals in the regular season.

For the first time ever, the Frostbite engine comes to the EA Sports NHL franchise, making NHL 22 the biggest leap forward in graphics and game play in franchise history. Players will be brought to life via overhauled player likeness, cloth animations and uniform micro-details, all delivered in higher resolution to make every stitch visible. Alongside these advancements will come enhanced spatial awareness for players to track and react to the world around them. In addition to enhanced player detail and visual fidelity, on-ice gameplay will see an upgrade as well with new physically accurate stick interactions, just one of many gameplay improvements coming to NHL 22.

Superstars will distinctly feel like their real-life counterparts in NHL 22 with the introduction of Superstar X-Factors, a game-changing system that unleashes unique abilities for the best players in the game, with traits inspired by their individual real-world skills. Superstar X-Factors bring two key elements to help elevate hockey’s elite and break them away from the pack: Zone Abilities and Superstar Abilities. Zone Abilities bring game-breaking enhancements to the best players, while Superstar Abilities represent upper echelon skills reserved for athletes playing at the next level. Players like Edmonton Oilers Forward Leon Draisaitl, whose “Tape to Tape” ability reflects his elite core passing; or Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy’s “Contortionist” X-factor that boosts his ability to make wild, body-twisting saves with ease will make a profound impact on NHL 22 gameplay. Superstar X-Factors not only bring new facets to gameplay but also add new dimensions to Franchise Mode, Be A Pro, Hockey Ultimate Team and World of Chel.

EA Sports has released new information on how Superstar X-Factors work across all of NHL 22’s different modes, bringing more ways than ever to skyrocket the NHL’s best players to superstardom when the game launches.

Every mode in NHL 22 has been updated, reimagined, or refined, from World of Chel to Be A Pro to Franchise mode to Ultimate Team.

Superstar X-Factors in Modes: 

• Hockey Ultimate Team: Power-up items that start players off with one X-Factor ability and let them unlock abilities as they progress
• World of CHEL: Play in any World of Chel Mode to unlock X-Factor Abilities to assign to your customized player
• Be a Pro: Earn and equip X-Factor abilities to shape players and advance their pro career
• Franchise Mode: New X-Factor reports allow scouting of both pro and amateur X-Factors. X-Factors contribute to line chemistry, influence trade values of players and are integrated with Fog of War.

New Mode Features:

• Hockey Ultimate Team: Introducing customizable synergies—unlock and choose synergies for upgradeable players to maximize the ultimate team’s performance. 
• World of CHEL: 
  • Customize Player Classes: More tools to fine tune your playing style by being able to adjust attribute points as well as topping it off with powerful X-Factor Abilities
  • Revamped World of CHEL Hub: Access game modes, player customization, clubs, rewards, challenges and stats more quickly than ever in a completely new hub.
  • New Party Flow: Invite friends and hang out anywhere in the World of CHEL Hub. Migrate from one game mode to another without having to party up again. 
  • EASHL Club Arenas: If a player’s EASHL Club has a custom arena, it’ll be your home base in the World of CHEL Hub.
• Be a Pro: New multi-season storylines and challenges offer longer term goals like building a dynasty early in a player’s career like Sidney Crosby, or winning consecutive Cups on different teams like Patrick Maroon. 
• Franchise Mode: Celebrating the arrival of the Seattle Kraken, players can now have an expansion draft for the 33rd NHL team. 

In addition, tune into the NHL 22 In-Depth content series on October 4th and 6th where we will dive deeper into Be a Pro, Franchise Mode and Hockey Ultimate Team.

Hockey encompasses a diverse community of passionate players, all united by their love of the sport, and NHL 22 is embracing this culture through a number of new features across modes, as well as its rich live service plan beyond launch. In the coming weeks more will be shared on the World of CHEL, Hockey Ultimate Team, Be A Pro and Franchise modes, as well as some long-requested community features.

Fans that pre-order NHL 22 will get a variety of bonus in-game content. The EA Sports NHL 22 X-Factor Edition includes the PS4 and PS5 or Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game, three days of early access, up to 10 HUT Diamond Player Choice Packs, one HUT X-Factor Player Choice Pack, HUT X-Factor Power-Up Starter Pack, up to four HUT X-Factor Power-Up Packs, five World of Chel X-Factor Zone Ability Unlocks, five Unlocked Hockey Bags, two Be A Pro X-Factor Slot Unlocks and XP Boost and Bonus Trait Points.

NHL 22 is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on October 15, 2021.