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The Rising Cost of Athlete Licensing in Sports Video Games
Sports video games have always depended on authenticity. Fans want to control their favorite teams, recognize familiar players and recreate the moments that make real competitions memorable. For years, developers focused much of their attention on graphics, gameplay physics and presentation. Today, however, another factor is becoming increasingly important: the cost of securing the rights…
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Accessibility in Sports Video Games Is Becoming Part of Better Game Design
Sports video games have traditionally been designed around a familiar assumption: players can see the action clearly, distinguish competing teams, hear important cues and perform the required combinations of controller inputs. For many people, these interactions feel natural, but they can create unnecessary barriers for players with visual, auditory, motor or cognitive disabilities. As modern…
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Sports Games No Longer Stop Changing at Launch — NHL 27 Shows Why
Buying a sports game used to mean learning the rules of a finished system. A pass that worked in September would probably behave the same way in January, an aggressive defensive strategy could remain effective for months, and the quirks discovered during the first week often became part of the game for the rest of…
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AI Commentary in Sports Games: How NHL 27 Is Testing a New Kind of Broadcast
Sports games have become remarkably good at recreating what a match looks like, yet reproducing what it sounds like remains much harder. Arenas can be scanned in detail, player faces can be updated and real-world data can influence how teams behave, but commentary eventually runs into a familiar problem. Play enough matches and the same…
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NHL 27 Connected Franchise Brings Shared Hockey Leagues Back
Playing against a friend in a hockey video game usually means choosing two teams, finishing a match and starting again. The result matters for a few minutes, but there is rarely much connecting one evening’s competition to the next. NHL 27 approaches multiplayer differently with Connected Franchise, a mode built around running an entire hockey…
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How Real NHL Data Is Changing the Way Hockey Games Play
Sports games have spent decades trying to make virtual athletes look like their real-world counterparts. Developers scan faces, recreate arenas, record commentary and reproduce everything from uniforms to goal celebrations. In 2026, however, hockey games are moving into a less visible area of authenticity: making teams behave like the teams they represent. EA Sports has…
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Why Timeouts Matter in Mobile Hockey Games
A timeout lasts only a short time in hockey, but the decision to use one can affect everything that happens during the final minutes of a close game. A team that has just conceded twice may need to settle down, while a coach preparing for one last offensive push can use the break to rest…
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Why Dump-and-Chase Matters in Mobile Hockey Games
Carrying the puck across the blue line is not always the safest way to enter the attacking zone. When defenders are positioned well and there is little open ice ahead, a hockey team can send the puck deep into the zone and immediately chase it instead. The move may look like giving up possession, but…
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Why One-Timers Matter in Mobile Hockey Games
Some hockey shots begin with several touches. A player receives the puck, settles it, adjusts position and then releases the shot. A one-timer removes most of that preparation. The puck arrives from a teammate and is struck almost immediately, turning the pass and shot into one continuous attacking move. That makes one-timers particularly interesting in…
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Why Breakaways Matter in Mobile Hockey Games
Most hockey attacks develop through several players. A team moves through the neutral zone, finds a passing lane and tries to create enough space for a shot. A breakaway removes almost all of that structure. For a few seconds, the game becomes a direct contest between one attacking player and the goalkeeper. That simplicity is…
