With the NFL finally kicking off this week it was just a matter of time until NHL training camps open and this year's crop of NHL games hit the stores. First out of the game (well, in my inbox) is NHL 07. This big feature for this year is the skill stick which allows players to use the right thumbstick like you would a hockey stick. It's a pretty slick system that will take a lot of getting used to for people who have been playing the game for the last decade.
THE PUCK DROPS HERE! EA’s NHL 07 SHIPS TO RETAILERS TODAY
15th iteration of the franchise shoots to capture the spirit of hockey with gameplay innovation and authenticity to the sport
Redwood City, Calif. – Tuesday, September 12, 2006 – The golden age of console hockey returns! Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced that the NHL® 07 videogame ships to retailers in North America today under the EA SPORTS™ brand. In stores just in time for the opening of NHL training camps, NHL 07 allows players to feel like they can play like a pro without ever touching the ice.
Featuring an unmatched level of freedom and control, NHL 07 represents a watershed moment in the history of the console hockey. The revolutionary EA SPORTS Skill Stick gives users the power to play in the game as it is on the ice, without taking their thumbs off the analog sticks. The left analog functions as your skates and the right as your hockey stick to give you a skill-based execution with an intuitive feel.
Stunning new presentation, AI enhancements and animation overhauls create players who look, act and play like they would in the NHL. Gone are the days when a one-timer was the only way to score in a hockey videogame. Now look to your teammates and know how to best use their strengths with New Player-Specific Behaviors. Be the Playmaker and find your Sniper open in the slot, or let your Dangler make pylons out of the defense.
Off the ice, act as the General Manager in an enhanced Dynasty Mode™. Do whatever it takes to meet an owner’s expectations by properly managing rosters and using your creativity to fit player salaries under the new cap. Whether you’re running the front office or dominating the rink, NHL 07 is the most realistic hockey video game ever created.
The EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise is the #1 selling hockey game* and is now entering its 16th year of licensing relationships with the NHL and the NHLPA. NHL 07 is being developed under the EA SPORTS™ brand by talented teams located in two of Canada’s frenzied hockey hotbeds: EA Montreal and EA Canada in Vancouver, B.C. The game will be available for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (Playstation®Portable) System, Xbox® video game system from Microsoft and PC. The only place to play NHL 07 on a next generation console is the Xbox 360™ video game system from Microsoft. NHL 07 will ship to retailers in Europe on September 15, 2006 on all platforms, with the exception of the PSP System, which ships on October 13, 2006. For more information, log onto www.nhl07.com. Media can find screenshots, videos and fact sheets from the game at http://info.ea.com.
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About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG, Dynasty Mode and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. NHL is a registered trademark and the NHL Shield is a trademark of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. (c) NHL 2006. All Rights Reserved. Officially Licensed Product of the National Hockey League. National Hockey League Players' Association, NHLPA and the NHLPA logo are trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license by Electronic Arts Inc. © NHLPA. Officially licensed product of the NHLPA. PlayStation and PSP are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox and Xbox 360 are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. *Based on total franchise sales in 2005 according to the NPD.
