NHL 25 Release Date Leaked (Update)
This year's hockey game will be available on October 4th.
Update: EA has confirmed that NHL 25 will be released on October 4th. The deluxe edition of this year's game will feature three cover athletes instead of one: Quinn, Jack, and Luke Hughes. This will mark the first time that siblings have ever appeared on the cover of an NHL game. EA has also confirmed that NHL 25 will be skipping PS4 and Xbox One. Original story follows below.
Electronic Arts has yet to reveal any details about the next entry in its long-running NHL series, but a possible release date may have leaked online. According to leaker billbil-kun, NHL 25 will be dropping October 4th on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Mid-August is usually when EA starts to roll out information about the next game in the series; last year saw the cover athlete and first details for NHL 24 announced on August 14th, so we can likely expect some kind of similar announcement for NHL 25 within the next week or so.
That date would be pretty appropriate, as it also happens to be the start date for the 2024-25 NHL season. On October 4th, the Buffalo Sabres will take on the New Jersey Devils in Prague, Czech Republic. For those passingly familiar with the NHL, it might seem unusual that these two American teams are playing in Europe, but this is the start of the NHL Global Series 2024, which will see the Sabres and Devils play two games in Prague, while the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars will have two games in Finland the following month.
It's interesting that billbil-kun only mentioned PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of NHL 25, as the series has continued to see games released on PS4 and Xbox One. It's possible EA is finally abandoning those older consoles, but we could still see them announced when an official reveal happens. EA should make some announcements about the new game soon, including who this year's cover athlete will be. Last season saw Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar make the cover. That announcement came following a short hype cycle, where several NHL superstars appeared on video sharing their picks for the cover athlete.
As with any leak, readers are encouraged to take this one with a salt. That said, billbil-kun has proven to be a very reliable source for video game leaks, and the timing would line up with everything we've seen from the series over the years. Hopefully EA won't keep us in suspense much longer!
Are you planning to buy NHL 25 this year? Do you think that this is the year EA abandons releasing the game on PS4 and Xbox One? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
