Sports games are always cycling in features. Being annualized titles on shorter development cycles, teams are pushed to adopt modes and push out new ones. NHL 27, the recently revealed entry in Electronic Arts’ long-running hockey game series, is also doing just that with it a feature the franchise hasn’t seen in over a decade: Connected Franchise.
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Connected Franchise will allow players to create leagues with others and compete in a complete season against up to 32 other teams full of other humans. EA didn’t give too many details about said mode, but it will have “flexible settings” and schedules, as well as commissioner tools and the ability to manage rosters.
NHL 27 Will See the Return of Connected Franchise
Even though it had a different name — GM Connected — Connected Franchise didn’t make the full jump to NHL 15, which was the first entry on the then-new PS4 and Xbox One, from the previous year. When stating a reason for its removal, EA said it was one of the game’s “lowest played modes.” GM Connected was technically in NHL 15, though, but only on PS3 and Xbox 360. Regardless, it was widely viewed as a disappointing entry. NHL 15 earned an average review score of 60 from critics, 21 points lower than its predecessor. Missing modes like this were just one reason why that title was not nearly as beloved.
While many have celebrated the return of the mode, others are not as enthused because of its limitations. Players cannot play against or trade with the CPU, meaning everything has to be done against real humans and therefore is not geared for smaller leagues. It’s also limited to one season, which eliminates the long-term planning that comes with managing a sports team. It seems like Connected Franchise might launch in a state that takes multiple years of iteration to meet fan expectations (if it does at all). The above trailer even notes players can sign up for playtests to “shape the future of the mode,” implying how disgruntled die-hards may be able to sway the team.
Despite missing from the games for some time, EA has spoken about Connected Franchise somewhat recently. In a community update video from May 2023, creative director Mike Inglehart talked about how players wanted to see GM Connected once again, but noted how it was difficult to get it into the game in just a year and talked about how the studio was putting features in a multi-year development cycle. The timing of that video gave some the idea that Connected Franchise would be part of that year’s game, NHL 25, but it was not.
This feature was just one part of the NHL 27 reveal. While its cover star — San Jose Sharks star Macklin Celebrini, the youngest to grace an NHL cover at only 20 years old — was revealed a few days earlier, EA unveiled other details, like its “refreshed broadcast package with new graphics, updated camera work, and sharper on-screen storytelling,” playbooks that more accurately reflect a team’s style, new commentary from John Buccigross and former Chicago Blackhawks goalie Darren Pang, and its September 11th release date for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
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