NHL 15 Now Available for Free for EA Access Members, Exclusively on Xbox One

Written by Brandon Hofer on April 09, 2015

News: EA has just revealed that they have released yet another game into the vault bring the total up to 10 “free” games available for you to play.

NHL 15 is now available in the Vault for all EA Access members. In NHL 15, you’ll experience the hard hitting chaos and unpredictability of the sport as real-world physics are extended to all 12 players on the ice, as well as the puck itself. Look, move, play and think like a real hockey player with all new authentic player modelling and an evolved arsenal of tools, including the Superstar Skill Stick and Vision AI that allow for an unprecedented level of control and elevated player intelligence. Take in the emotion of every play as you immerse yourself in authentic arenas across the National Hockey League. You’ll play in front of a full house of fans created with 9,000 dynamic and individual crowd models, the most ever in a sports video game. Finally, witness the most realistic broadcast package to date, as NHL 15 overhauls the look of the game with the new NBC Sports Game Day Presentation featuring the commentary team of Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and Eddie Olczy. TSN analyst Ray Ferraro will also provide insights at ice level.

Some of the features for NHL 15 include:

12 Player NHL Collision Physics - For the first time, real-world physics affect every player through every on-ice collision with the new 12 Player NHL Collision Physics. Utilizing the power of the Xbox One and PS4, and building off the critically-acclaimed NHL Collision Physics system, every player on the ice is governed by physics at all times. Feel the hard-hitting chaos of NHL hockey through true-to-life secondary collisions, net scrambles and player pileups, capturing the desperation of every shift.

Authentic Player & Equipment Models - This has been rebuilt from the ice up. Now player models have three distinct layers - the body, equipment, and jersey. Each layer interacts independently, making every contact with the puck or other players even more realistic. Dynamic Cloth technology adds an extra layer of realism as it reacts to the player’s movement as they explode up the ice, helping bring the speed of the game to life.

Vision AI - An elevated level of player intelligence, Vision AI features evolved awareness with players reading and reacting to potential plays. Scoring area recognition, pass anticipation, and enhanced team breakouts all improve the flow of the game.

A New Commentary Team - New voices for a new generation. NHL 15welcomes the NBC Sports commentary team of Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick and Eddie Olczyk to the broadcast booth. TSN analyst Ray Ferraro will provide game insights at ice level. Leveraging the same Vision AI foundation that the players have, and just like a live broadcast, Doc, Eddie and Ray will anticipate plays and ramp up their intensity to match the action on the ice with more than 35,000 lines of brand-new commentary.

Real Life Broadcast Integration - When we say Doc and Eddie are in the game, we mean really in the game. Taking commentary integration to the next level, NHL 15 will feature real world pre-game video commentary with Doc and Eddie. Set against NHL 15 in-game visuals, the result is a revolutionary step forward in sports videogames, where the lines between the real world of sport broadcast and the game are blurred.

Those and many other features are a part of NHL 15. If you aren’t already an EA Access member you can join for $30 a year and have unlimited access to 10 “free” games with NHL 15, Madden NFL 15, NBA Live 15, EA Sports UFC, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, Need for Speed Rivals, Battlefield 4, Peggle 2, FIFA 14 and Madden NFL 25. EA has stated that once games go into the vault they will always be in there except for special circumstances such as if they lose the UFC license, as an example. You also get 10% off when you buy the digital version of an EA game on Xbox Live as well as 10% off any DLC. Additionally, you get five days early access on every new game to see whether it is a game you would like to purchase or not. The question is, if you aren’t an EA Access member, what are you waiting for?