NHL 26 will be bringing a suite of changes to the series' numerous live service elements. This includes a number of updates to NHL 26's Hut Seasons, as well as other aspects of the title's continuous online features.
EA Sports' NHL 26 will soon be upon fans, with a release date primed for later this month. Throughout the lead-up to the title's imminent release, EA has revealed more and more tidbits about what's different with this latest entry. Previously, details on Be A Pro mode and the ICE-Q 2.0 system were unveiled, and now the live service elements of the game are taking center stage. HUT seasons have seen some big facelifts, alongside the new features poised for World of Chel; furthermore, a number of other general improvements have also been revealed.
Madden NFL 26 Reveals August 28 Update Patch Notes
EA Sports unveils the patch notes for Madden NFL 26's late August Title Update, which includes some changes and features for players to peruse.
NHL 26 HUT Seasons And Live Service Changes Explained
New HUT Season Features
HUT (Hockey Ultimate Team) has featured throughout the list of NHL games, being a team-building mode that takes up much of the series' live-service real estate. In the case of NHL 26, fans will have a lot to look forward to; for starters, HUT seasons will feature all-new team-building mechanics. Each season will have specific rules, rotating captain themes, and line combination recipes. All of these features will add a greater deal of strategy, expanding the number of important variables beyond the pursuit of higher OVR numbers.
Moreover, the tally of NHL 26 new features expands further with HUT Cup Chase, an offline version of HUT gameplay designed to bring newcomers into the fold more easily. Experienced players will also be catered to, with HUT seasons themselves also featuring new competitive modes (in addition to improved UI). NHL 26 will also introduce Hero and Icon cards, which will bring a new way to play with and against the best of the best. Hero players are those that have had the most influence on the sport's history, creating a lasting legacy for an entire city. Icon cards celebrate the best to ever hit the ice, with these cards representing some of the sport's most skilled players.
World of Chel Changes
The big out-the-gate change to NHL 26's World of Chel is the twist on the Battle Pass. Now called the Season Pass, the pass will include a greater variety of rewards, as well as a greater level of accessibility. Players will be able to reach the end of the pass more easily, with only 45 levels to traverse. New objective groups, which can be completed by players regardless of position, will also be introduced to help players finish the pass.
Moreover, NHL 26's X-Factor changes have carried over into World of Chel. X-Factors will be brought into World of Chel, and they'll be arriving with all of their NHL 26 updates. Just as with the previously unveiled X-Factor changes, the X-Factors in World of Chel will also be improving customization dramatically, continuing the game's design goal of avoiding a singular meta (which extends to the rebalancing of ability point costs).
General Updates In NHL 26
A slate of more general changes have also just been announced for the game. For starters, a new playable arena, in the form of the Utah Mammoth's Delta Center, will be made available. In addition, NHL 26 will also be innovating with dynamic, cinematic lighting in replays (based off of realistic on-ice photography), as well as more realistic net mesh physics. Realism will be further enhanced by the inclusion of neck guards on players, improved UI in HUT seasons, and slight tweaks to the name bars on the back of player uniforms.
- Released
- September 12, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Mild Violence, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- EA Vancouver
- Publisher(s)
- EA
- Engine
- Frostbite
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Sports
