NHL 17 News Post

NHL 17 Beta Available Now, Post Your Impressions Here!

05:09 PM - July 27, 2016 by RaychelSnr

EA Sports today announced the arrival of the NHL 17 Beta, available now to NHL Insiders. So basically if you get the NHL Newsletter and if you signed up for the beta by July 7th, you can get it today -- a full 24 hours earlier than expected.

The Beta will be available to everyone else starting tomorrow and will last through August 4 and features several modes for you to get a kickstart on your upcoming season:

Hockey Ultimate Team: Build. Collect. Compete. The most played mode in EA SPORTS NHL gets even better! Introducing HUT Synergy, an all-new �Team Building� system designed to challenge the way you build and play as your Ultimate Team. Pair player strengths together to create synergy in your roster and grant perks across your lineups. The all-new HUT Dynamic Sets mechanic takes collecting to a new level that replicates the biggest real-world hockey moments. Collect sets to unlock rewards, including new thematic sets, to constantly build and improve your team. With Dynamic HUT Sets, if it happens hockey, it happens in NHL 17.
EA Sports Hockey League: Take your EA SPORTS Hockey League team to the next level and build your brand by completing games, and leveling up your player and team to unlock customization items. Give your uniform a unique look or use the all-new Arena Creator to build the home ice you�ve always wanted.
Online Versus: Play NHL 17 online in a one vs. one environment. Own Every Zone with more end-to-end control with authentic goalies featuring positional awareness and Reactionary Save Intelligence, all-new Net Battles for offensive and defensive zone play, and dozens of thrilling new goal celebrations.

EA Sports is seeking feedback and opinions from the community about your playtime with the Beta. Be sure to leave impressions and thoughts on what you are playing in the comments below!

Game: NHL 17Reader Score: 8/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS4 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 5 - View All

NHL 17 Videos

Member Comments

# 181 speedtrucker @ 07/30/16 04:20 PM

Stop with the code stuff on this thread. Go to the beta code thread and do it there... Keep the posts to beta impressions!

# 182 tinpanalley @ 07/30/16 05:09 PM

I've gotta say... I've been playing NHL since NHLPA on the Genesis. I am not trying by any means to show off anything about my playing of the series (I can't even imagine what that would be showing off about anyway) but I can think of maybe two other times at most that NHL has changed so little within a console generation. Of course, for the past three years, I don't expect the PS3, 360 versions to change anymore. But we're now into the years when this current generation should be starting to show its reason for existing. Developers should be more comfortable with the dev tools and graphics tools. This should be when we start to see EA doing innovative or at least graphically forward things with one of the longest running sports series in gaming.

To answer the purpose for this thread: I've been playing the beta for a few days now and if you hadn't told me it was 17, blindfolded me until I was into gameplay, I'd have thought you tweaked sliders but I'd never have guessed this was NHL17. Clearly, changes will happen in game options only because at this point, there is no way they'll actually be adding any programming and development to the actual gameplay mechanics. They'll release this exact same game (I've seen it many times before), there will be loads of people saying "How can X problem from the beta still be in there?? What's the point of releasing a beta then??", and then the things people complain most about online will be fixed (sort of) with patches in January. And the same number of people will say they're not buying, and the same number will buy, and the same number will say they're not and then buy it in January when the patches start coming out and EA will look at total sales and not care that for 6 months of every year, people talk about how wrong their dev cycle is.

IN--MY--OPINION... this beta is 99% equal to the last game. Play it if you like it, don't play it if you don't. EA owes you nothing. Don't wanna get "scammed"? Don't buy the game. Games are never just roster updates ...ok, MLB 2K12 was. But personally, I WANT rookie portraits that weren't in the game last year. I want the new Leafs logo and uniform. I want the actual schedule. I'm buying it no matter what. But what helps me is accepting what the game is and not expecting more than it can be.
Hope that all helps someone.

# 183 thedudedominick @ 07/30/16 05:46 PM

AI Goalies are horrible in EASHL. They give up so many short side goals on a simple deke making them jump to the middle then giving up an easy goal when the player never had a chance to get the puck to the far side.

All it seems to take to beat the AI goalie or D is hustle past and shoot around them.

# 184 raiderphantom @ 07/30/16 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moose Factory


	Already saw three huge deal breakers for me: 1. Can't adjust play time of offline HUT seasons, it's set to 5 minute periods. With delays, goals celebrations, replays, it's like 25 minutes all together. Who has that kind of time for one match? I'm married with kids. 2. Not many new face scans. How many years has Thomas Hertl been playing? Come on. Joel Ward? It's annoying to try to play a season with your favorite team when half of them have generic faces. How many more years before we can actually get a close to full league representation of these players? 3. No GameFace in create a pro, just 200+ generic faces that all look terrible. Come on! Even NBA Live had a face scan app! That worked! But HEY those mascots look great, and I'm glad we can change the color of the seat cushions in the stadiums, thanks... NO BUY this year : (

Tbh If you can't spend 25 minutes for a game you shouldn't be playing video games. That's a pretty low amount of time, especially for a sports game...

# 185 Rubio809 @ 07/30/16 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raiderphantom


	Tbh If you can't spend 25 minutes for a game you shouldn't be playing video games. That's a pretty low amount of time, especially for a sports game...

I was thinking the same. 25 min is extremely fast for a sports game. How in the world does he handle playing Madden, NBA 2K or the Show? He'd go crazy.

# 186 Rhudey @ 07/30/16 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raiderphantom


	Tbh If you can't spend 25 minutes for a game you shouldn't be playing video games. That's a pretty low amount of time, especially for a sports game...

I think he meant 25 minutes to play the 5 minute period.

# 187 raiderphantom @ 07/30/16 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhudey


	I think he meant 25 minutes to play the 5 minute period.

If that's the case then my apologies. I misunderstood

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 188 Gangrel @ 07/31/16 07:21 AM

Anyone that says this is the same as 16 is on crack. D is 1000% better to play. Checking is too.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

# 189 ddt4428 @ 07/31/16 08:51 AM

I'm impressed that they added in the echl to the game... Finally. Should be a bit easier to manage rosters between that and the ahl, instead of players disappearing and re-appearing in various roster updates. Unfortunately; for lack of roster sharing, have complete rosters is going to be a tall task.

# 190 Gosens6 @ 07/31/16 09:25 AM

Played a full game of the beta. So far, to me, This is the exact same game as NHL 16. From my perspective, I literally notice NOTHING different. Definitely saved myself a purchase this year.

I mean I literally can't tell the difference between the two games. Not just graphics wise, but the gameplay literally feels exactly the same for me. What a waste. This series really seemed like it was on it's way to greatness about a decade ago.

# 191 Ruffy @ 07/31/16 09:38 AM

I find these threads hilarious every year when it comes to NHL.

The beta is pretty damn good.....best NHL game I have ever played and I have played them all.

It will be interesting at game release when people can access all the sliders the devs have access to as it seems guys on here need to tweak everything in order to get the game to play how they want.

I am enjoying the new look menus and style. The new HUT cards and animations and early use of collections is a great addition. I will likely play HUT exclusively especially for online play where the competition and game shines IMO.

They even have a screen at the end of games where you can check your connection.....now we can finally see who was lagging as if it was you the chart will show it. This little diagnostic should be in every online game..great idea.

Need to play a ton more online HUT but so far I am enjoying the gameplay and haven't really noticed money goals other than on breakaways....which I am fine with.

I fell hitting is really well done. Feels about right...and you get punished if you miss and punished if you are on the end of a huge hit.

Great beta showing off a lot of new stuff......instant purchase for me.

# 192 tinpanalley @ 07/31/16 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gangrel


	Anyone that says this is the same as 16 is on crack. D is 1000% better to play. Checking is too. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Wow... I'm on crack! So that's what crack feels like. Thanks for the heads up!

# 193 Gosens6 @ 07/31/16 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinpanalley


	Wow... I'm on crack! So that's what crack feels like. Thanks for the heads up!

Who knew that having an opinion that's different than his makes us drug addicts? We clearly need help!

# 194 Gangrel @ 07/31/16 10:55 AM

You honestly say you can't tell ANY difference between 17 and 16�?

Then yes, you must be on some thing. Or never played D. Or never made a body check last year. Or haven't noticed the slower game speed. Or the improved goalies.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

# 195 shogunofharlem3 @ 07/31/16 11:05 AM

Just played a single player hut match. I am mostly a Be a GM guy but I figured this would be my best check of the AI and single player game play.

I find it smoother than 16 and the goalies definitely move better. Also easier to face my guy to the puck. So lots of good so far.

That being said. Here is my list of items that bothered me that has bothered me from previous builds.

1. Still very hard to change guys and get the guy you want. It seemed better but still a challenge. Still hoping for Icon Switching

2. AI can still catch slap shots that are clearning the zone where as the human players don't even try to reach for them.

3. AI is still able to skate differently, if you watch when a human poke checks, they can move themselves away from it at the exact millisecond by a sort of a turn and then get them self facing back to going full speed.

4. AI still seems to be able to pass without having to charge up the pass speed.

5. Although better than 16, the AI still poke checks or shot blocks the exact moment you press up to shoot. They'll follow you, then shoot, poke, and they never miss.

That is my short list. I do feel the gameplay is better than 16. Even if just a little. Not once did the AI get stuck at center ice doing that east west unable to enter the zone like they do in 16. That helped the flow of the game.

AI still sets up the same always looking for that one timer or shot from the slot. So defending was the same at 16. I do like the goalies animations though.

Very solid beta. Looking forward to seeing what the final build brings.

# 196 Gosens6 @ 07/31/16 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gangrel


	You honestly say you can't tell ANY difference between 17 and 16…? Then yes, you must be on some thing. Or never played D. Or never made a body check last year. Or haven't noticed the slower game speed. Or the improved goalies. Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I'm seeing the SAME, cheap BS goals this year that Iv'e seen the past few years.

I can play D just fine, My AI teammates still can't.

Board play is still a complete joke.

Passing, still tape to tape.

I can go on and on and on and on. I honestly can barely see the minimal improvements. The game is near identical to 16 for me. I see absolutely no reason to upgrade.

# 197 Gerg04 @ 07/31/16 11:53 AM

There's a lot to like here. At first look , especially EASHL, the game can seem like the same old same old with little to no change. But after a few games of Online VS, you can really see some significant changes.

- Player Speed / Control -

Speed is toned way down. Much slower skating, slower player movement. Definitely for the better. Along with speed is you have nore control over your player. He actually responds to thumbstick input like you expect. And to me, its the little movements that are most notable, and welcomed!

Passing also seems to be more unpredictable. You really need to be accurate with your passes or they're getting picked off or just miss your target. Positioning and poke check seems to be more accurate too. If you're not in position the magnetic puck doesn't seem as prevalent. No more skating towards your net being just in front of your opponent who has the puck and getting the magic behind-the-back poke check, happy days.

- Crowd / Atmosphere -

Sure there's still work to be done, and maybe the release build will be even better, but I'm pleasantly surprised with the crowd this year. Both how it looks and how it sounds. We finally get some Boo's from the home crowd when you make a big hit on the home players. We finally get the "Ooo's" and "Ahh's" of shots on net.

For the first time (even though its not perfect) I actually feel like I'm at the rink watching a game. I play with commentary off so this is huge, ice and crowd sounds. We'll see if get even more/better crowd reactions based on momentum and specific game/season/playoffs scenarios.

- Offensive Zone / Blue Line Play -

Wow. Just wow. Some serious work has been done to address the nonsensical action's and canned animation's that used to take place at the blue line. Gone are the days of stupid, spinning circle's that take you offsides for no reason, or the extra, bs movement in one direction after you've clearly moved your thimbstick the opposite direction, only to pull you offsides.

This is huge and makes offensive zone play much more enjoyable. Now I hate having to praise something that should've been fixed years ago, but thank god they've fixed it. Small sample size, so I'm not saying its 100% fixed, but it's so much better than years past. You can actually get a very effective, controllable cycle game going, if your passes are accurate.

Looking forward to 17'. Having EA Access I was very much contemplating sticking with 16' this year..that's coming from a player who's been playing EA hockey since NHLPA on SNES. But to be honest I can actually see some improvements and am rally hoping it translates to the finally version and we see even more tweaks for the better.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

# 198 1OOT_Frost @ 07/31/16 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haeyena


	do you still need one? LEt me know and i'l PM you one.

Hey Man my pms are not working. if you have an extra code just email at [email protected]

# 199 JJMarley @ 07/31/16 01:11 PM

EA still hasn't given me my code. If anyone has an x1 could you please pm an extra code if you have one. Thanks

# 200 GetThePuckOut @ 07/31/16 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJMarley


	EA still hasn't given me my code. If anyone has an x1 could you please pm an extra code if you have one. Thanks

There IS an extra Thread for Beta Codes!!!

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