Anticipation for NHL 24 is rising and with good reasons.
Anticipation for NHL 24 is rising. Below I review some of these reasons.
New Hockey Season
This one is the easiest. It is the offseason for both the NHL and its virtual counterpart. So, a shared feeling and experience among all hockey fans is the anticipation for the new hockey season. For chel gamers, NHL gaming is most exciting at the start of the new NHL season, and this excitement lasts for several months. Thus, October could not come soon enough.
Answers to Questions About the Game
Every installment of an NHL video game has its pros and cons, and this will likely be no different. For chel fans, some of the anticipation for NHL 24 is about getting answers to questions about the game.
Will gameplay improve? In other words, will NHL 24 promote unique playstyles and dissuade players from finding and only abusing glitch goals? Will physics improve so that body checks connect? Are improvements made to ensure certain X-Factor abilities, such as big tipper, truculence, and unstoppable force, do not break gameplay in modes such as World of Chel? Is the passing system further improved?
In addition to gameplay, questions surround cross-platform functionality and various features and game modes. All those questions will be answered in the coming weeks and months, but until they are, anticipation will continue to rise.
Esports and Community events
If NHL 23 was an indication, competitive chel gamers should look forward to several eSports and community-based events right from the beginning.
For competitive chel players, NHL 24 brings about a new season of eSports events. Esports events bring meaning for players who grind the game to compete. For viewers, entertainment value increases when something is on the line for the players, whether it is prizing or a spot to attend a LAN event. For some, nothing tops the excitement and energy of a competitive chel eSports game.
Then there are community-based initiatives. For instance, SJSharks Gaming Night is taking place on November 25, 2023.
The FaZe-Islanders Esports Night that took place in December 2022 is another great example of a community-based initiative. This event brought FaZe back to their "original home" and, importantly, provided the opportunity for FaZe, Islanders, and hockey fans to come together and celebrate their connection, all the while watching two of the best players in all of NHL gaming (Regs and Eki) compete in a best of three to determine the NHL 22 "unofficial official" world champion.
The hockey world should thus look forward to ample eSports and community-based events with the launch of NHL 24 and throughout the NHL season.
BETA
If previous installments of the game are an indication, then chel fans are eagerly awaiting news of a potential beta testing opportunity. Thus, excitement builds as chel gamers want a sneak peek at the game and to provide feedback before its official release.
Anticipation will continue to rise as August approaches. That said, chel fans will hopefully not have to wait much longer to get that initial news or development from EA.