NHL 26 - Episode 1

NHL 26 is an ice hockey simulation video game developed by EA Vancouver and published by EA Sports. It is the 35th instalment in the NHL video game series and was released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on September 12, 2025. The gameplay of NHL 26 uses ICE-Q 2.0 technology, an evolution of the ICE-Q technology first implemented in NHL 25. ICE-Q 2.0 incorporates NHL EDGE tracking data to inform player attributes such as skating acceleration, top speed, slap shot power, and wrist shot power. These data-driven attribute adjustments are applied to both user-controlled and AI-controlled players, with the intent of producing in-game behaviors and performance profiles that more closely resemble those of the corresponding real-world NHL players. NHL 26 also revamps the Be A Pro game mode for the first time since NHL 21, allowing players to start their Be A Pro career in the semi-finals of the IIHF World Junior Championship, which will then determine the player's position in the NHL draft. The option to play in the Memorial Cup tournament or the Champions Hockey League tournament also still exists. Once drafted, the player can build up to an NHL superstar or get demoted to the AHL. The game mode introduces voice acting by other NHL players, as well as new cutscenes, such as seeing your player in the NHL draft, tunnel walkouts, and a Stanley Cup celebration in the locker room. https://www.ea.com/games/nhl/nhl-26