An on-ice evolution. Next-Gen Vision Control provides fresh abilities, improvements, and a user-initiated skating mode that ups the responsiveness, explosiveness, and expression on the ice for human and AI players alike. Now, walk the blueline to help create space on the play, square up to the puck carrier, thread the needle through an opponent’s defense, and stay locked on goal for better shot opportunities. Plus, all-new behaviours and visual reactions make skating feel more authentic than ever.
A completely overhauled AI player system heightens CPU skaters’ awareness of other players and positioning on the ice, giving them more fluid and helpful reads to execute in a true-to-life fashion, keeping your tactics in motion during high-paced action. Plus, a refreshed playbook improves power plays, 5-on-5 offensive plays, and opens up the ice for better overall positioning and opportunities at both ends of the ice.
A series of brand-new animations make skaters more responsive in critical situations, giving them more urgency and, ultimately, more reliability during plays. Reactive Actions reward players for proper on-ice positioning, increase collision avoidance, and offer authentic visual reactions for players to recognize and take advantage of in those high-action moments.
Read the attacking zone, find an open teammate, and be rewarded with a deadly one-timer you can see, feel, and hear the impact of. Skill Based One-Timers create authentic gameplay tension as offensive excitement and expectation mix with defensive concern and anticipation, each pass creating unique moments and opportunities for high-scoring probability shots.