NHL 26
Play like a superstar in EA Sports NHL 26. That starts with ICE-Q 2.0, now powered by NHL EDGE data, so your favorite superstars think, move, and play like their on-ice selves. That includes data-informed…
NHL 26 is a simulator developed by EA Vancouver, released 12 September 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
What NHL 26 is
NHL 26 is a simulator game developed by EA Vancouver and released in 2025. It was published by EA Sports. It is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It runs on Frostbite.
The premise, in the publisher's words
Play like a superstar in EA Sports NHL 26. That starts with ICE-Q 2.0, now powered by NHL EDGE data, so your favorite superstars think, move, and play like their on-ice selves. That includes data-informed Attributes and Tendencies which make star players perform in true-to-life fashion, with their playstyles and decision-making game-aware and impactful. A fine-tuned and enhanced arsenal of 28 X-Factors spans five different categories and is driven by unique animations, tactical gameplay outcomes, and tiers of impact, turning each into a formidable on-ice weapon. Superstars now truly feel like superstars.
How it plays
It is played from a third person perspective. Its themes are non-fiction. It is a single-player game with no multiplayer component. Available modes: Co-operative, Multiplayer and Single player.
Where it sits in the NHL series
NHL 26 is the 108th of 111 entries we hold in the NHL series. It arrived 11 months after Franchise Hockey Manager 11. The next entry was Franchise Hockey Manager 12 in 2025. Its critic score of 74 is almost exactly the series average of 74. The highest-rated entry is NHL 09 at 90.
How it was received
NHL 26 holds a critic score of 74 out of 100. That places it above 49% of the 2,881 rated simulator games in our database, which average 71. Games released in 2025 averaged 78, so it scored 4 points below the year average.
What it launched against
NHL 26 launched on 12 September 2025, within three weeks of Ghost of Yotei, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and Silent Hill f. All of them reviewed better. It arrived 5 years into the PlayStation 5's life, so it was built for hardware developers already knew well.
Released around the same time: Ghost of Yotei, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Silent Hill f.
Cheats and codes
We have not confirmed any working cheat codes for NHL 26 yet. Rather than reprint a list we have not tested, this section stays empty until one is verified.
Official trailer
Sourced from the publisher’s YouTube channel. See all 2 videos →
Screenshots
All media
Quick answers
NHL 26 — frequently asked questions
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