EA Sports' NHL 22 to feature licensed women’s teams for first time ever
After years of discussion about including greater gender diversity in sports video games, Electronic Arts' popular hockey game franchise will see a fresh and long-awaited addition in the new year.
On Thursday, EA Sports NHL’s social media accounts announced that they will add women’s international teams to NHL 22 in January. The featuring of these teams, notably including the powerhouse Canadian and American squads, will mark the first time in the game franchise’s history that gamers can play using licensed women’s teams.
IIHF x #NHL22 🌎🎮
Play the World Juniors now and represent your country with International Teams 🏒 then get ready for Women's Hockey coming January 🗓
Learn more 👉 https://t.co/ne7VqMY66l pic.twitter.com/ls2V4a7X0R— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) December 9, 2021
A trailer released along with the announcement guides fans through some of international hockey’s most memorable moments, and offers a preview of some of the new stars that will be playable soon, including Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin and Team USA star Hilary Knight.
The series’ new partnership with the IIHF also includes the additions of the wildly popular men’s World Junior Championships, as well as the World Championship tournaments for both men and women.
The hockey world quickly took to Twitter to celebrate the milestone.
When I was a kid, I liked Sylvain Turgeon because I saw him on a hockey card, Bo Jackson because I saw him in a magazine, and the Buffalo Bills because I played them in Sega football. Seeing women in #NHL22 will introduce a whole generation to these amazing players. #SeeItBeIt https://t.co/XzirzNUXks
— Tara Slone (@TaraSlone) December 9, 2021
The women’s hockey inclusion is huge. Awesome step here to really overhaul the international side of the game https://t.co/WzoGwmFe0M
— Kyle Cushman (@Kyle_Cush) December 9, 2021
The men’s World Junior Championship content was launched into the game with a new update on Thursday, as anticipation builds towards the big tournament taking place over the holiday period. But fans will have to wait until January to play as their favourite women’s teams and players.
The franchise first included playable female avatars after a 14-year-old girl emailed EA and complained about being underrepresented in the video game. The next year, hockey legends Hayley Wickenheiser and Angela Ruggiero were added to NHL 13.
Although it has been possible to play as female characters for a decade, this year’s game will be the first time that full teams of licensed women’s players will be playable.
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