Available from July 30 – August 6 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the NHL 16 beta offers limited access to the EA Sports Hockey League online team mode.
The only time you’ll be able to play the new EASHL in NHL 16 before the game releases on September 15 in North America and September 17 in Europe, the beta will be roughly 5GB to download and won’t be available for pre-load.
Here’s what EA said about EASHL:
This fan-favorite online team mode has been reimagined and lets you choose specialized player classes to deliver a balanced competitive experience on the ice. Player skill and your ability to play as a team will now be the determining factor in who wins and loses. So, sharpen those skates and grab your buddies because the EA Sports Hockey League is back!
In the NHL 16 beta FAQ, they explain that EASHL supports 2 – 6 players on each team, you can give feedback over here, and you’ll be able to create a custom player in the beta, but “any creation or customization in the beta does not carry over to the full game.” Similarly, player and team stats won’t carry over to NHL 16, and neither will teams created in the beta.
Requiring an Origin account, here’s how you can gain access to the NHL 16 beta:
- For players who own NHL 15 on either Xbox One or PlayStation 4 – Jump into NHL 15 starting July 30 and you’ll see a new panel in the main menu hub to download the NHL 16 EASHL Beta. NHL 15 is required to access the beta initially, but is not required after you have successfully downloaded as the beta will be accessibly directly from your console hard drive.
- For players who own NHL 15 on either Xbox 360 or PS3 – If you’ve upgraded to a new console, you have a chance to get access to the NHL 16 EASHL Beta. If selected, you will receive a beta access code via your EA/Origin email account on July 30 which can then be redeemed on either an Xbox One or PlayStation 4 (access code platform determined based on your previous console preference). If you haven’t opted in to receive emails from EA Sports NHL, change your preferences here. Sign up before July 25, 11:59am PT for a chance to be eligible to receive a code. Limited quantities available.
Will you be participating in the beta?
[Source: EA Sports NHL]
