Electronic Arts (EA) Sports has a renowned history of delivering exciting, authentic, and high-quality sports video games. However, their NHL series has been notably absent on PC platforms for 16 years (NHL 09). NHL 25 is the most recent edition to be denied a PC release, limiting its audience and depriving sports-sim fans who prefer PC gaming, EA Sports also denied a NHL 25 release to Xbox One/PS4 consoles in favor of Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles, eliminating those who do not want to purchase a newer generation of console as well. This also helps negate the claims that a PC version would not be feasible in terms of supporting servers, as the Xbox One/PS4 servers are presumed to no longer exist with future titles this would allow them to expand to PC.

NHL 24 was eventually released to cloud gaming where we were able to play on PC but this is not the same as actually having it on PC. Xbox Cloud Gaming at times can be very unreliable with service outages from Xbox and even with very strong internet connections many people still face visual glitches or stutters while streaming or random disconnections. It was a nice compromise but we should not have to worry if the cloud service will have issues when we want to play. 

As for compatibility, NHL titles since NHL 22 have been using the Frostbite 3.0 game engine developed by DICE, it is designed for cross-platform gaming across multiple consoles and windows PCs (Ex: FC24 is available on Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch).

It is unlikely a PC version of NHL 25 will be ready in time before development of NHL 26 begins. Therefore, we are calling on EA Sports to rectify this disparity and make NHL 26 and future titles available to PC gamers. By granting the hockey-loving PC community access to NHL 26, EA Sports not only embraces diversity in gaming platforms but also extends its reach to a large demographic of gamers who eagerly anticipate the thrill of virtual hockey.

Representatives through EA Forums have claimed there was not enough support for the PC installment of the series through a survey conducted through their newsletter. Many players responded asking when the surveys were conducted because they did not receive any notice that EA were conducting surveys to bring the NHL series to PC. In order to receive a survey through their newsletter you have to sign up with their newsletter which I can imagine in 2024 most people do not want to sign up or completely skip over this part. Therefore I have created this petition a year in advance of the NHL 26 title and will be accessible to sign any time unlike a survey that has a runtime of 1-2 weeks.

Please lend your support by signing this petition, please pass this petition along to your friends or family that want to see this change. Urge EA Sports to release NHL 26 and future titles on PC and offer an equal opportunity for all gamers to participate in this dynamic and loved sports simulation.

Even if you think this won't go anywhere with EA, please sign we have to be persistent.