NHL 21 Release Date: When will EA's next hockey game arrive? PS5 & Xbox Series X, beta, cover star & more

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With the sporting world frozen in place thanks to coronavirus, plenty of fans are turning to gaming to get their fix, including NHL fans.

EA Sports have long been the leader in NHL games, with NHL 20 a big hit critics.

The question many fans have right now though, is when will NHL 21 arrive?

NHL 21 release date

NHL 20 Chel
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CHEL OUT: NHL 21 will be out in the usual window, right?

As yet, there is no firm release date for NHL 21. But we can take an educated guess.

NHL 20 dropped on 13 September, and NHL 18 came out on 15 September. So that area of the calendar is certainly the frontrunner, however it could be earlier.

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NHL 19 arrived on 26 July. That super-early release date would certainly be a delight for NHL fans that are going without their fix of hockey action right now.

Given the current work-from-home world we live in that early release date is surely just wishful thinking right now.

NHL 21 beta release date

One chance for playing in July could be the NHL 21 beta.

Last year's beta was open to everyone from 26-31 July. If we expect a similar release date for the full game, then the same window for a beta.

NHL 21 on PS5 & Xbox Series X

sony ps5 controller dualsense wireless
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That September release date means that the game will arrive before the next-gen consoles of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X.

The game will certainly be available on the new consoles, but may not be optimized to take advantage of their amazing specs.

We may have to wait for NHL 22 to truly experience the glory of next-gen hockey.

Cover star prediction

Sidney Crosby in NHL 20
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IT'S TIME: Sidney Crosby needs to be the NHL 21 cover star

The cover of a sports game is a coveted title for athletes regardless of the sport. So who will be on the NHL 21 cover?

It may come as a surprise, but Sidney Crosby has never been on an NHL cover.

Considering he has been regarded as one of the best players of all time since 2005 this rather odd.

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There have been multiple rumors and speculation by fans that Crosby has told EA no multiple times about being on the cover. For those who do not know, Crosby is a highly suspicious player, and given the Madden Curse he may be opposed to it. However, this year could be the year!