The wait is over, and the NHL 22 Gameplay Trailer has finally revealed the next step as the premiere hockey franchise begins a new era.
You can watch the NHL 22 Gameplay trailer right here to see how the Frostbite Engine is trying to take things to the next level as they debut on next gen!
WATCH: NHL 22 Gameplay Trailer Revealed!
While our first look came with the Official Reveal Trailer, that only gave us a glimpse of NHL 22 in action.
With the official NHL 22 release date set for October 15, 2021, we are now less than two months away from getting our hands on the game.
You don't have to wait one more second to see it in action though, because you can watch the NHL 22 Gameplay Trailer below!
This installment will be a huge step forward for the franchise, as they're making two major upgrades this year that will help carry the series into a new age.
While other major sports titles like Madden 21, FIFA 21, and NBA 2K21 all made the jump to next gen last year with a secondary release once next gen consoles were available, NHL 21 didn't do that.
Instead, EA Sports chose to wait things out and dedicate a full development cycle to NHL 22 hitting next gen, and it came with the additional wrinkle of the Frostbite Engine.
NHL 22 will use the Frostbite Engine on both current and next gen
While not necessarily brand new to sports gaming, as the Madden and FIFA series have both been using the Frostbite Engine for several years, this is the first time it's come to the EA Sports NHL franchise.
With both engines anchoring the other main EA Sports titles on next gen, it's no surprise to see NHL 22 finally make that same leap as it preps to land on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S for the first time.
However, the engine upgrade is exciting news for everyone, as it will be in place on PS4 and Xbox One as well!
While Madden 22 gated major features like Dynamic Gameday behind next gen and kept them out of current gen versions, it looks like NHL 22 is aiming to keep things closer to even across all platforms.
The confirmation of that news came via Clappy, the NHL 22 Community Manager, who also dropped a few other tidbits about the upcoming release.
He also confirmed that custom EASHL builds are returning and that their choice to include X-Factors came down to "true player differentiation" in order to make some of the biggest stars feel unique.
Finally, he confirmed something we're only just beginning to see in action, as NHL 22 will have new gameplay animations for reverse hitting, pass and shot blocks, pickups, goalie saves/pokes, revamped puck protection, and more.