ESPN NHL First Impressions

It seems Konami has learned from its mistakes with respect to PlayStation sports titles and is taking a more patient approach with its PlayStation 2 ESPN releases. While EA is blitzing the media with info on Madden and rushing to get the game out by the PS2 launch, Konami is quietly refining its ESPN NFL Primetime title, which is slated for November. With its ESPN NHL National Hockey Night title, Konami is being similarly reserved, allowing the external development team to work on the game unencumbered by media buzz and rumors.

So quiet is the buzz about Konami's ESPN NHL title that it hasn't even been officially announced. However, thanks to a slip of the tongue (and a few blurry photos) at a European press tour event, the word is out: Hockey is on its way. Details are sketchy at this point, but it appears as if Konami's hockey game will come out soon after EA's NHL 2001. If the conceptual images are any indication, ESPN NHL will use the ESPN license and broadcast style in a similar manner as NFL Primetime, creating a game rife with features and gameplay that also contains quirky commentary, flashy camera angles, diverse player-creation options, and years' worth of ESPN statistical analysis.

This is about all that's known about the ESPN NHL title up to this point, but word from within Konami suggests that an official announcement - complete with a release date, a features rundown, and screenshots - is set occur sometime within the next 30 days. On paper, it seems as if Konami is content to let EA soak up all the limelight and rush its products to market, while Konami's own teams refine the ESPN franchise into a series of finely tuned, must-own titles.