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EA, 2K renew NHL license deals

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpotPosted Jun 19, 2006 11:05 am PT

Reported exclusivity offer iced; league ensures multiple hockey series for years to come.

With tonight's game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals ready to bring the 05-06 National Hockey League season to a close, the league has announced its own fast-breaking two-on-one. The NHL and its Players Association today confirmed that they have both signed nonexclusive, multiyear license renewal agreements with Electronic Arts and 2K Sports. Each publisher now has the rights to produce NHL games for current-gen and next-gen consoles, including systems that haven't yet seen either company lace up the skates, like the PlayStation 3, Wii, and PlayStation Portable.

In December, it was reported that the NHLPA had signed an exclusive deal with EA, only to have the NHL check that idea clear over the boards. At the time, the two sides were coming off a labor dispute that wiped out the entire 04-05 season. However, the league seemed ready to drop the gloves again, as it reportedly refused to sign a licensing deal with EA until 2K Sports was cut into the NHLPA deal. The last time Electronic Arts had published a hockey game with only the NHLPA license was NHLPA Hockey 93. The game attained cult status in the 1996 film Swingers as "the one where you can make Wayne Gretzky's head bleed."

"NHL fans and consumers want more choices and extending our relationships with EA Sports and 2K Sports offers them the ability to choose the quality games they want to play," NHL senior vice president of consumer products marketing Brian Jennings said in a statement.

2K Sports' NHL 2K7 is set for release on the PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox, and PlayStation 2, while EA's NHL 07 will hit the ice later this year for the PSP, Xbox 360, PC, Xbox, and PS2.

68 Comments

  • helluvagood

    Posted Jul 10, 2006 9:54 pm PT

    GO EA ALL TH WAYT

  • Brenz77

    Posted Jun 22, 2006 12:43 pm PT

    EA SPORTS made the best hockey game in 2006 and if you don't say that you have a bad taste in games all they gotta do is make better goalies

  • Death_Masta187

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 1:12 pm PT

    eldanon
    Thank God! I'm thrilled that EA won't be able to **** up my favorite sport by purchasing an exclusive license which is their usual response to good competition. No monopoly!!!
    ----------------------------------------------------
    I could not have said that better. Let me add that I will never buy a crappie Madden NFL game or baseball game just because I don’t like to only have one choice when it comes to sports games. So EA is loosing more money off of me because of that NFL move they did. It just makes me not want to ever buy an EA game ever again. I don’t like to support jerks.

    " 2K Sports offers them the ability to choose the quality games they want to play,"

  • NHL06

    Posted Jun 21, 2006 12:03 pm PT

    They both want to be the best, but who will be the best next years, EA or 2K???

  • rbarahona

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 6:04 pm PT

    Nice move by the nhl and the nhlpa; that way players can decide which "official" game they want to get.

  • donscrillinger

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 12:09 pm PT

    Now see thats what im talking about ,now all we need is for the NFL do see the light

  • j_j_j_2

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 11:58 am PT

    I wanna see NHL hitz back, hitz pro was the funnest nhl game ever, not the most realistic but it was the funnest. i do like EA's nhl franchise, they've always done a good job and i dont even bother with 2K's franchise

  • ncc74656

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 11:29 am PT

    lets hope nhl 07 for has better multiplayer modes than gretzky's game for psp

  • nfkevin34

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 10:57 am PT

    I only played 2k6 for the crease control. It could be better, wrap arounds impossible to stop almost, and the other team can score just by pushing the puck in from the BACK of the net, that's so frustrating. Sometimes the goalie doesnt even move when you move the target to make the save. Hopefully it will be improved in 2k7. As usual though I'll buy NHL 07 and NHL 2k7. Hope they're awesome!

  • darknferno12

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 9:52 am PT

    At least the NHL is smart, realized that EA can't make games as good as 2K can (i think they actually played 2k6, 06 unlike MLB and NFL) and this is there way of saying you suck at making hockey(sports) games EA but keep trying you might accidentally make something good.

  • Merl57

    Posted Jun 20, 2006 7:53 am PT

    Yayayayayyayayayyayayay WOOO HOOO way to go NHL way to stick it to EA. I guess EA's world domination can't be at 100% like their ownership of NFL games which pretty much is the exact definition of a monopoly. Seriously each Madden game is pretty much the same and they get old, at least the NHL can have fresh games come on lets have som MUTANT LEAGUE HOCKEY again, that was the best game for Sega Genisis

  • thekey

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 9:34 pm PT

    Took the words right out of my mouth,
    squarephreak

    Take that EA!!!! The NFL was and is stupid, especially if they renew there exclusive deal.

  • DsPsofLife

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 9:23 pm PT

    I never liked the NFL 2k series, but I think it would of been better for the NFL to allow EA and 2k make the NFL games. I have played ever NHL game since 93 and the only one I hated was 2004. I think the biggest thing EA needs to work on is making the draft better and making progression better like it is in Madden.

  • marcusray316

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 8:34 pm PT

    Finally, someone stood up to that MONOPOLY (EA). Now, if we could only get NFL 2K7???????? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Madden is ok but the real gem is the 2K series. TRUST ME.

  • solsub

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 7:27 pm PT

    I hate Carolina so... go Edmonton!

  • gormechi

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 6:27 pm PT

    That's good news. The exclusivity between EA and 2k has only breed lame sport games, when is the last time a sports title has scored a 90 or above. Sport games in general have sucked over the last couple of years, but at least no exclusivity for hockey or basketball for now.

  • rynmls

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 6:22 pm PT

    NHL is BACK!!!

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 6:11 pm PT

    Can't we all just get along! While 2K and EA are fighting over licenses, the gamers are losing games! But it's good to see they can share the NHL license.

  • DreTire

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 5:42 pm PT

    ...since when did EA made an exclusive deal with the MLB? I thought they just made the exclusive deal w/ only NFL.

  • jonnyjd

    Posted Jun 19, 2006 5:19 pm PT

    Thank god EA won't have an exclusive.

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