Sports

PWHL joins video game roster for NHL 25 in holiday update

Two hockey players, one standing one kneeling on the ice.
Minnesota players Kendall Coyne Schofield, left, and Sophie Jaques are stunned after Boston scores in game 4 of the PWHL championship series at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul on May 26. Boston beat Minnesota 1-0 in double overtime to push the best-of-five series to a final game.
Ben Garvin for MPR News

Want to recreate the inaugural Walter Cup series between Minnesota and Boston?

If you have the latest copy of the EA SPORTS NHL 25, it won’t be too hard.

Fans of women’s hockey can soon face off on the ice with their hometown team — at least virtually.

The Professional Women’s Hockey League and video game giant Electronic Arts have teamed up to bring all six teams to “EA SPORTS NHL 25,” the latest title in a long-running series of professional hockey games for consoles and PC gamers.

“We are thrilled to bring the PWHL into NHL 25 as part of a massive holiday update, giving players all-new ways to play, starting in a couple of days with the frenetic energy of NHL Arcade through to the launch of 4 Nations Face-Off in the New Year,” said Bill Dollar, EA SPORTS NHL executive producer in a press release.

The new player rosters, as well as all six teams, will be available starting Dec. 5 through a game update for those who own a copy of “NHL 25.” The teams and full players, logos and uniforms will be available in four game modes: Play Now, Online Versus, Shootout and Season modes. The update will also feature the league championship trophy, the Walter Cup.

As final PWHL rosters are confirmed, “NHL 25” will continue to add to the game as part of a multi-year effort to authentically represent the league.

PWHL Jerseys
This photo released by PWHL shows players posing with new hockey jerseys featuring each of the six team's new logos.
Bauer | PWHL via AP

“Our partnership with EA SPORTS opens new doors to elevate women’s hockey across all levels,” said Amy Scheer, Senior Vice President of Business Operations for the PWHL. “Through this alliance, we’ll develop in-game and out-of-game experiences that strengthen the bond between our teams, players, and fans, bringing the PWHL closer to the global hockey community.”  

Electronic Arts is known for a number of large video game franchises, including The Sims, Battlefield, Need For Speed and the numerous EA SPORTS titles covering sports like football, soccer and, of course, hockey.

While this is the first time the PWHL will be featured in the game, it’s not the first representation of women’s hockey in the video game franchise. Toronto Sceptres forward Sarah Nurse was featured as a cover athlete in NHL 23, and EA Sports added the International Ice Hockey Federation’s women’s national team in the game in 2022.

Correction (Nov. 14, 2024): An earlier version of this story misstated the teams in the Professional Women’s Hockey League 2024 finals. The story has been updated.