NHL 20 December content update addresses pivots, adds Snoop Dogg
A new content update for NHL 20 dropped today and the big focus is on community feedback regarding pivots and skating responsiveness.
EA continues to listen to player feedback and today’s content update for NHL 20 aims to address responsiveness in skating as it relates to player pivoting. In the current game, players are able to pivot while controlling the puck as a means to dodge and confuse defenders. It’s a pretty cheese move that EA agrees compromises the integrity of the game.
Those with advanced pivoting skills gain a clear advantage in competitive play that isn’t within the spirit of the game. In the patch notes leading up to today’s update, EA explained:
"We have heard the community and agree ourselves that at times, the responsiveness in skating that makes the core model feel good in most cases, can be abused in certain aspects and hurt the integrity of the game when comparing to the actual sport. It is a fine line however as today’s modern players are surprising us on a nightly basis with what they can do at speed with the puck and it comes down to the ability of the defense as well."
In order to address these concerns without impacting other parts of NHL 20‘s skating, the developers chose to focus on a player’s ability to pivot with the puck, the speeds at which they can do that and the control they have of the puck when doing so. EA made two major changes in regards to skating speed and pivot speeds with the puck that should address some of the community’s concerns without drastically changing the overall gameplay and feel of NHL 20. The two major changes are as follows:
- Updated skate model so that players lose more speed when disrupting their core balance/weight distribution when by pivoting over and over.
- Puck carriers pivot speeds will be impacted by trying to pivot at high speeds to simulate what they would need to do to keep control of the puck
If these two changes don’t properly address the issue, EA does have some other potential adjustments they could make that are “a bit more harsh.” This includes making it so players could lose the puck if they pivot at higher speeds with less control. This could be offset if a player increases control by gliding.
In addition to pivoting, today’s update features some general gameplay improvements, including updated physics for goalkeepers and restricted directional toe drags for when a skater is moving forward.
World of CHEL has received some new content. The 2019-20 Canucks logo has been added with more content to be revealed through the Chel Challenge card soon.
But wait, there’s more. Snoop Dogg, is now available as a guest commentator in NHL 20.
https://twitter.com/EASPORTSNHL/status/1202633762023952384
This may seem like a weird addition, but the D O Double G actually has real-life experience in the broadcast booth having joined in for commentary during a Los Angeles Kings game earlier this year. Snoop also helped explain the rules of hockey in a video for the NHL last year.
EA hasn’t announced any other celebrity guest commentators coming to the game, but it’s worth pointing out that Will Ferrell also joined an L.A. Kings broadcast in the past as his Anchorman character Ron Burgundy. That would be an amazing addition as well. GameSpot also notes that they’ve seen a slide that confirmed Drake and Wayne Gretzky, so we’ll have to wait and see.