Is NHL 23 cross-platform? All platforms, new modes, and more

NHL 23 is the next step in the journey of the franchise and EA Sports has some major additions in store for players. Over the years, the game has constantly evolved as the developers have continued to add new features. This time around, there will be significant changes that will benefit everyone who will be participating in this year's journey.

NHL 23 will be released on October 14 worldwide, with some brand new changes coming to the game. This includes changes to gameplay and in-game environments, to name a few. EA Sports has routinely showcased the changes made, some of which look quite promising. The changes can now be tested as the game is out on early access.

One of the biggest differences in this year's release comes from matchmaking. Traditionally, crossplay has never been present in any of the series releases. That's set to change this year as EA Sports finally brought the much-requested change. More importantly, the developers have introduced crossplay to all generations of platforms.

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NHL 23's crossplay has some restrictions but improves the game's accessibility

This has been a major year for EA Sports to crossplay its sports games. It began with F1 2022, followed by FIFA 23. NHL 23 became the third game from the publisher to get the same crossplay treatment.

This year, crossplay has been introduced across all the major game modes. As usual, the 2022 release will be available as a console exclusive and will be released on both Xbox and PlayStation. The game will be available on both consoles, but new-gen features will only be made available on current-generation devices.

Crossplay will also be restricted to the respective generation of devices. Current-gen consoles can play with each other, while the same applies to the older generation. This has been done to keep things fair, as some of the features available on current-gen consoles aren't available on older consoles. These features can have an impact on the overall gameplay and will provide an undue advantage to some players in NHL 23.

The game will be available across all platforms and is set to be released on October 14. Players can now jump in with the early access going live, which can be accessed with the help of the EA Play trial or if they have acquired the X-factor edition. The X-factor edition also comes with dual entitlement, allowing players to play both game versions.

Players will have plenty of game modes to choose from once the title is released. The franchise mode will allow players to take their favorite teams to new levels of dominance. Players can take charge of their favorite team and constantly make signings to improve the squad and help them win trophies.

HUT will be their go-to mode for those who love playing online. Players will create their own custom squads and take on each other for global dominance. Moreover, the game mode becomes even better with the introduction of crossplay, and competition is expected to be high.

Pro mode will allow players to fulfill their ambitions of becoming professional players, albeit on a virtual platform. Players can recreate themselves and then grow their characters in their chosen direction.

The EA Sports Hockey League will be meant for those who prefer to play at a more competitive level. The World of Chel also features in NHL 23, although not much is known about it. However, both provide a nice alternative to standard game modes for players.