NHL 22 beta could preview these key new features


When the NHL 22 beta was announced, players jumped for joy at the chance to get a glimpse of what the game could look like.

There are some updates we already know will be included in NHL 22, but what about new next gen features?

Here's what we hope to see, how you can sign up, and what we know so far about the NHL 22 Closed Technical Test.

Closed Technical Test coming in late August

The announcement came that NHL 22 would be having a Closed Technical Test (Closed Beta) in late August.

The Closed Technical Test is available for all platforms which is great news for those that thought NHL 22 might be next gen exclusive. The likely reason why it couldn't be is because of how difficult it is to get your hands on a next gen console.

Although we don't know how much room there is and how many participants will be a part of the Closed Technical Test, it's good to sign up early.

How to sign up for the NHL 22 beta

There are a couple of ways you can do this. One is by following the tweet above that will take you to the Twitter announcement and then onto the sign up page.

Another way you can do this is by heading here, you'll need to sign in with your EA Account, so make sure you have the information handy.

Two NHL players face off at center ice.
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FACE OFF: Players will get a chance to preview NHL 22 in Closed Technical Test

As we said earlier, there are limited spaces and signing up doesn't guarantee you a spot in the beta. However, there's no harm in trying. For more on the details of the Closed Technical Test, head here.

What about Next Gen features?

For the players that do have next gen consoles, the beta could be an opportunity to get a first look at them. We already know that this is something NHL 22 was planning on focusing on so we should at least get a small sample.

These features could come about in a few different ways, perhaps even a game mode exclusive to next gen consoles.

The captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates a goal
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OWN THE ICE: Players are preparing to dominate the ice in NHL 22

An idea that NHL 22 could incorporate is something like Dynamic Gameday from Madden 22. This would likely be a feature only available on PS5 or Xbox Series X. Hopefully we'll get a glimpse of some next gen graphics and features in the beta.

Perks for Current Gen players

The last thing we want is for players to feel left out. Most players are still on current gen systems like the Xbox One or PS4. NHL 22 should still find ways to make the game exciting for these players as well.

The Closed Technical Test should showcase new features that will be available on current gen consoles as well.

These could be simple updates or features that won't be exclusive to next gen consoles. This way, everyone gets to have a positive experience with the game.

Can we expect a HUT 22 preview?

This would be a huge moment for the Closed Technical Test. A chance to get a preview of what Hockey Ultimate Team will be.

We already are aware that Madden 22 has made changes to the Madden Ultimate Team interface. This leads us to expect an update for the NHL 22 HUT game mode as well.

Goal Keeper, Marc Andre' Fleury makes a save to prevent a goal
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SAVE: Participants hope for a glimpse at Hockey Ultimate Team in the beta

This could be a longshot, but it's definitely high on our list of hopeful previews we'll get to experience during the Closed Technical Test.

For more on HUT 22, head here.

For more articles like this, take a look at our NHL page.