: The game's struggles were partly attributed to the development team losing staff to the EA Sports UFC title during the transition to new hardware.
Outside of the gameplay, "NHL 15" is often remembered for the controversial "story" of its own release. It was the first entry for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles and is widely cited as a "failed to launch" title due to a massive lack of features compared to previous years.
In the context of the EA Sports franchise, " NHL 15 " does not have a scripted narrative or cinematic "story mode" like those found in more recent entries (e.g., the reimagined story in NHL 26 ). Instead, any "story" is player-driven through its career and management modes. Player-Driven Story Modes NHL 15
For a deeper look into the history of the franchise and how NHL 15 fit into its timeline, you can watch this retrospective:
: You take control of an NHL franchise, managing rosters and trades to build a championship team. : The game's struggles were partly attributed to
: At launch, it lacked core modes like the EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL), Online Team Play (OTP), and even basic features like a "sim to next shift" option in Be a Pro.
: This mode allows you to "recreate history" by jumping into specific scenarios from the actual 2014-2015 NHL season to change or replicate real-world outcomes. The "Story" of the Game's Development In the context of the EA Sports franchise,
: You create a custom skater and attempt to work your way through a career to become an NHL superstar. In the "next-gen" versions (PS4/Xbox One), this mode was criticized for being "watered down," as it removed the ability to start in the junior leagues (WHL/OHL/QMJHL) and forced players to jump directly into the NHL.