Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes named EA Sports NHL 25 cover athletes

Three of the top young players in the game are the new faces of the most longstanding video game franchises.

On Thursday, it was revealed that brothers Quinn, Jack and Luke Hughes will be featured on the cover of EA Sports NHL 25.

“We feel incredibly honored to be on the cover of NHL 25,” Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes said in a release. “Being featured alongside my brothers is the sort of thing you dream about as a kid but could never imagine happening in real life.”

The trio is making history, as no siblings have ever appeared on an EA Sports video game cover.

“It was a very proud moment for all of us when we saw the Deluxe cover,” New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes. “It reminded us that on the ice, we’re competitors, always learning from each other, but off the ice, we’re brothers who love to play hockey.”

“Being on the cover with my brothers is incredibly exciting,” Devils defenseman. “We have a one-of-a-kind hockey story growing up together and now a one-of-a-kind cover. We can’t wait for fans to experience NHL 25.”

While the series has garnered criticism for having the same rehashed game for the past several years, this year’s game is promised to be different, with a new level of hockey intelligence added into the game. The Hughes’ influence is noted in how they are recognized for their impressive skating ability and high hockey IQ, so much so that the game is introducing a new gameplay system, ICE-Q, signifying NHL 25’s evolution in how consumers experience the game.

“The new ICE-Q gameplay system represents a foundational shift in how players will experience the game, with its deep intelligence giving them complete control of the ice,” Senior Game Design Director at EA Vancouver, Mike Inglehart, said.” Hockey is built different, with NHL 25 delivering greater authenticity, bigger team rivalries and inspired by the sport’s next-generation superstars who continue to redefine the game.”

There are expected time improvements to series mainstays like World of Chel, Hockey Ultimate Team and an overhaul of Franchise Mode. More details about the new features will come in deep dives in the lead-up to the game’s release prior to the start of the 2024-25 NHL season.

The game will be released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on Oct. 4.