EA Sports has announced that NHL 21 will launch in October of this year, which breaks the franchise's September launch tradition. The upcoming hockey sim is slated to launch on PS4 and Xbox One, and if you already know you're going to pick it up, NHL 21 pre-orders are available now for multiple editions.

NHL 21 will get a full, proper reveal in August, during which we'll learn new details about features and improvements made to the sim in the latest entry. In addition to getting an exact release date, we also expect to learn which hockey star will grace the cover. It's worth noting that the Microsoft Store currently has NHL 21 listed to release on October 16.

“For NHL 21, we made the decision to focus on adding innovation and new features rather than the resource-heavy task of porting the game to new console technology,” the official statement reads. “You’ll still be able to play NHL 21 on the next-gen consoles through forward compatibility but we are fully focused on launching NHL 21 on the Xbox One and PS4 and look forward to the opportunities the next-gen systems will bring in the future.” By the way, you can buy cheap NHL 21 Coins from 5mmo.com, where you can enjoy a 3% discount by using the code “5MMO”.

NHL 21 is available for pre-order. There are three versions of NHL 21 that players can choose from: the Standard Edition ($59.99), the Deluxe Edition ($79.99) and the Ultimate Edition ($99.99). The Standard Edition does not come with any pre-order bonuses, but the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions do. The Deluxe Edition include two unlocked Hockey Bags for the World of CHEL, a HUT Cover Athlete Choice Pack (one of six players) and three days of early access beginning on October 13. The Ultimate Edition includes five unlocked Hockey Bags, a HUT Cover Athlete Choice Pack and three days of early access to NHL 21.

Even though we are limited on NHL 21 details, we know three different editions will be available at launch on PS4 and Xbox One. You can also get some goodies for Ultimate Team if you pre-order any edition of the game.