'NHL 13' demo hits next week (update)

NHL 13's demo will be available on August 21st for Xbox Live and August 22nd on PlayStation Network, Electronic Arts announced during its Gamescom 2012 press briefing today.

NHL 13's demo will be available on August 21st on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, Electronic Arts announced during its Gamescom 2012 press briefing today.

In Europe, PS3 players will have to wait an extra day until August 22nd.

The demo is meant to show off EA Canada's suite of improvements this year to gameplay and artificial intelligence. Gameplay changes include a revamped, physics-driven skating engine and smarter goalies, while EA Sports Hockey IQ means that CPU teammates and opponents will play more like real NHL players.

Since it's a gameplay demo, it won't offer a look at the massive new online dynasty mode, GM Connected.

NHL 13 is scheduled for release on September 11th in North America on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Update: EA has provided additional details on the NHL 13 demo. It will let users try four different modes: Play Now, Free Skate, NHL Moments Live, and Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT). By putting the demo through its paces, players can unlock up to three HUT card packs for use in the full game.

Play Now offers the traditional Stanley Cup Finals rematch: this year, the demo includes the third period of a battle between the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings. Play Now offers a look at the new True Broadcast camera angle, which takes a television-style horizontal view of the ice.

NHL Moments Live, new to NHL 13, allows fans to relive and rewrite NHL history from the past season, and the moment captured in the demo is the overtime period from Game 5 of this year's Western Conference Finals between the Kings and Phoenix Coyotes.

Players can also sample Hockey Ultimate Team in the demo, with a starter pack of cards and a game against Team USA. And the Free Skate option is a great way to test out the new skating engine, True Performance Skating. Check out EA's tutorial for it below.