The Sports Desk – NHL 17 Beta Impressions

This week's Sports Desk is a special edition Test Chamber with Matt Bertz, Kim Wallace, and I talking about our experiences with the NHL 17 beta .

The main thrust of the beta is the EASHL, where you play position-locked with your friends on the same team, moving up the league ranks and unlocking equipment, etc. as you go. On that last point, this year's game has greatly expanded the customization options for your EASHL players, down to the arenas you play in.

Hear all about it in this special Sports Desk Test Chamber.

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Have a suggestion or comment? Put it in the comments section below, send me an email, or reach me on twitter at @mattkato.

RELEASE LIST

F1 2016 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) August 19

Madden NFL 17 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360) August 23

Assetto Corsa (PlayStation 4, Xbox One) August 30

THE TICKER
A quick rundown of some of the sports news from the week.

Axis Football 2016 is released
I haven't heard of this series before, but some Steam users seem to be having a good time with the title. The devs are aware that it's not a big-budget extravaganza, but I'm sure some sports fans will just like knowing that there's an alternative to Madden out there.

NASCAR Heat Evolution Dev Diary #2
The team at Monster Games talks about the game's A.I. and difficulty settings. You can also take a look at the game in action.

More Madden 17 Player Ratings
Also, if you want an expert's opinion of some of the Madden ratings for the top five offensive players, check out last week's Sports Desk.

Pro Evolution Soccer Franchise Signs Deal With Barcelona FC
This doesn't mean the team will only be in PES, but it's a good get for the series nonetheless.