Following the initial load, NHL 21 connects to the server, so how long it takes to get to the main menu depends on the speed of your internet, just as it did on current-gen consoles. After that, it gets a little more complicated. Speaking to the loading times on Xbox Series X, the game boots from the system in about 15 seconds. I reviewed NHL 21 originally for Xbox One X, and this note reflects the comparisons against the Xbox Series X edition I have not tried the game on PlayStation 5. After playing a few hours of NHL 21 on Xbox Series X, this does seem to be the case.

On Xbox Series X, EA told fans to expect the game to look as if it was running on Xbox One X, albeit with faster load times and better frame rates. Because of that, while NHL 21 is playable on the new machines through backwards compatibility, you should not expect much in the way of significant improvements. Update 11/12/20: NHL 21 is among the catalog of EA Sports titles that is available to play on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, but unlike Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21, the developer is not creating a bespoke new version of the game for the new consoles.

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