Ramjagsingh: If you go back to the previous generation, sort of pre NHL 14, we had some of the Winter Classics in the game. GameSpot: Did you have this in mind for any previous games? And so that's really where the idea came from, how do we continue to, you know, push the boundaries and have a more inclusive experience that better represents hockey as it's played in all sports around the world. So part of the fabric, it's part of the culture of hockey. Or finding your nearest pond and skating on the pond with your buddies 'til all hours of the night. I mean, winter time was meant, you know, stories of playing in the the backyard rink 'til all hours of the rink. And so many stories of all the NHL players that have grown up in throughout Canada and the eastern parts of the US and really, really cold climates in the winter time. Their earliest memories are playing on backyard rinks and grabbing their stick and their skates and hoodie and walking out to their local pond that was frozen over for months of the winter to play. My earliest memories was it never really got cold enough for the pond to freeze over here very much, but a lot of my buddies are on the east coast. And then after we saw the way the Threes really resonating with people, we continued down the path of we're absolutely going to be as authentic as possible to the sport which is what we focus on in the skating and hitting to really improve our gameplay.Д«ut then how do we move beyond these licenses that we have and the NHL and be more inclusive of hockey as it's played in all different forms around the world? What's that actually look like? You know, the NHL has the authentic version of outdoor hockey with the Winter Classic. So we want to try to lower that barrier of entry and that's where pond hockey came from. You know, as games have become sort of more complex as consoles have come through with more power and controllers now have more buttons, it's become like a barrier entry for a lot of people. And lower the barrier of entry into the experience as well. So, last year as it started with NHL 18, we started to look for opportunities to branch out and reach a wider audience and appeal to a wider audience. We're going to deliver that every single year. You know with an EA Sports game you're going to get to play with the real players, the real uniforms, the real arenas, and try to have as many of the details absolutely served on point. So if you go back even before we launched NHL 18.

Ramjagsingh: I think it's an evolution to be honest with you.

GameSpot: How long have you been planning this, and where did the idea come from? You can check out GameSpot's NHL 19 review here.

The interview is below, edited and condensed for clarity and brevity. We had a long chat about the origins of the mode, what forms of prototyping it went through, and how it might help the NHL franchise reach even more players. I recently had the opportunity to speak with senior producer Sean Ramjagsingh about pond hockey in NHL 19. The leaderboards reset every day, so you're encouraged to come back all the time. There are four different outdoor rinks, and you advance to the next one each time you win. It's all about keeping the puck, deking your opponents with skill moves, and scoring goals. Pond hockey is considered the purest form of the sport, and in NHL 19's pond hockey mode=, there are basically no rules and absolutely no whistles. Now Playing: NHL 19 World Of Chel Gameplay - Pond Hockey And 3-on-3ДЇans watch from the sidelines, shivering in winter jackets, while animals can be seen in the background. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's

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