It’s almost time for a new chapter as the NHL 23 EA Play Trial countdown ticks away, and this special 10 hour preview will provide full access to the game.
We’ve got details on the official NHL 23 Trial Release Time and how players can preload on Xbox to play as soon as it arrives.
NHL 23 Trial Countdown: Release Time & Date
If you haven’t yet secured a pre order of NHL 23 and are still on the fence about buying this year’s installment, the first chance to test it out is almost here.
As has become standard practice for all major EA Sports titles, the NHL 23 Trial will be exclusive to EA Play subscribers (included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate).
PRE ORDER NOW: Secure your copy of NHL 23 before it arrives
The worldwide NHL 23 release date is set for Friday, October 14, 2022, but players can hop in and try things out even earlier with the EA Play Trial.
At the same time as Early Access kicks off for the NHL 23 X-Factor Edition, the NHL 23 EA Play Trial will go live on Tuesday, October 11, 2022.
Store listings have a Midnight ET launch listed, which would be 11pm CT on Monday, October 10, 2022and we expect the Trial will be playable by then if not earlier in the day.
NHL 23 EA Play Trial Countdown
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You can use the countdown clock above to see how far away the NHL 23 Trial release time currently is, but it’s possible it’ll hit even sooner.
The Madden 23 Trial went live about 12 hours earlier than it was expected to, so there’s always a chance the NHL 23 Trial becomes available midday on October 10.
How to preload NHL 23 before the EA Play Trial unlocks
If you’re hoping to download the trial ahead of time and make sure you’ve got it ready the second it unlocks, there’s good news and bad news.
The bad news is for PlayStation users on PS4 and PS5, as there won’t be an option to preload NHL 23 unless you pre order the X-Factor Edition, and even then it’s unclear when that preload will go live.
However, players on Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S are able to use the Xbox mobile app to download NHL 23 to your console right now.
Make sure you’ve linked the mobile app to your console and allowed remote downloads, then search for NHL 23 like seen above and tap “Download to Console.”
Make sure you’ve freed up some room ahead of time as the download can delay or need a few minutes before it’s tried again if you don’t have room on your console.
NHL 23 comes in at 37.49 GB on Xbox Series X|S this year, which is fairly reasonable considering the massive size of titles like NBA 2K23.
After the NHL 23 Trial does launch, simply find it in the store and “purchase” for free like you normally would, and the pre-installed version will unlock.