Franchise Hockey Manager is back for the 2021-22 season. Out of the Park Developments’ hockey strategy game returns with a number of new additions. Franchise Hockey Manager 8 allows players to choose one of dozens of leagues around the world and select a team to guide to glory.
This includes the NHL where you can guide a team to Lord Stanley’s Cup, or try to capture international supremacy. Historical games are also available to choose from. FHM8 allows users to begin in any year in NHL history dating back to 1917.
Franchise Manager 8 All-New Features
- New Financial Options: Build a legacy with the new financial system, allowing for much more control over budget and operations.
- Make On-Ice Decisions: New on-ice decisions allows for more influence over players’ choices.
- Release the Kraken: Draft own version of the expansion Seattle Kraken or enter the league with their real lineup.
- In-Game Feedback: Alter players’ styles and tactics in response to game events.
- Let the Rumors Fly: New rumors, news stories, and stats reveal hockey world.
- Find Your Future: Revamped scouting reports help find future stars.
- Updated for 2021-22: Fans are back in the stands. Included with fully-updated rosters, teams, leagues, and stats for the ’21-’22 season.
Other Additions
- Realistic Historical Background: Junior, College, and European leagues in historical games have been significantly fleshed out. Young players will no longer just be free agents before they’re signed or drafted. The Sponsorship/Affiliate system that was used by the NHL up until the 1960’s is now simulated as well.
- Build Youth Systems: European teams now able to take steps to improve the quality of the young players entering their youth systems.
- Adjustable Trade Difficulty: Trading difficulty can now be adjusted. Allows for easier or more difficult trade negotiations (or nearly impossible ones).
- More Postgame Feedback: New postgame analysis screen points out the good, the bad, and the ugly of both teams’ performances.
- Improved 2D Mode: The 2D game system has undergone many changes: improved player behavior, animation, and statistical output. Also received some new graphics and animations.
- Watch Highlights: 2D Mode now has a “highlights” option that’ll allow players to view only the game’s key moments (or just the goals).
- New Customization Options: Custom games can now add tournaments that allow the participation of teams from multiple leagues. Can add new leagues after the game has started.
- Your Own Notepad: Players now have a user-editable “Notes” view. This can be used to record notes, reminders, etc.
- Hockey Cards: Added new “hockey card” style for displaying player portraits on some screens.
*Also a variety of smaller and internal changes, tweaks, database changes, and interface improvements*
Franchise Hockey Manager 8 has a planned release of October 26 on Steam.
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