EA announced today a first for any hockey game. As Dean Richards, EA Sports' General Manager noted in a press release, "This year we are very excited to continue our effort of creating a more representative experience for female hockey fans by adding two of the greatest female athletes to ever play the game in Wickenheiser and Ruggiero to NHL 13."
The two stars, Hayley Wickenheiser and Angela Ruggiero, are of the women's national teams for Canada and the US respectively. They're set to appear in the game's "Be a Legend" mode.
The mode has gamers play as just that, players considered to be among the best to play the game of hockey. Wickenheiser and Ruggiero will appear alongside greats like Wayne Gretzkey, Mario Lemieux, and others.
Gamers could create female characters in last year's NHL 12, but this is the first time that the franchise has featured the actual likenesses of any female character.
Last year, gamers were given the chance to play as female hockey players in NHL 12's "Be A Pro" mode. But the athletes were all user-created. NHL 13 will feature the full likenesses of both stars, who have both won four medals in Olympic competition.
A three-time Olympic gold medalist, Wickenheiser said in a statement provided by EA Sports, "The EA Sports NHL franchise took a big step last year by including female characters to create a more inclusive experience for female hockey fans. I'm excited to be a part of NHL 13 and hope that the addition of women's hockey legends will encourage greater participation in hockey from young women everywhere."
Wickenheiser was the first female professional at a position other than goalie. Also an Olympian (has one gold, two silvers and a bronze), Ruggiero played professional in the Western Women's Hockey League and Canadian Women's Hockey League following a college career at Harvard.
NHL 13 releases Sept. 11 in North America and Sept. 14 in Europe.