For the first time in the history of video gaming, a professional sports game will feature actual female players. The watershed moment comes by way of EA Sports latest NHL video game NHL 13. The news was revealed earlier this week by the Redwood City, California based company who also has a team of developers based out of Burnaby, B.C.
The move comes one year after the option to create a female player was added to EA’s 2012 version of the game. According to the FP, the company received a letter from a 14 year old girl in Buffalo, New York. The girl expressed that she was a big fan of the game series and NHL but was disappointed that she was unable to create herself within the game. Female characters were quickly added to the player creation option in the game by way of downloadable option.
The two players that were added include Canada’s greatest female player ever; Hayley Wickenheiser as well as U.S. Olympian Angela Ruggiero. Both of the players will be added in a new game feature that allows users to play with former “Legend” characters. The ladies find themselves in rare company including the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and former Leafs great Doug Gilmour.
Wickenheiser has won an impressive six world championships and three Olympic gold medals winning MVP in the 2002 and 2006 tournaments. She is also the first female player ever to record a point in a professional men’s league.
The move has received widespread acclaim and positive feedback on social media outlets says game producer Sean Ramjagsingh. It is also sure to inspire a generation of young female athletes who can play as their heroes for the first time thanks to EA sports.
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