Franchise Hockey Manager Receives Major Update

Think player feedback doesn’t matter to video game developers? It does to OOTP Developments, as the company used suggestions from fans as a guide for what to include in the latest update to Franchise Hockey Manager. Chock full of new leagues, features and improvements, the 1.6.2 update is the largest OOTP has ever released for any of its sports sims.

Here’s a quick overview of what’s new:

• Rosters have been updated as of the March 5 trade deadline
• Four new playable leagues have been added, including the top Swiss league and the main Asian league, bringing FHM‘s total to 22
• Training and player development mechanics have been overhauled, complete with better feedback and a more informative training display
• More realism has been added to the hiring and firing of front office staff
• An added (and optional) “Blind Mode” has been included for people who prefer to have the players’ exact ratings hidden

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as OOTP says dozens of smaller tweaks have also been made. The full details are online in the Franchise Hockey Manager forum.

An improved match engine and tactical display are on the agenda for the game’s next update. OOTP is also gearing up to announce the exact release date for Out of the Park Baseball 15 and reveal some of the features coming in its mobile cousin, iOOTP Baseball 2014. Follow along on Twitter or Facebook to stay up to date on FHM, which is available now for PC and Mac.