Xbox Game Pass Adds NHL 24 On EA Play, Plus Three Surprises On PC

Hands up, who's in the mood for playoff hockey this weekend?! The NHL playoffs officially begin this Saturday, April 20th, and two days ahead of that date, EA is treating us to NHL 24 on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

The game will be added for console players later today, probably somewhere around 10am PDT / 1pm EDT / 6pm BST. If you're not a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber but you do have EA Play, you'll get access to it as well.

We've also got a few EA Play surprises for PC Game Pass members this week, as three old titles have begun showing up on the Xbox app for PC. These games are Populous: The Beginning, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack and Sim City 3000 Unlimited, all of which were technically added to EA Play for PC members back in late March, but they're only becoming properly visible for PC Game Pass members right now.

We've tested each of these and two of them are working fine, but Populous: The Beginning currently isn't available to download for some reason. It seems it's just a temporary glitch, so keep trying if you want to play it!

We'll throw more details about each of these new EA Play additions down below:

NHL 24 (Xbox Game Pass)

EA SPORTS™ NHL 24’s all-new gameplay features bring authentic on-ice action to life. Experience the rush and fatigue of a high-pressure game with the Exhaust Engine, where sustained pressure in the attack zone leads to new game-changing effects like goalie fatigue that slows the netminder’s reaction time the more they get worn down with offensive action; change the momentum with Physics-Based Contact as you break the glass and send players into the bench with big body checks; and get unparalleled player command with the new Vision Passing System and Total Control Skill Moves.

Populous: The Beginning (PC Game Pass)

In the third part of the Populous series, you control your shaman and the tribe of her followers in a difficult quest to conquer all 25 planets of a star system and ascend to godhood.

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack (PC Game Pass)

Mankind begins its most monumental task: the colonization of space. A crew of internationally renowned scientists and security strategists, with wide-ranging convictions and diverse ethics, embarks on a mission that will change the world. One Planet. Seven unique factions. Which will you lead? Each faction has its own agenda, each leader a final goal. You must play to each strength and exploit each hidden weakness in your quest to rule the future.

Sim City 3000 Unlimited (PC Game Pass)

Sim City 3000 Unlimited brings you the classic strategy gaming of Sim City 3000 with all-new scenarios that open up a whole world of city planning and building possibilities! The thrills of the classic Sim City 3000 are here again!

Interested in any of these? Will you be dropping the puck with NHL 24 on Xbox? Tell us below.