Electronic Arts is seeing sales trending upward over last year for NHL 13 despite the League’s labor troubles, which have resulted in a lockout of the National Hockey League players by the owners. According to EA, NHL 13 is experiencing sales that are up 9% over last year, and NHL 13 posted the best first week launch sales numbers in the history of the franchise.

Fans might have decided that a purchase of NHL 13 would be in their best interest to get their hockey fix. As things stand right now, there appears to be no end in sight to the standoff, as both the owners and the players have not been at the table trying to find a solution in about a week. Both sides continue to blame the other for lack of progress in the talks.

Many fans, as well as some of the players, have commented that they believe that the entire 2012-13 hockey season will be lost by the lockout. NHL 13 might be the only hockey fans will see for some time. The good news is that the new features have made NHL 13 the best edition of the game so far in the franchise, and we have already had a lot of fun playing with it since we got it.