PUCKOFF: RELOADED Hits Xbox Series X|S and PC With Play Anywhere Couch Co-Op

TheXboxHub reports that the game is bringing its brand of no-rules hockey to Xbox Series X|S and PC for £12.49, with Xbox Play Anywhere support. In the US, Microsoft's Xbox Store lists it at $14.99. That's a regional price, not a conflict between sources. The price could change, so check your own region's storefront before buying.

What's actually launching​

Microsoft's own launch-week roundup confirmed the timing. Xbox Wire's "Next Week on Xbox" post for September 28 to October 2 listed PUCKOFF: RELOADED – October 1 XBOX Play Anywhere and called it the latest, and greatest, version of the (in)famous game, PUCKOFF, previously available only for personal computers. Pure Xbox also included it among the more than 15 games released on Xbox on October 1.

Here's what's confirmed:

• Developer and publisher: Kuura Playhouse Oy, according to the Xbox Store listing
• Release date: October 1, 2026
• Platforms on the Xbox listing: PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and handheld
• US price: $14.99. TheXboxHub reports £12.49 in the UK
• US rating: Teen, with a violence descriptor. Ratings in other regions may differ
• Store genre tags: Sports and Fighting. That second tag tells you what kind of hockey this is

One small oddity: when the US Store page was retrieved, it still showed a "Pre-order" button even though it lists October 1 as the release date. Microsoft's "Games coming soon" page also showed PUCKOFF: RELOADED $14.99 PRE-ORDER. Storefront labels often take a few hours to update on launch day, and TheXboxHub says the game is now available. If your console still shows a pre-order button, try again later in the day.

In short: this is a paid release on Xbox and PC, the date is confirmed by Microsoft, and the price you pay depends on your region.

The pitch: hockey with the guardrails removed​

The Store description tells the story. You start as a total newbie and work on your skills and attitude to meet with the mythical terrorizer, Dominator. Along the way you build your team of has-beens and legends while learning different playstyles to defeat a plethora of colorful characters around the globe. Your helpers include the cheerful Sarah, beer-league goalie Eddie, and a grumpy Coach who's seen it all.

TheXboxHub contrasts the game with polished simulations like NHL 27. That's a fair way to set expectations, but it's a description of the game's tone, not a measured comparison. Keep in mind that everything above comes from the publisher's own Store copy, not an independent review.

Why the multiplayer list matters​

For anyone with a living room and three friends, the useful part of the Xbox listing is the capabilities section. It confirms:

Same-screen sports games have become surprisingly rare, so four-player split-screen is a real selling point here. The listing doesn't mention online multiplayer, so don't buy expecting online matchmaking. Five accessibility features are listed but not named, and we won't guess what they are.

The US listing also says the game is cloud playable with Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate, but a game purchase is required. In other words, the subscription lets you stream a copy you've bought; it doesn't include the game. One third-party October roundup listed the title under Game Pass catalog additions. Microsoft's own listing shows a paid purchase, and that's the one to trust.

From Steam to the Xbox rink​

The original PuckOFF came out on Steam on May 13, 2022, also from Kuura Playhouse. Steam's version history shows the campaign grew in stages through 2022: Nordic countries, then China and Russia, then a North America update that wrapped up the base story with the Dominator showdown. A control-scheme update in October 2024 added "classic" NHL-style controls. Reception was modest: Steam rates it "Mixed," with 64% of 25 user reviews positive.

So what's actually new in RELOADED? The developer's own social posts give the best clue. Kuura said one of the biggest issues with the original PuckOFF was motion sickness from the camera and controls that felt unintuitive to players used to NHL-style controls. The studio said that in RELOADED, the camera is less cinematic, but turning and hitting feels more natural. It was also open about trimming plans: it had big plans to add variety of minigames, but decided to get the game out there first with the refined gameplay.

That's useful context, but it's the developer describing its own work. Nobody has independently tested whether the motion-sickness fix works. Don't assume every feature of the original Steam game carries over unchanged, such as its 32-country tournament mode or its roughly 100 skills. The Xbox listing doesn't confirm them.

The developer's teaser also lists PlayStation 5 as a target platform, and several game databases list a PS5 version. This launch is still the first time the series has appeared on Xbox.

In short: RELOADED reworks a niche Steam game from 2022. The developer says it targeted the original's biggest complaints, the camera and the controls, and pushed planned extra content past launch.

What Play Anywhere means here​

Xbox Play Anywhere is the label that matters most for Windows players. It lets one digital purchase cover both Xbox and PC, and with cloud saves listed, your progress should follow you between console and PC. The listing also includes handheld devices, which fits Microsoft's push to blur the line between Xbox and Windows PCs.

A caution for PC players: the Windows requirements published on Steam belong to the original PuckOFF (Windows 10, 8 GB RAM minimum, GTX 560-class graphics). The RELOADED requirements on the Microsoft Store may differ, so check them yourself before assuming your old laptop can run it.

Should you lace up?​

Here's an honest assessment based on the available evidence and general industry experience:

Reasons to be interested:

• Four-player local co-op and multiplayer on one screen, which few sports games offer anymore
• One purchase covers Xbox and PC through Play Anywhere, with cloud saves
• Low price compared with full-priced sports games
• The developer is openly addressing the original's camera and control complaints

Reasons to wait:

• No independent reviews of RELOADED yet
• The original had a small, mixed reception on Steam
• Planned minigames were cut from launch
• Online play isn't listed

It's an odd, rough indie game, and that seems to be the point. If NHL's realism has started to feel like homework, a cheap couch brawler on skates might be a good change. Just know you're buying something chaotic, not a polished sim.

Is PUCKOFF: RELOADED the couch-co-op surprise of October or a penalty-box regret? If you try it, tell other players in the forum's Xbox gaming and Play Anywhere threads. First-hand reports on the new camera and how split-screen performs on Series S would be especially useful.