Feedback Regarding NHL 26 – Be A Pro Mode & Gameplay Realism
Hello,
I would like to provide some constructive feedback regarding NHL 26, especially focused on Be A Pro and overall gameplay realism. I enjoy the series and hope these notes can help improve future updates or future game versions.
Be A Pro difficulty is still too easy even on the highest settings
Even with: the hardest difficulty, manual aiming, iconic passing OFF
…it is still very easy to score extremely high point totals (for example over 100 goals and 70 assists in ~60–70 games on a rookie season).
AI defense tends to break down when the player is skilled, which makes the mode lose its challenge.
A more adaptive defensive AI or a higher “simulation-focused” difficulty level could significantly improve immersion.
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Game speed is too fast & shot totals are unrealistic
In real hockey, even top forwards rarely reach 10+ shots per game.
In Be A Pro, it is common to see:
20+ shots per game
extremely fast transitions
very quick turns
A “Realistic / Simulation” difficulty preset with:
slower movement
slower turns
more structured AI defending
more realistic puck battles
…would make the mode feel much closer to authentic hockey.
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Excessive number of checks and hits
Hits are dramatically overrepresented for both CPU and the human player.
In my own seasons it is possible to reach over 700 hits in one season, which is far beyond realistic.
Lowering hit frequency by ~50% on simulation difficulty would help a lot.
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Too many injuries and unnecessary fights
There are currently:
too many injuries
too many fights
excessive “big hit” animations
I know some players enjoy this arcade style, so I am not suggesting removing fights or big hits entirely.
But for a simulation-focused difficulty, it would make sense to reduce:
fights by ~50%
big hits by ~50%
…and replace some of that with better defensive AI positioning and stick play rather than constant heavy collisions.
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Improvement suggestion for X-Factor progression
Currently in Be A Pro, players can choose multiple X-Factors freely, which sometimes leads to unrealistic attribute combinations.
A more immersive system could be:
The primary X-Factor is chosen "manually" (as in NHL 26).
The secondary and tertiary X-Factors unlock automatically based on the player’s actual in-game playstyle.
Examples:
Frequent tight turns, agility and edgework unlock Elite Edges.
Heavy hitting unlocks Truculence.
Playmaking unlocks passing / vision X-Factors.
Shooting focus unlocks shooting X-Factors.
This would make progression more natural and reward authentic gameplay habits without the need to min-max manually.
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Summary
A new Realistic / Simulation difficulty or gameplay preset — slower, more realistic, with fewer big hits and a smarter AI — would greatly improve the experience for players who prefer authentic hockey.
Be A Pro especially would benefit from more challenge, better defensive AI and a more organic X-Factor progression system.
Thank you for your time and for continuing to develop the NHL series.
I hope these suggestions are helpful for future improvements.
