No Exact Match in WOC... LOL

But dont worry this game is monetized out the wazoo. Its such a sad state of affairs for this game. Why are functions that were in the game in prior years not around? Lets see what claude says!

Here's a solid overview of how EA NHL sales have trended over the last decade or so:

The Peak Era (2010–2013)

The franchise hit its commercial zenith in the early 2010s. NHL 12 set a franchise sales record, selling 451,000 copies in its first week and topping $27 million in worldwide retail receipts — a 19% increase year-over-year. GameSpot NHL 13 in 2012 also broke opening week records by selling nearly 500,000 copies at launch. The Hockey Writers

The Decline (2014–2016)

Sales fell sharply when the new console generation (PS4/Xbox One) arrived. NHL 15 launched without many beloved features and was widely criticized. Fan sentiment soured significantly, and the franchise struggled to recover its earlier momentum.

A Modest Stabilization (2017–2022)

The series maintained a loyal but smaller fanbase. As of 2019, the franchise had sold more than 12 million lifetime units Fandom — modest compared to EA's other sports titles. NHL is likely the lowest-selling product under the EA Sports umbrella, with FIFA/EA Sports FC and Madden taking much larger chunks of sales and thus development budgets. New Game Network

Recent Years (2023–2025)

NHL 25 debuted at #9 in US dollar sales in September 2024, Game World Observer which reflects a respectable but niche position. However, the community is increasingly frustrated. After two consecutive years of underwhelming innovation, critics have argued that the annual release model needs to be reconsidered, as there is rarely enough new content to justify a full-price purchase each year. Insidehockey NHL 25 has been described by many fans as the most minimal-effort release since NHL 15. EA Forums

The Big Picture

Yes, sales are broadly down from the franchise's peak. The core issues are:

No competition — 2K stopped making NHL games after losing money, leaving EA as the sole option, which reduces urgency to innovate

Fan frustration — recurring complaints about stale gameplay, bugs, and a heavy focus on monetization through Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) packs have eroded goodwill

The franchise is still profitable enough for EA to keep releasing annually, but it's a far cry from the heights of NHL 12 and 13.