NHL One

Of course that's a working title because it's supposed to be new and it isn't owned by Microsoft, but that's the idea.

I just feel like EA is missing out on a lot of customers because people who buy their games can only play with other people who have the same version.  As a result most people who play online don't play with people they know irl.  Because their friends who don't play as often as them aren't going to buy the game just for them.

If it was one game, that would be different.  Just one game, and the DLC for both roster and gameplay updates.  The gameplay (and/or graphics engine) doesn't cost more in terms of what you pay the artists to keep the rosters updated with new models every year and vice versa.  One isn't needed for the other.  But obviously if you want to play online with someone else you have to have both the same roster and gameplay updates, meaning the people like me (before gamepass) who hadn't bought a copy since 08, would regularly get the new one, because it would be less often and a finished product.  But also, if My buddy wanted to play NHL with me and I only had 08 and he made more money than me, he'd likely get the old version and roster, and then (in at least some cases) would convince me whilst doing so to get the newer version.

... I mean, if you count 08 as in a few years and it happened the same amount of time after.  But that's the thing.  We're all going to get the new one if it's cheaper to update it every year and when it is more expensive we can be more confident that it's a finished product that we're getting)

Also, that means that you could update each mode of the game separately, because the people who aren't playing online (and don't have gamepass) just aren't playing.  For instance, I'm sure there are plenty of people who work for EA who want to write a full hockey RPG that would make everyone forget about what Be a Pro is now.  Because you're in Vancouver.  I mean, you must be aware that BaP players have been yearning for years for any changes whatsoever.  But that's not where you get your money.  It could be though, if you let the people who are good at that part do their jobs and just basically use your engine for the combat mechanics.  If you only had the one game you could sell that as DLC (I mean, depending on the scope for the same price as a full game, but I'm not quite that hopefully about the scope)