Be A Pro is unplayable with multiple large issues
The developer team was on the right track with the changes made this year to the game mode but ultimately fell short in the execution. In this thread I will go over the issues I have noticed with many hours of play time as a multiple year experienced player. 1. The health feature. After each game your player gets fatigued or exhausted and you to spend 2-4 energy points to recover. That would not be an issue if we received more energy points. On average you play 3-4 games per week and you only get 6 energy points. Quite often you will find yourself running out of energy points before your last game of the week, forcing you to play super fatigued. This is very frustrating as you always fall behind the 8ball and it drops your speed, acceleration, endurance, agility and durability by 10-20 attribute ratings. During the season you never have any energy to spend on trait points, X-factor points, or the likability options. A good comparison of a health system that works is in EA's College Football games. In those games you don't have to spend all your points on health as you only play 1 game per week. They pretty much copied the same feature in NHL26, except it's the same amount of energy points but with way more games per week. It just does not add up... 2. Form score. The form score seems to only go by point productions from your player. It possibly may be ever so slightly tied to the coach feedback score, too hard to tell. Your player can play extremely well and get an " A " grade for the coach feedback, but since you did not score a goal or an assist, your form score will be only 20/100. If you are on a line with grinders (like an NHL 4th line), or just don't "finish" the play, you get penalized. The game requires you to have a high form score to make the NHL team, or move up the lineups. This also is a big problem for Defenseman or a 2-Way forward who doesn't prioritize a purely offensive game. 3. Gameplay sliders. The sliders that are set in settings get reset every time you play a game. Even if you set the sliders in settings before you start your Be A Pro, it will not work. Each game they have to be edited. 4. Draft stock media interview. The media interview right before draft day is absurd. It is not realistic at all to be able to drop 20 spots in the draft from answering questions that seem like a good response. A simple fix would be making the worst answer -1 draft stock, the best answer +1, and the 2nd best/worst being 0 change. Also, make it more apparent what your goal is (to answer questions closest to your higher likeability- being management, teammates, and brand). 5. Chapter challenges/lineup challenges. Unless your player goes on an offense masterclass in the pre-season, you will not make the NHL team. This goes back to #2, where I spoke about form score. It is not realistic to require such a high production to make the team. Second which, once sent down to the AHL, you have 8 games to maintain a 65 or higher line score. If you make the NHL team, you are stuck on the 4th line where you play only a few shifts per game (even on 20 minute periods). You do not have enough ice time to produce at the rate required to make the 3rd line. It's at the point where you need a higher points per 60 minute stat than the top players in the league to progress. As a defense player, this makes it absolutely impossible to move forward. The coach grade feedback also needs to be adjusted per ice time. You can have all your 4 shifts where you play well and go from the C- starting point, to a C+, which is never high enough to grow. If the developers can make the correct tweaks, this game mode has such good potential. I recommend either adding more energy points per week, or reduce the fatigue you gain per game you play. At the least, have a setting to turn off the health feature like in other EA sports games like CFB25/26. There also needs to be adjustment on the form score. It needs to be more related to your coach feedback and your player role/position. They needs to be tweaks for both of those metrics for the ice time you are allocated. Those simple fixes will make a massive difference in this game mode. I have not seen any player, YouTube, or Streamer happy with how this game mode plays and I have not heard any response from the EA team on this topic. Please give us hope for this game!
Fix Form Score
So, I’m trying to find nice and easy, low effort ways for you guys to fix the currently unplayable Be a Pro. And I think it boils down to the form score system. To get a good form score, you NEED to score goals. And to maintain the form score, you need to score goals literally every game. I’ve had streaks of 4 straight games of a 100 form score, then I have one game where I don’t score, and it drops below 70. Let’s just make this very clear. Not everyone wants to play a career mode where they score every single game and are the Jesus Christ of hockey. Some of us want a realistic career simulation where we score every now and again and slowly work our way up the lineup. BUT, to even be on the 4th line, you need A GOAL A GAME. The way you have Be a Pro designed, the players HAS to be the best player in the league every game or you get demoted. Fix. Your. Game. I refuse to wait until NHL 31 when you decide you fix a broken game mode and slap it on the cover as a new feature.
Updated: NHL Needs a Year Pass With PC Release – The Model That Out-Earns HUT
NHL should drop the outdated annual release with trickled out features and move to a Year Pass model that updates all season across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. One yearly payment, not monthly. Crossplay. Weekly updates and three big drops tied to the hockey calendar. Franchise and Be A Pro finally grow because there’s no yearly reset. Money Talk: Why Year Pass Beats HUT Assumptions Year Pass price 99 dollars Base case assumes 1.2 to 1.3 million Year Pass buyers Conservative case assumes 600 thousand Year Pass buyers Seasonal Pass is three drops at 20 dollars each per buyer These figures are illustrative and separate from HUT, which continues Base case, conservative math Year Pass subs 118 to 130 million Seasonal Passes three by twenty 21 to 24 million Creator Marketplace cosmetic mods broadcast packages goalie masks 15 million Team Partner Packs licensed intros songs jerseys 4 to 6 million Esports and sponsors 5 to 8 million Total 163 to 183 million before any HUT spend Conservative case Year Pass subs 59 to 60 million Seasonal Passes three by twenty 12 million Creator Marketplace 7 million Team Partner Packs 2 to 3 million Esports and sponsors 3 to 4 million Total 83 to 86 million before any HUT spend HUT continues as a primary driver. If current HUT brings in roughly 100 to 150 million on its own, the Year Pass model adds a new guaranteed revenue stream on top. In the base case it likely exceeds the annual model before counting HUT, and in the conservative case it meaningfully supplements HUT. Safe PC Release and Customization Freedom Fans want mods and editing. EA wants guaranteed revenue. Both can win. Unlocked editing attributes body size hair equipment all editable. No more grey silhouettes. Mods allowed for offline and presentation while the game requires an active Year Pass license to run. Server validated license. On boot the title checks EA servers. No sub equals locked title screen. Offline token grace period. Thirty days for legit offline play then a reconnect is required. Physical copies if sold are just installers. Subscription required to play. HUT remains server authoritative and protected with weekly ban waves. EA still gets paid every year even from offline only players who mod. Fans finally get the customization freedom they have asked for. HUT stays protected. What Fans Get This is not just about revenue. It is about finally delivering the hockey game fans have been asking for across forums Reddit and Discord for years. With a Year Pass model features stop disappearing and start stacking. The result is the most complete NHL game ever made. GM Connected returns. A true online franchise where up to 32 human GMs run teams make trades draft and play through multiple seasons without crashing or server issues. Because the Year Pass updates year round you experience the real NHL calendar. The Entry Draft in June. Free Agency in July. Training camps in September. Draft boards prospect interviews and live trade chatter between human GMs make it authentic. Roster share and full player editor. No more grey silhouettes. Every attribute equipment piece body size hairstyle facial hair and goalie mask editable. Unlimited created players. Community roster sharing allows NCAA KHL World Juniors Legends or Historic seasons to be uploaded and downloaded instantly. All Star international and specialty events. The hockey calendar finally feels alive. World Juniors in December. Olympic hockey every four years. PWHL integration for women’s hockey. Outdoor games like the Winter Classic and Stadium Series with unique crowd behavior and ice conditions. A fully playable All Star Skills Competition with hardest shot fastest skater accuracy shooting and breakaway challenge. Franchise mode depth and off ice culture. Practices that actually matter. Coaches with unique personalities and systems that affect morale and chemistry. Players with rivalries friendships and leadership qualities that impact performance. Realistic contracts including no trade clauses taxes and player mood. Off the ice NHL Network and TSN style studio panels debate your trades highlight rivalries and call out playoff collapses. Cutscenes show your GM at the draft table in pressers or in tense contract meetings. Player charity events award shows and trade deadline specials bring league culture to life. Be A Pro that feels alive. Draft day presentations locker room interactions and press conferences matter. Post game interviews affect reputation and endorsements. A social media feed filled with fan chatter highlight clips and TSN rumors responds to your play. Get traded and analysts debate it while fans boo or cheer. Award shows and off ice storylines give real progression. Smarter AI. No more lifeless teammates. AI runs real systems hockey. Penalty kill units collapse into diamonds versus a 1 3 1. Neutral zone traps finally look real. Puck battles net scrums and board play feel organic. Authentic skating and player identity. AI driven animations built from NHL EDGE and broadcast footage. McDavid’s hunched acceleration Eichel’s glide Matthews’ quick release Sorokin’s explosive pushes. Every player looks and plays like themselves updated throughout the season. Dynamic broadcast and presentation. Multiple commentary crews ESPN TNT Sportsnet regionals. Pre game panels preview matchups intermissions show highlights from around the league and post game wrap ups react to storylines. If Ovechkin is chasing Gretzky the studio debates it before puck drop crowds buzz when he hits the ice and broadcasters celebrate the record when he breaks it. Legends and Era modes. Relive Gretzky’s Oilers the 90s Red Wings the 2000s Devils with retro overlays and authentic commentary references. Entire historic seasons or drop Legends into Franchise. Fighting emotion and atmosphere. A fighting engine with context. A fight after a dirty hit boosts energy. Players smash sticks after bad calls chirp in scrums and pull off signature celebrations. Crowds chant boo rivals and erupt during milestones. Why Fans Stay Engaged Year Round With a Year Pass model NHL does not go dark after the Cup Final. Instead the game stays alive through the entire off season. NHL Draft. A full authentic draft experience in June with cutscenes draft boards prospect interviews and trade chatter. Most first round prospects are face scanned and in the game at release with updates for the new class added immediately after. Free agency and off season moves. In July live updates roll out for big signings and trades. Studio panels and commentary debate roster moves like TSN or NHL Network. Training camps and rookie showcases. September brings prospect tournaments pre season camp battles and cutscenes around players making or missing the team. Season kickoff buzz. The NHL and NHLPA marketing push in October ties into the game. New intros presentation updates and live content drops make it feel like a fresh new season starting not just a stale roster update. This way fans stay hooked all summer. Franchise players immerse themselves in the league calendar. Be A Pro players live through the draft and free agency drama. Online GMs in Connected Leagues negotiate and trade through the off season. When the puck drops in October the game already feels hot with buzz from real world hockey. For the first time NHL does not just feel like a video game. It feels like being inside hockey twelve months a year. Why This Works for EA Guaranteed revenue. Every player must renew each year. PC adds new markets. Even 300 thousand PC subs equals about 27 to 30 million extra at 99 dollars. Offline depth improves retention. Franchise and Be A Pro players stick around longer and are more likely to try HUT. No cracks or free play. License validation with offline tokens controls piracy while respecting legit offline users. HUT strengthened. Bundled cosmetics and event rewards increase engagement without breaking the economy. Bottom Line This model makes more money than the annual release alone brings in new fans through PC and finally delivers the complete hockey game. EA wins with guaranteed revenue a bigger player base and a stronger HUT. Fans win with full customization mods offline depth and no more resets. This is how NHL stops feeling like a side project and starts leading sports gaming again.
NHL 26 early wishlist (let’s make NHL great again)
First off I will say nhl 25 is actual a huge step up im liking it so far , but it’s missing some details to feel complete.. full presentation needs to return and add more to what we had in the past games In edit player menu have the ability to change the color of sticks and gloves (nhl 2k had this) and now players have been customizing their own as well. Customizable tape job (adjust length on shaft and blade and not have it preset) And add the ability to edit goalie masks. hitting and collisions need to be tweaked to more realism. Franchise: be able to control more than one team able to scout and sign players from other leagues(I.E europe) Real coaches or at least customizable coaches A customizable GM character, have conversations be shown like it is in fifa where your Gm Meets the player. office similarly to dynasty mode in nhl 2004 On the hub where we get details of what went on in other games we can see highlights (either by clip or a screen shot) with description such as ‘stamkos nets a hat trick in last nights win’ and a small clip or screen shot showing stamkos scoring his 3rd goal. Be a pro: change up the whole be a pro game mode make it more like life the life. ability to use NhL players to continue their career or an nhl legend Street clothes for off days and make it interactive. If I buy a condo or a house i want to actualy see my self living in it. Same with the car we get, be able to drive around (a small map) and not just be a attribute boost. Pond hockey pick up games you can walk to or drive to when you leave your ‘house’ Call it a ‘hall of fame room’ similar to skybox 2k had in nhl2k5 where you had the Stanley cup and other interactive stuff and unlockables. Be able to decide to start from being drafted at 18 or create a 30 year old forward who just signed with an nhl team etc.. more interactive with teammates and coaches and GM list of teams you want to be traded to etc.. extras add winter classic and all star game (skills + game) both as a play now mode and also in franchise and be a pro. player retiring playing their last game get a ovation from crowd. Announce the player will retire 1 game before their last skate with the cup (playoff mode, season mode , franchise and be a pro) Tweak the fighting engine and allow more than one fight happening at once. this is a lot of an ask, but if we can get half of these implemented we are definitely heading Into greatness with NhL games.Be a Pro Unplayable
EA, as a loyal player who buys your game at launch every year, I am BEGGING you to take a look at this new Be a Pro mode. This has been my favorite mode in the game for over a decade, and I was beyond excited for this new overhaul. I've put about 8 hours into it so far, and it has been the most agonizing 8 hours of any EA sports game I've ever played. Here is why: After scoring 12 points in the Memorial Cup championship, my draft stock tanks to 8th in during the draft interview for choosing very basic answers like "I look forward to playing at the NHL level" and "I want to go to a team with a broader fanbase". For some reason, choosing very normal answers to general questions destroys your draft score. With your new energy points system, the player HAS to spend all 5 points on Health unless they want to take 15 second shifts before running out of energy completely. Even with health on full, the player's stamina runs out typically around 20 seconds. After scoring 8 points in 7 games in the preseason, I am demoted to the AHL. Look up playthroughs on YouTube. Almost every player experiences something similar. The player has a better preseason than Bedard or Celebrini, and gets sent down to the AHL. After getting promoted back to the NHL, despite playing with 10 minute periods, each game I have been given no more than 2 SHIFTS A GAME. And, because you've made stamina decrease at an utterly ridiculous rate, my 2 shifts are each 15 seconds long. I get about 30 seconds of time on ice per game. After only getting 30 seconds of time on ice per game, I go back to the menu where I get barraged by audio clips and headlines of how I'm playing so poorly and have no excuse. Gameplay sliders, the one hope for fixing some of these issues, DO NOT SAVE in be a pro. They reset every game. To even be able to PLAY Be a Pro in NHL 26, you have to play at least 2 difficulty levels down. If you are not scoring multiple points a game, you are given no ice time and will get demoted to the AHL. Even if you ARE scoring multiple goals a game, if you also get scored on while you're on the ice, congrats, AHL. EA, please fix this. Your be a pro in its current state is borderline sadistic. It is downright hostile to the player. I'm not asking for much here. Making stamina somewhat realistic could be a simple step to fix all of these issues. Even if you fix nothing else, just being able to make my 2 shifts per game 40 seconds long as opposed to 20 could give me the opportunity to do well enough to earn realistic ice time.
Penalties still not fixed
It is kinda unacceptable that a hockey sim, which has a base code that is anything but new, has been out nearly 2 months and the dev team can still not figure out something that its predecessors have had figured out for years. Why, 2 months in to a hockey sim's release, do we still not have any idea why penalties and stick infractions will not be called? Why are the gameplay sliders constantly resetting? Why is there a conflict between the main menu settings and the settings you experience in individual modes like BAP? Why does a person with literally 1 step of skate distance absolutely obliterate someone with a body check? Why did you sell us NHL Hitz. We bought NHL 26. What is the timetable for this to be resolved? When do you start issuing refunds? You didn't give us what you promised. Why is this ok?Form score after patch
Form score still sucks, I hate playing a decent game and getting a 50 form score and failing a challenge because of it. I don’t want to be “hockey’s chosen one” and score a goal a game as an 80 ovr rookie….. this is the biggest issue with be a pro and needs to be figured out, I want to play this game mode so bad but can’t crack the roster unless you’re scoring every GD game.
EA NHL 26 CHEL WOC IS A JOKE
I'm a franchise player who now tried CHEL because franchise mode is completely forgotten... nothing worth it cuz no one BUYS anything there. Well tried CHEL and got run over by overpowered "enforcer" all the time, got mad and created the worst enforcer you've ever met… ran over EVERYTHING, hit someone and when I still had the puck I continued to run over him again and again when he was on his way up without penalty 😂😂😂 Reverse hit players on faceoff, reversehit everybody that come close to me, if they try to poke check me RUN OVER THEM 😂Late hits all the time no penalty, if you got penaltys you can almost run over everybody without extra penalty minutes (yeah sometimes but not often)😂 this game mode is soooooo BAD!!!!!! Reverse hit big players so they just fly away like kids… soooo realistic woooow EA New update hitting is nerfed…. BUT i pay so i win, ”taaaadaaaaa” Sudden death enforcer 92 speed 99 in all power just kill everybody, how dumb can a game be??? Pokecheck and sticklift helloooooo are you there?!?!?!??!? NOOO not at all but we have alot of glitch goal 😂😂😆😆🤮🤮 ICE-Q blaaa blaaa blaaa goalie can’t save anything i score bad backhands on them with 73 in shooting accuracy CHEL 3v3 Is that a floorball mode that is completely useless? full speed upp, full speed down… glitch goal, glitch goal, glitch goal 🤮🤮🤮 every game has to end like a Mighty Ducks movie…. two seconds left “he shoots, he scores” Welcome to NHL fortnite hahahaha EA has completely lost it, X-factor is everything ooooh yeah and money of course, They no longer care about what people want. Bought the expensive version of the game because I wanted to play Franchise mode... then the game mode was broken for three weeks, when I complained I was treated badly. No compensation not even an apology!?!?!? THANK YOU EA!!!! Last time I spend money on an EA game. For six years I have written realistic wish lists for franchisemode, things that I have also seen others ask for…. but nooooooooo it is more important to give us “state and federal tax” Well well hope you HUT and CHEL players "invest" your money well 😂😂😂😂😂 BAP was almost perfect five years ago but they change it too crap and now they try to save it but it gonna be this bad now for five years again. 3-4 games going to overtime 3-3 games can be a win or a lost you join they show as a 16 year old kid WOOOOOW EA GREAT JOB 💪🤘👍👍👍
Will there be a BAP fix?
Weeks have gone by and nothing. Will this game mode actually be fixed or are we just duped of our money? Form score and challenges is still a broken mess and only works for if your playing as some wonderkid archetype playthrough. 4th line playtime is still broken and you get stuck with 2-3 minutes of icetime even if you play full 20min periods. Also you get stuck in the same boring game loop where you are just under the required form score in the preseason and you get sent down to AHL, only to get sent up again after a evaluation period to be stuck playing 2-3 minutes a night on 4th line. Completely destroying your rookie season with no chance of calder trophy etc. That's not how hockey works. If a GM decides a prospect needs time in the minors to evolve with top line minutes. They wouldn't just go "Let's bring him back to NHL and let him grind out 2-3 minutes a night on the 4th line for the rest 72 games of the season." after a couple of games. The whole game mode is out of touch and this new form score challenges brings it even further from realism.