In a surprising turn of events, Sega and Sports Interactive have announced the cancellation of Football Manager 25 across all platforms. This marks the first time the popular sports simulation series, which started in 2004, has skipped a year entirely. The decision comes after a challenging development period, particularly in transitioning to the Unity game engine, where issues with the player experience and interface persisted.
The cancellation was disclosed during Sega Sammy Holdings' latest financial report, which also included a writedown of costs related to the game. Sports Interactive emphasized that the decision followed "extensive internal discussion and careful consideration" with parent company Sega. IGN confirmed that no job roles were affected by this decision.
Sports Interactive has also confirmed that there will be no update for Football Manager 24 with the 2024/25 season data, as it would detract from the critical resources needed for the development of future releases. The developer is currently negotiating with platform holders and licensors about extending the FM24 agreements on services like Game Pass.
FM25 had faced two delays prior to its cancellation, with the latest delay pushing its release to March 2025. Now, Sports Interactive is redirecting its efforts towards Football Manager 26, aiming for a traditional November release.
In a heartfelt message to fans, Sports Interactive expressed regret for letting down those who had pre-ordered FM25 and announced that refunds are available. They acknowledged the disappointment, especially after multiple delays and the anticipation surrounding the first gameplay reveal. The team cited stakeholder compliance, including legal and financial regulations, as the reason for the delay in announcing this decision.
Sports Interactive had envisioned FM25 as a significant technical and visual leap for the series, setting the foundation for a new era. However, despite their efforts, unforeseen challenges meant that the game did not meet the desired standards in several areas, particularly the player experience and interface. Extensive evaluations, including consumer playtesting, confirmed the direction but highlighted that the game was not yet up to the mark.
The developer considered releasing FM25 in its current state with post-launch fixes, but ultimately decided against it, believing it was not the right approach. A release beyond March was deemed too late in the football season to justify another purchase later in the year.
With the cancellation of FM25, Sports Interactive is now fully focused on ensuring that the next release, Football Manager 26, meets their high standards and delivers the quality that fans expect. They promised to keep fans updated on their progress as soon as possible.
In their message, Sports Interactive thanked fans for their patience and continued support, reaffirming their commitment to creating a new era for Football Manager.
