Sports Interactive and Sega have announced the cancellation of Football Manager 25 across all platforms. This marks the first time the long-running series has skipped a year since its 2004 debut. The decision follows significant challenges encountered during development, primarily related to the transition to the Unity game engine. The developers aimed for a "generational leap" in visuals and technology, but ultimately fell short of their own quality standards, particularly regarding the player experience and user interface.
Despite two prior delays, internal assessments and playtesting revealed the game wasn't ready for release. Releasing a subpar product, or delaying further into the football season, were deemed unacceptable. The company is offering refunds to those who pre-ordered FM25.
The focus has now shifted to Football Manager 26, slated for a November release. Sports Interactive is also exploring options to extend its FM24 agreements with platform holders and licensors for subscription services like Game Pass. No job losses are anticipated as a result of the cancellation. The developers emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games and apologized for the disappointment caused by the cancellation.
