Football Manager 25 Cancellation: Dev Issues Apology to Fans

Sega and Sports Interactive have made the tough decision to cancel Football Manager 25 across all platforms, marking the first time the renowned sports simulation series has missed a yearly release since its inception in 2004. This cancellation comes after a challenging development cycle, particularly during the transition to the Unity game engine, where issues with the player experience and interface proved to be significant hurdles.

The news was announced alongside Sega Sammy Holdings' latest financial results, which included a write-down of costs related to the game. The decision to cancel was reached after “extensive internal discussion and careful consideration” with parent company Sega, as stated by Sports Interactive in a heartfelt blog post to fans. Sega has assured IGN that no job roles were affected by this decision.

Sports Interactive also confirmed that there will not be an update for Football Manager 24 with the 2024/25 season data, as it would detract from the resources needed to fully focus on the development of future releases. The studio is currently negotiating with platform holders and licensors to possibly extend the FM24 agreements on subscription services like Game Pass.

Football Manager 25 faced two delays prior to its eventual cancellation, with the most recent delay pushing the release to March 2025. Sports Interactive has now shifted its focus to Football Manager 26, aiming for a release in the traditional November slot.

Addressing those who pre-ordered FM25, Sports Interactive expressed deep regret for the disappointment, stating, “For the large numbers of you who pre-ordered FM25, we thank you enormously for your trust and support – we’re very sorry to have let you down.” Refunds are being provided to those affected.

The studio acknowledged the frustration of fans, especially after multiple delays and the anticipation for the first gameplay reveal. “We know this will come as a huge disappointment, especially given that the release date has already moved twice, and you have been eagerly anticipating the first gameplay reveal. We can only apologize for the time it has taken to communicate this decision. Due to stakeholder compliance, including legal and financial regulations, today was the earliest date that we could issue this statement,” Sports Interactive explained.

The team had ambitious goals for FM25, aiming to deliver “the biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation, laying the building blocks for a new era.” However, despite the team's efforts, the game faced numerous challenges, both anticipated and unforeseen. “Due to a variety of challenges that we’ve been open about to date, and many more unforeseen, we currently haven’t achieved what we set out to do in enough areas of the game, despite the phenomenal efforts of our team,” the studio admitted.

The decision to delay was made to improve the game further, but as critical milestones approached, it became clear that the desired standards would not be met, even with the revised timeline. “Each decision to delay the release was made with the aim of getting the game closer to the desired level but, as we approached critical milestones at the turn of the year, it became unmistakably clear that we would not achieve the standard required, even with the adjusted timeline,” Sports Interactive noted.

The studio highlighted that while many aspects of the game met their targets, the overall player experience and interface fell short. “Whilst many areas of the game have hit our targets, the overarching player experience and interface is not where we need it to be. As extensive evaluation has demonstrated, including consumer playtesting, we have clear validation for the new direction of the game and are getting close – however, we’re too far away from the standards you deserve,” they stated.

Sports Interactive considered releasing FM25 in its current state and fixing issues post-launch but deemed it the wrong approach. “We could have pressed on, released FM25 in its current state, and fixed things down the line - but that’s not the right thing to do. We were also unwilling to go beyond a March release as it would be too late in the football season to expect players to then buy another game later in the year,” they explained.

With the cancellation, the studio's full focus is now on ensuring the next release meets their high standards and achieves the quality fans expect. “Through the cancellation, every effort is now focused on ensuring that our next release achieves our goal and hits the quality level we all expect. We will update you on how we are progressing with that as soon as we are able to do so,” Sports Interactive promised.

In closing, the team thanked fans for their patience and continued support, reaffirming their commitment to creating a new era for Football Manager. “Thank you for reading, your patience and your continued support. Our full focus now returns to creating a new era for Football Manager.”