Football Manager 25 Canceled, Dev Apologizes for Letting Fans Down

Sega and Sports Interactive have made the difficult decision to cancel Football Manager 25 across all platforms. This marks the first time the long-running series has skipped a year since its inception in 2004.

The developer, Sports Interactive, had ambitious plans for FM25, aiming for "the biggest technical and visual advancement for the series in a generation." However, the transition to the Unity game engine presented significant challenges, particularly impacting the player experience and user interface.

The cancellation was announced alongside Sega Sammy Holdings’ financial results, which reflect a writedown of associated costs. Sports Interactive explained the decision in a blog post, emphasizing extensive internal discussions and careful consideration with Sega. Sega has confirmed that no job losses resulted from this decision.

There will be no Football Manager 24 update with 2024/25 season data, as resources are fully dedicated to the development of the next iteration. Discussions are underway with platform holders and licensors regarding potential extensions of FM24 agreements on subscription services like Game Pass.

FM25 faced two prior delays before its ultimate cancellation, with the most recent target set for March 2025. Development efforts are now concentrated on Football Manager 26, anticipated for release in November, as per the usual schedule.

Sports Interactive issued apologies to those who pre-ordered FM25, offering full refunds. The delay in announcing the cancellation was attributed to stakeholder compliance and regulatory requirements.

The developers emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games, stating that FM25 fell short of their standards despite considerable team effort. Extensive internal testing and consumer feedback confirmed the need for further development before a release that would meet player expectations. Releasing a subpar game or delaying beyond March (too late in the football season for a new release) were deemed unacceptable options.

The focus is now squarely on Football Manager 26, aiming to deliver a game that meets the established quality standards. Further updates on the progress of FM26 will be provided in due course.