Football Manager 25 Canceled: Dev Issues Apology to Fans

Sega and UK-based developer Sports Interactive have made the tough decision to cancel Football Manager 25 across all platforms, marking the first time the popular sports simulation series has skipped an annual release since its inception in 2004. This cancellation comes after significant challenges in transitioning to the Unity game engine, particularly with the player experience and interface.

The news was shared as part of Sega Sammy Holdings' latest financial results, which also noted a writedown of costs related to the game. After "extensive internal discussion and careful consideration" with parent company Sega, Sports Interactive announced the cancellation in a heartfelt blog post to fans. Sega has assured IGN that no jobs will be affected by this decision.

In addition to the cancellation of FM25, Sports Interactive has confirmed there will be no update for Football Manager 24 with 2024/25 season data. The developer explained that such an update would divert essential resources from the development of future releases. Currently, they are negotiating with platform holders and licensors to possibly extend the availability of FM24 on subscription services like Game Pass.

Football Manager 25 had faced two delays prior to its cancellation, with the latest delay pushing the release to March 2025. Now, Sports Interactive is redirecting its efforts towards Football Manager 26, anticipated for a November release as per tradition.

Sports Interactive expressed deep regret to those who had pre-ordered FM25, acknowledging the disappointment and offering refunds. They emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games, stating that FM25 was intended to be "the biggest technical and visual advancement for the series in a generation." However, due to numerous unforeseen challenges, the game did not meet the desired standards, particularly in the player experience and interface.

Despite multiple delays aimed at improving the game, the developer found that FM25 still fell short of their expectations. They could have released the game in its current state and made subsequent fixes, but chose not to compromise on quality. Additionally, they were reluctant to delay beyond March due to the timing within the football season.

With the cancellation of FM25, Sports Interactive is now fully focused on ensuring that Football Manager 26 meets the high standards fans expect. They promised to keep fans updated on their progress and thanked them for their patience and continued support as they work towards launching a new era for the Football Manager series.