Football Manager 25 Canceled, Dev Apologizes for Letting Fans Down

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 a challenging development process marked by significant hurdles in transitioning to the Unity game engine.

Initially touted as a generational leap in visuals and technology, the transition proved problematic, particularly impacting the player experience and user interface. The announcement, part of Sega Sammy Holdings’ financial results, includes a writedown of associated costs. Sega has confirmed that no job losses resulted from this decision.

Sports Interactive stated in a blog post that there will be no Football Manager 24 update incorporating 2024/25 season data, prioritizing resources for Football Manager 26. Discussions are underway with platform holders and licensors to potentially extend FM24 agreements on subscription services like Game Pass.

The cancellation follows two previous delays, the last pushing the release to March 2025. Sports Interactive is now fully committed to Football Manager 26, aiming for a November release. Refunds are being offered to those who pre-ordered FM25.

The developers acknowledged the disappointment this news will cause, especially considering the delays and anticipation for the game's reveal. They emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games and explained that despite progress in certain areas, the overall player experience and interface did not meet their standards, a conclusion supported by extensive internal testing and consumer feedback. Releasing a subpar game, or delaying it further into the football season, was deemed unacceptable.

All efforts are now focused on ensuring Football Manager 26 meets the expected quality. Further updates on the development of FM26 will be provided as they become available.