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SI have announced that FM25 has been delayed. This is the official statement.
In our last Development Update in September, we explained that we needed to push FM25’s original release back to give ourselves more time to deliver the best possible experience for this first instalment in a new era of Football Manager.
This additional time has not been sufficient to ensure the game quality and experience meets your expectations and our very high standards.In the previous blog we explained that it has been a difficult development cycle for the studio. Many things have been moving slower than we had predicted – despite everyone in the team working at an incredible pace to try and get everything done.
Timelines were already tight and, as rightly pointed out by many of your recent comments, we were simply rushing too much and in danger of compromising our usual standards. This has put an enormous amount of pressure on everyone working across the studio, who are all passionately committed to delivering the best game possible.
FM25 is the biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation. We simply cannot compromise the delivery of this crucial juncture in Football Manager’s history by rushing to release it in November.
Of course, this is not where any of us expected to be seven weeks out from our release but, in the spirit of our studio values, we always consider the bigger picture – and the bigger picture here is that we need this additional time to deliver a game that we can all be proud of.For the large numbers of you who have already pre-ordered the game, we thank you very much for your trust and support. Given the delay, however, should you wish to claim a refund, please contact your retailer.
Something you noted as missing from our announcement on 30 September was mention of Advanced Access on PC/Mac. We can confirm Advanced Access will be available ahead of the new release date and, when we are confident on how long that period will be, we will update you at the first opportunity. The new gameplay reveal will also now move to the end of January 2025.
We are intensely aware that this will be massively disappointing for you. We share that disappointment and are extremely sorry.
Thank you for reading and your patience. It means the world to us as we continue to work on creating a new era for Football Manager.
Those old enough and with good enough memories will know that this has happened before 22 years ago. Last the time message from Sports Interactive read very differently “we make no apologies for the changes in dates” feels hilarious to read now.
Funnily enough many of the same people from this period are still there, including director Miles Jacobson.
So what will happen now?
Well last time the game was a complete bug ridden mess and we got SIX patches trying to fix it, most people will tell you it wasn't playable at all until CM03/04 came out.
A year later Sports Interactive split with their publisher Eidos. Could the same happen again with SEGA?
Who knows but I can confirm.
Our FM24 Data Update will continue until at least March 2025.
- Date Created
- 10 Oct 2024 14:59:09
- Date Updated
- 10 Oct 2024 14:59:50
- Last Comment
- 09 Feb 2025 21:30:09
Comments
This post has been locked, preventing new comments.
CplCurmudgeon
Can't wait to see the meltdown of entitlement, faux outrage, and pearl clutching over at SI Forums but have to say it's made it easier to skip this one.
I'm not buying a game in March that I'll lose interest in with the end of the season at start of May. Like a lot of people, my enthusiasm for football peaks when it's actually being played. So this makes life easier.
That said, it's a ducking computer game and I'm, not going to get my knickers all twisted in a demonstration of snowflake prepubescent teenage angst.
FM24 only got 452hrs compared to the usual 1000+ on account of getting boring and bloated year on year, but I'm going to have to reinstall for an FM fix this winter.
\'Appy \'Ammer
😀
FM24 for me has been nearly 1300 hours in the editor. I'm looking forward to playing the game when I'm finished!
CplCurmudgeon
I've had similar years. The absence of FM25 just means a renewed determination to make FM24 more varied and interesting. I'll be back in the Editor next week given any FM fix before November 25 will be FM24 now.
HJN030
@Footygamer I saw the promise that attribute changes Will follow very soon. When can we expect this new feature of the FM Data Update?
Bielsa is a legend
I have managed to join the banned list on SI forum for calling them ”Shambles Interactive” and that the Collyers should take over from their bedroom.
the mods are so touchy and defensive.
with sufficient backing there is enough talent on this site to do an alternative game
time for Susie crowd funding!😂
\'Appy \'Ammer
Things start to add up now, as when si released the new FM25 logo they had revised and made you agree to the new forum rules. They knew then the game was to be delayed and have anticipated the inevitable backlash by tightening the rules.
kingrobbo
don't think you are wrong there mate
This sums it up for me in this bug report its a disgrace, a major issue not addressed and the total ghosting is appalling -
https://community.sports-interactive.com/bugtracker/football-manager-2024-early-access-bugs-tracker/editor/pre-game-editor/clubs-are-not-getting-relegated-from-ffp-r19450/?tab=comments#comment-140225
Bielsa is a legend
We desperately need an alternative, back in the late 90s early 2000s there were several options such as fifa manager, USM etc
surely there is a gap in the market, as FM is just a database which SI don’t / can’t ever own
the match experience is crap
the graphics are greatly enhanced by the community
what exactly do SI have that can’t be bettered by a more professional competent developer?
Owen David Coe
I can believe it's happened again, and I had a funny feeling it would happen again. It's a new game cycle like 20 years ago, it's a shitstorm, like it was 20 years ago. Heads need to roll to get the game to move on. Very disappointed, but I also enjoy FM24, so looking forward to carrying on with it.
Bielsa is a legend
Looks like a tough year ahead for SI
Miles no longer a Director, seems his influence is waning
66m revenue for 171k of nett profit is 0.2%
Suggests SEGA are really creaming the costs
\'Appy \'Ammer
Administrative expenses totalling £7.9m !! Is that where SEGA would be taking some of their money from? I would imagine the staff wage budget, travel etc is incorporated here as well. SI are answerable to SEGA, and I believe they have become too big a company to be able to go in the direction that they want to. I wouldn't be surprised to see a split in the next 12 months, or even a complete breakdown of the product.
Highly competitive market? There was more competition for football management simulations back in the 80s when I was tapping away on my ZX Spectrum!
Footygamer
I doubt they're struggling, they had 10,000,000 downloads this year, compared to 24,000,000 in the 17 years between 2004 and 2021. Obviously alot of that will be people that don't play because of netflix and games pass etc, but presumably they're still getting paid for that.
And what do you mean Miles no longer a director?
manuelluis
Bielsa is a legend
i would suggest the numbers are a replacement of platform, 5 years ago i would buy the boxed game, these days i use steam, so the o/a numbers are probably the same
the nett margin of <0.2% is shocking, if that was any other industry it would not survive, as they would run out of cash in development, clearly SEGA are keeping the brand afloat
On companies house the only 3 directors of SI are SEGA Directors, Miles not named anymore as he was a few years ago, looks like he is just an employee
Footygamer
It says he stopped being a director in 2006, I think you're clutching at straws to find drama there.
Bielsa is a legend
Maybe, but he adds nothing, needs to go for this debacle
kingrobbo
Interested to see if users have still purchased pre-oreders of the game?
I know from others within the editing community they have cancelled their pre-order and are going to give FM25[if it is ever released] a miss as they fear it will be a disaster and by the time it is patched FM26 will be out
SI had stated they would announce something no later than the end of January regards the state of play here…..the outcome has been nothing, no response no dialogue, this has been a total and utter PR disasterclass
The feelings are running high on their forums and this thread which has had countless posts removed shows how some loyal fans have had enough.
I have said it many times they dont care because there will always be people buying the game because there is no other option, if there was a competitor then you would see better customer service and a better product
I am not angry as I have far more important things going on in my life, I didnt expect any other outcome if I am being brutally honest, but SI's lack of response here is beyond what I expected they have excelled themselves
they still havent even got the decency to come out and tell their paying customers what is happening, but they are ok with people still pre ordering this product
The fact they were/are taking Pre orders from the off knowing the product wouldnt be ready is simply dreadful. Along with the radio silence now, if as it looks likely it isnt going well just say it, better that than coming across as having total contempt for its customers, many who are wanting to know what have they actually paid for.
Bielsa is a legend
Agree entirely.
they are damaging their brand beyond repair
i have said it for years, the base game is poor, and relies heavily on modders doing data updates, kits,skins, faxes, balls etc
i hark back to my youth when we had many alternatives, CM, USM, FIFA manager, tactical manager, football director amongst others
surely somebody could take on the challenge and do a better job
what are the collyer brothers upto these days…….
\'Appy \'Ammer
I honestly can't see where this genre can go in the licensed world we live in these days. Over sensitive clubs and organisations whack copyright onto so many things. Any company out there will need very deep pockets to buy these licenses. SI have caused embarrassment for the Premier League, as their branding is to be used on a game that so far has not been released.
I am thankful for the ability to use an editor to create a universe that makes the game interesting for me. Probably a good idea to move fm24 to offline mode, as there will no doubt be an update, without warning, that will change licensed aspects of the game off and would just be a complete pain in the backside having to change things back again.
SteveHFC
Been cancelled. I hope we see certain people at SI removed from their roles after this
kingrobbo
lol
they took pre orders for months which is dreadful
what a PR disaster, but the right call has been made finally
interesting that the announcement doesn't mention FM26 it says our next release
https://community.sports-interactive.com/forums/topic/590778-development-update-football-manager-25/
kingrobbo
@Footygamer changed title to reflect game is cancelled rather than delayed
cheers
Keith Batcheltor
Will sortitoutsi continue with updates to FM24, now that FM25 has been cancelled?
kingrobbo
the opening post said it would initially continue until March
I am sure footygamer will post an update in due course as to what will happen
either way this will still continue as that was always his plan-
https://sortitoutsi.net/content/67235/introducing-project-classic-fm-the-biggest-update-for-fm24-and-a-long-goal-to-keep-the-old-generation-of-fm-alive
Footygamer
I'm closing this thread. Please continue the discussion in the cancellation thread: https://sortitoutsi.net/content/68492/fm25-cancelled-next-game-will-be-fm26