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 2004 debut. Sports Interactive had touted FM25 as a generational leap in technical and visual advancements, aiming to utilize the Unity game engine for a significantly improved experience. However, challenges arose, particularly concerning the player experience and interface, leading to development difficulties.

The announcement coincided with Sega Sammy Holdings’ financial results, which reflect a writedown of FM25-related costs. Sports Interactive explained in a blog post that the decision followed extensive internal discussions and careful consideration with Sega. Sega has confirmed that no job losses are associated with the cancellation.

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

FM25 faced two prior delays before its ultimate cancellation, with the last projected release date being March 2025. Sports Interactive is now concentrating efforts on Football Manager 26, anticipated for its usual November release window. Refunds are being offered to those who pre-ordered FM25.

Sports Interactive apologized for the delay in communicating the cancellation, citing stakeholder compliance requirements. They emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games offering exceptional value, and acknowledged falling short of their ambitious goals for FM25 despite the team's considerable efforts. While many aspects met their targets, the overall player experience and interface did not reach the required standard, a conclusion supported by consumer playtesting.

The decision to cancel, rather than release a subpar product and patch later, was made to avoid compromising quality and to ensure the game wouldn't launch too late in the football season. All focus is now on Football Manager 26, with updates on its progress promised as they become available. The developer thanked fans for their patience and continued support.