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.

While initially touted as a significant technical and visual leap, the transition to the Unity game engine presented unforeseen challenges. Specifically, the player experience and user interface fell short of expectations.

The announcement, part of Sega Sammy Holdings’ financial results, includes a writedown of 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 resulted from this cancellation.

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

FM25 faced two prior delays before its ultimate cancellation, with the last projected release date set for March 2025. Development has now shifted to 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 announcing the cancellation, citing stakeholder compliance and regulatory requirements. The developers emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games and explained that, despite progress in many areas, the overall player experience and interface didn't meet their standards, a conclusion supported by extensive testing. Releasing a subpar game, or delaying it further into the football season, was deemed unacceptable.

The team's focus is now entirely on Football Manager 26, aiming to deliver a game that meets the expected high standards. Further updates on the progress of FM26 will be provided in due course.