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, particularly concerning the transition to the Unity game engine. While initially touted as a significant technical and visual leap, the player experience and interface presented persistent issues.

The announcement, part of Sega Sammy Holdings' financial results, includes a writedown of associated costs. Sports Interactive explained in a blog post that the decision came after extensive internal discussions with Sega. Sega has confirmed that no job losses resulted from the cancellation.

There will be no Football Manager 24 update with 2024/25 season data. Sports Interactive stated that diverting resources to such an update would hinder the development of the next game. Discussions are underway with platform holders and licensors regarding extending FM24 agreements on subscription services like Game Pass.

FM25 faced two prior delays before its ultimate cancellation. The development team has now shifted focus to Football Manager 26, anticipated for its usual November release. 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 developer emphasized its commitment to delivering high-quality games and acknowledged the disappointment caused by the cancellation. They explained that despite progress in many areas, the overall player experience and interface did not meet their standards, a conclusion validated by extensive testing. Releasing FM25 in its current state, or delaying further into the football season, was deemed unacceptable. All efforts are now dedicated to ensuring Football Manager 26 meets expectations.