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, hampered by the transition to the Unity game engine. While the developers aimed for a "generation-defining" technical and visual leap, issues with the player experience and interface proved insurmountable.

The announcement, part of Sega Sammy Holdings' financial report, includes a writedown of associated costs. Sega confirmed to IGN that no job losses resulted from the cancellation. Sports Interactive stated in a blog post that no Football Manager 24 update with 2024/25 season data will be released, prioritizing resources for Football Manager 26. 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 cancellation, the last pushing the release to March 2025. Refunds are being offered to those who pre-ordered. Sports Interactive apologized for the delay in communication, citing stakeholder compliance and regulations. The developer emphasized its commitment to delivering high-quality games and explained that despite progress in some areas, the overall player experience and interface didn't meet their standards. Releasing a subpar game was deemed unacceptable, and a post-March release was considered too late in the football season.

All efforts are now focused on Football Manager 26, slated for the usual November release window. The developers expressed gratitude for player patience and support, promising a new era for the Football Manager franchise.