Islamabad, Feb 7: In an unexpected move, Sega and Sports Interactive have announced the cancellation of Football Manager 25 (FM25), one of the most eagerly awaited entries in the popular football simulation series. The decision, revealed as part of Sega’s latest financial results, comes after a series of delays and increasing challenges during the game’s development.
The announcement was made through the official Football Manager social media channels, where Sports Interactive issued a detailed statement expressing regret over the cancellation. The studio also apologized to fans who had pre-ordered the game, ensuring that all pre-order customers would receive automatic refunds.
The statement from Sports Interactive reads, “Following extensive internal discussions and careful consideration with Sega, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Football Manager 25 and shift our focus to the next release.” This decision marks the end of a lengthy period of uncertainty for fans of the franchise, as FM25 had already faced several delays before its eventual cancellation.
Initially scheduled for release in 2024, FM25 was delayed twice, with the latest timeline placing the game’s release right in the middle of the football season. This scheduling issue would have forced Sports Interactive to launch two titles FM25 and the expected Football Manager 26 within the same year, a situation that the studio deemed unfeasible.
Sports Interactive pointed to a combination of technical, creative, and logistical challenges as the core reasons behind the cancellation. Despite making considerable progress in certain aspects of the game, the studio acknowledged that the player experience and interface fell short of the high standards expected by its dedicated fan base.
Despite the setback, Sports Interactive remains positive about the future of the Football Manager franchise. The studio emphasized that this cancellation would allow them to refocus efforts on the next release, which they aim to make a groundbreaking entry in the series.
While fans are understandably disappointed, this decision represents a significant shift in how Sports Interactive plans to approach the Football Manager franchise in the years to come. Fans will now look to the future, hoping that the next iteration of Football Manager will be worth the wait.
