Football Manager 2025’s highly anticipated release has been postponed until March 2025. Thorough deliberations with associates such as SEGA, rights holders, and other partners have led to the consensus that more time is crucial to ensure the game lives up to the high standards set. Details regarding specific platform releases are yet to be established and will be announced subsequently.
Under usual circumstances, fans of the franchise could expect a new release of Football Manager in early November. With the advent of Football Manager 2025, however, the tradition was set to change slightly as the launch date was initially planned for November 26, later in the month than is customary.
For a sense of context, Football Manager 2024, Football Manager 2023, and Football Manager 2022 were launched on November 6, 2023, November 8, 2022 and November 8, 2021 respectively. This delineated a pattern that was meant to take a small shift with FM25’s scheduled launch.
During an update shared with participants in September, it had already been stated that the original November launch was to be delayed due to the need for further enhancement and polish of the gameplay experience. This need for additional refinement had necessitated pushing back the game’s release. However, the extra time set aside for the game proved to be inadequate for meeting the expectations of both developers and fans alike.
The decision to prioritise the quality of the game over its scheduled release was portrayed in a statement by Football Manager, ‘The delivery at this critical point in the timeline of Football Manager’s evolution should not be compromised by trying to push for a November release.’ Clearly, the developers felt that rushing the production could jeopardize the integrity of the game.
Football Manager 2025 is projected to deliver the greatest technical and visual breakthrough in the franchise for a generation. To meet and uphold such high standards, further development time is evidently necessary. Football Manager has underlined the relevance of these advancements by admitting that FM25’s delay may lead to disappointment among fans, but the focus on quality is paramount.
As the statement elucidated, the pace of multiple elements during the game’s development phase was slower than anticipated. The delays experienced during the production process had a bearing on the overall schedule of the game’s launch.
For loyal patrons who have pre-ordered Football Manager 2025, the company will offer the possibility of asking for refunds due to the time shift in the game’s availability. This comes as a response to the postponement of the game’s release date.
The demystification of the game’s new features has now been rescheduled for the end of January 2025. Among these new additions, most notable is the inclusion of women’s football in FM25. This will be a database of over 25,000 female players, marking a significant stride in the representation of women’s football within the gaming industry.
Adding to these progressive changes, all Premier League clubs are set to be fully licensed in Football Manager 2025, inclusive of official logos, kits, and player photographs. This marks a significant milestone and is a result of a yearlong partnership between the game’s creator, Sports Interactive, and the Premier League.
In terms of technological enhancement, the most remarkable feature of FM25 is the overhauled user interface powered by the Unity engine. Dubbed as the ‘biggest technical and visual advancement for the series in a generation’, this new interface is set to elevate the user experience to a whole new level.
The introduction of such sweeping changes to the gameplay and user interface of FM25 has not been witnessed in the franchise since Championship Manager 4, released in March 2003, nearly two decades ago. This overhaul signifies the ambition behind the game’s development and the commitment of Sports Interactive towards their player base.
Despite the delay and potential disappointment among gamers, the commitment by Football Manager towards delivering a high-quality game, with new features such as women’s football and a revamped user interface, signals an exciting future for the franchise. The patience of the players will be rewarded by a game that promises a transformative experience.