FM25 Cancelled: Developer Apology

Sports Interactive and Sega 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. The developer had previously touted *FM25* as a generational leap in technical and visual advancements, aiming to establish a new era for the franchise. However, the transition to the Unity game engine presented unforeseen challenges, particularly impacting the player experience and user interface.

The announcement, part of Sega Sammy Holdings’ recent financial report, includes a writedown of associated costs. Sports Interactive assures fans, 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 fully dedicated to *FM26*. Discussions are underway with platform holders and licensors regarding potential extensions of *FM24* agreements on subscription services like Game Pass.

*FM25* faced two prior delays before its ultimate cancellation, the last pushing the release to March 2025. Sports Interactive is now fully focused on *Football Manager 26*, anticipated for its usual November release window. Refunds are being offered to those who pre-ordered *FM25*. The developer apologizes for the delay in communication, citing stakeholder compliance and legal/financial regulations as reasons for the timing of the announcement.

Sports Interactive emphasizes its commitment to delivering high-quality games offering significant value and enjoyment. While many aspects of *FM25* met their targets, the overall player experience and interface fell short of their standards, as confirmed by extensive internal evaluation and consumer playtesting. The decision to cancel, rather than release a subpar game and patch it later, was made to ensure the next installment meets the expected quality. Releasing in March would have been too late in the football season for a new game launch. The team's full attention is now on developing *FM26*, and updates on its progress will be shared as they become available.