No Football Manager player liked the fact that FM25 was cancelled in February, and we have to wait until FM26 for our fresh dose of Football Manager goodness.
Nobody likes it when the release of their favourite game’s instalment is delayed or cancelled completely.
We have made the tough decision to delay the release of Football Manager 25 until March 2025.
Statement: https://t.co/zW7dRd1Lkp pic.twitter.com/UKPnz4l0Gb
— Football Manager (@FootballManager) October 10, 2024
However, sometimes there can be positives to take from these situations. Here are some positives from the situation (Yes, I know, we are clutching at straws here, but hear me out!)
We are certainly getting our money’s worth from FM24
Most Football Manager players tend to get their money’s worth from every edition of the game. As games go, FM isn’t usually the most expensive game in the world when it comes to price tags.
Many FM players will regularly notch hundreds or even thousands of minutes on each edition of our favourite football management sim.
For example, my game time of FM24 currently sits in the thousands of hours, rather than the hundreds. Yes, I know I need to get out and touch grass occasionally, but I suppose it’s one of the less damaging addictions I could have. It hasn’t wrecked my relationship or cost me many friends yet!
The point is that, compared to some other well-known franchises/games, Football Manager has longevity. With mods, editors and challenges to yourself, it is easy to continue playing FM24 and not feel bored with it.
Football Manager is also a game that you pay a set fee for, and unlike many other modern games, doesn’t involve in-game purchases to attempt to improve the game.
The delay gives SI more time to perfect FM26
For me, Sports Interactive are the sort of game publisher that does listen to the people that matter when it comes to Football Manager, anyway, which is the players.
The head honcho at Sports Interactive, Miles Jacobsen, used to regularly interact with fans of the game, usually via his X account. He would answer questions that he could answer and regularly give his honest opinion, even if it’s not what the fans of FM always want to hear.
However, he has not posted on his X account since November 2024, citing the levels of abuse he received as a reason to maybe pause his activity on the social network.
It is a shame if Miles doesn’t post on the account again, as it was at one time a useful resource for FM updates. Anyway, back to my point, the cancellation of FM25 gives SI some breathing space to iron out any kinks in the new game engine.
Unlike some publishers who are just happy to put any old update, often with just some squad updates, EA, I am looking at you, SI seem to have standards when it comes to actually caring if their game is good or not.
Yes, every version of the game needs a few patches after its release, but after the patches, the game seems to run pretty smoothly.
If SI didn’t have standards, then they may have released FM25 when it wasn’t ready to be released, and disappointed players of the game because it would likely have been a mess.
Surely the cancellation of FM25 has given SI enough time to refine FM26? Considering the time it has taken to develop, it should be one of the best FM games yet.
However, considering the massive overhaul that the game has reportedly gone through, it’s unlikely to be perfect. It may take a few patches, like every FM, before it can truly be tested and judged on whether it’s an improvement on FM24.
We were massively disappointed in the cancellation of FM25
Despite the positives we are trying to take from above, or trying to anyway, we are massively disappointed in the cancellation of FM25. Not only do we write about Football Manager, but obviously, we are massive fans of the game, which is why our site exists.
When given lemons, we have tried to make lemonade. However, we are hoping that the long wait between the release of FM24 and the new version FM26, is worth it. The loyal players of the game deserve something special, and I just hope FM26 delivers on its undoubted potential.
Are there any positives to take from the cancellation of FM25?
