After months of speculation and radio silence, earlier this week, SI released a short video with actual game footage, very little, but enough to get some fans talking and excited about the long-awaited release.
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The video also promised that a first look would be coming soon, which will no doubt send the FM community into a frenzy after a seemingly endless wait for any snippet of news about the new game.
As is the usual case with FM games, it has been revealed that the game will be out in Autumn 2026. The last editions have been released in either late October or early November. Therefore, this release is keeping to the expected timeframe.
The wait is finally over
As somebody who is an exclusive Football Manager player, the wait for a new game has been torturous. To add to that, somebody who writes about the game has made it doubly as bad.
I am still playing FM24, but that’s because I have no other choice, as there has been no new game for close to two years now. However, some other FM players who are less sad than I am have stopped playing FM24 and moved on to pastures new.
They may have even discovered life outside the FM bubble, touched grass, and actually interacted with people outside the game. Yes, apparently, there is life away from playing Football Manager!
Joking aside, though, FM26 will be make or break for SI and the whole franchise. If they don’t get it right, some players may be lost forever, and the game’s players may find other things to do with their hard-earned money and time.
New improved graphics
From what little was revealed in the short video, it appears that, as expected, the game’s graphics, particularly the matchday graphics, have been significantly improved.
Since its rebranding as Football Manager, the graphics of FM have improved slightly with every game. The game has evolved from just text commentary to 2D dots running around to animations we now have for FM24.
The thing about FM players is that their love of the game is not based on its graphics, unlike other games, such as EA FC/FIFA, which have evolved over the years.
EA seem to spend all its budget on improving every aspect of its graphics, but it neglects the gameplay part, according to my 12-year-old, who, to be fair, is a player of both FM and EA FC.
Nobody ever played Football Manager for its graphics. Most fans were pleased with the slight improvement in every release, as it undoubtedly added to the game’s overall experience.
However, it was not FM players’ main priority. Their main priority was to continually improve the gameplay, which I would argue SI has achieved in recent years.
Some FM players are complaining that improving the game’s graphics may distract from enhancing the gameplay. However, I know that SI will understand that the gameplay aspect of FM will always take priority for them.
I would welcome any improvement when it comes to graphics in FM games. I don’t expect graphics on par with other top games, but a slight improvement would enhance my experience playing FM.
If you can marry FM’s gameplay with improved graphics, then the game is only going to improve for the better. This is what I believe SI are attempting to do with the introduction of the new game engine.
It seems that SI are also attempting to attract some console players, which is not a terrible thing to do. More players mean a high-profile, not that FM needs much of a higher profile, but it’s sometimes good to have new players join the community.
Many console players may have been put off playing FM because of its reputation for having poor graphics. Perhaps improved graphics will encourage them to transition from EA FC to FM, even if they are very different games.
Optimistic about Football Manager 26
As we all know, it has been a long, long wait for a fresh edition of Football Manager. I have played FM24 so much that I have now set myself a challenge: to play 100 in-game seasons.
In my latest save, I have progressed 40 years into the future. I had a 58-year-old save, but unfortunately, my old laptop died, so I’m now on a new one.
Anyway, looking at the tiny snippet of content we have seen from FM26, I am optimistic about what the new edition may bring. However, I am an optimist at heart, so maybe that’s just my sense of excitement for a new edition of FM coming out.
Hopefully, the two-year wait for a new FM game is worth it. We certainly need a new edition. Even if it’s a car crash, at least we will then know, and we can decide whether to continue faith with SI and buy new versions of the game in the future.
Truthfully, I probably will continue to buy and play anyway, I mean, what else am I going to do? Spend time with the family!
Are you optimistic about FM26 after the short video of its gameplay?
