Sports Interactive and SEGA have announced the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the release of Football Manager 25. This decision was made after serious internal discussions and an assessment of the game's current state. The developers express gratitude to everyone who pre-ordered the game and apologize for not meeting the fans' expectations.

Reasons for the Release Cancellation

Football Manager 25 was set to be an important step for the franchise, promising significant improvements in technical and visual aspects. The developers aimed to create a next-generation game, but despite the team's tremendous efforts, they were unable to achieve the required quality level in key aspects of the game. Initially, FM25 was scheduled for release in November 2024, but was later postponed to March 2025. Despite the additional time, it became evident that even by this date, the game would not reach the desired level.

The decision to cancel was made following a careful evaluation of progress, including feedback from testers and players. Despite successful achievements in some areas, the interface and the overall perception of the game did not meet the standards set by Sports Interactive. The developers acknowledge that they could have released the game with subsequent fixes but chose not to take the risk and leave improvements for the next version.

What's Next: Cancellation and Refunds

As clarified by Sports Interactive representatives, the cancellation applies to all versions of Football Manager 25 on all platforms. All players who pre-ordered the game through official retailers will receive full refunds. For refund inquiries, it is recommended to contact the point of purchase, and sellers will process requests shortly.

The refusal to release the game does not mean the team is abandoning their ambitions to create an innovative game. Instead of releasing FM25 amid incompleteness, the entire focus will now be redirected to developing the next release, which developers hope will meet players' expectations.

Expectations and Future Plans

The developers assured that they will continue working on improving the game, and the next update will focus on achieving high quality in new technical aspects of the game. Sports Interactive admitted that legal and financial aspects related to the public company SEGA Sammy Holdings also contributed to the cancellation decision. The team hopes that the work done will form the basis for the next version of the game, which will be released taking into account all the players' feedback and criticism.