'Releasing Football Manager 25 would have damaged us forever' | BBC News

Football Manager 2025 Cancellation & Football Manager 2026 Development: A Deep Dive

Key Concepts:

• Quality Assurance (QA): Internal and external testing processes to ensure game quality.
• Unknown Unknowns: Unforeseen and unpredictable issues that disrupt development.
• Transparency: Open communication with the community regarding development progress and challenges.
• Commercial Viability: The potential for a feature or game to generate sufficient revenue.
• Seamless Integration: The ability to move between men's and women's football within the game without differentiation.
• Retros: Post-project reviews to identify areas for improvement in the development process.
• UI: User Interface, the means by which the user and a computer system interact, in particular the use of input devices and software.

Reasons for Football Manager 2025 Cancellation

The primary reason for cancelling Football Manager 2025 was the unacceptable quality of the game. The speaker, likely a lead developer or executive, states that the game, in its current state, would not have been "good value for money" and could have "damaged us forever."

• Ambitious Scope: FM25 was the "most ambitious title" attempted, involving a new engine and significant internal changes.
• Development Challenges: Multiple issues arose during development, including a "big development curveball," a legal matter, and a third-party problem, all occurring simultaneously.
• QA Feedback: Internal and external QA, including consumer testing, yielded an average rating of around 7 out of 10, which was deemed below Sports Interactive's quality standards.
• Personal Assessment: The speaker played a near-final build and concluded that it "wasn't good enough," leading to the decision to cancel.
• UI Overhaul: Too many changes to the UI were implemented, resulting in a less-than-ideal user experience.

Communication Challenges and Transparency

The speaker acknowledges criticism regarding the communication surrounding the cancellation, specifically a perceived "lack of transparency."

• Stock Market Regulations: Delays in announcements were attributed to Japanese stock market rules, which required informing the city before public announcements. This limited the ability to provide timely updates to the community.
• Past Transparency: The speaker defends the studio's historical transparency, citing frequent blog posts and direct engagement on social media.
• Social Media Abuse: The speaker stopped using social media due to anti-Semitic abuse, highlighting the challenges of direct engagement.
• Limited Transparency: The speaker clarifies that "no corporation...can ever be fully transparent" due to legal and regulatory constraints.

Impact on Football Manager 2026 and Development Process

The cancellation of FM25 significantly impacted the development of Football Manager 2026.

• Retrospective Analysis: The development team conducted "retros" to identify areas where things went wrong during the FM25 development cycle.
• Feature Re-evaluation: Features initially planned for FM25 were re-evaluated. For example, the planned WhatsApp-based email inbox replacement was scrapped due to poor user experience feedback.
• UI Adjustments: The UI was revised to be more familiar while still incorporating new elements.

Inclusion of Women's Football

A major feature in FM26 is the introduction of women's football.

• Shift in Perspective: The decision to include women's football was influenced by conversations with members of the Lionesses, who argued that commercial viability required active support from developers like Sports Interactive.
• Commitment to Growth: The speaker acknowledges being "late to the party" but expresses a commitment to helping "smash through that glass ceiling" for women's football.
• Seamless Integration: Women's football will be seamlessly integrated into the game, allowing players to move between men's and women's leagues without differentiation.
• Content and Licensing: The game will feature a "good selection of leagues" and licenses for women's football.

Conclusion

The cancellation of Football Manager 2025 was a difficult but necessary decision driven by quality concerns. The experience led to a thorough re-evaluation of the development process and a renewed focus on delivering a high-quality product with Football Manager 2026. A key aspect of FM26 is the inclusion of women's football, reflecting a commitment to supporting the growth of the sport and providing a more inclusive gaming experience. The speaker emphasizes the importance of transparency within the constraints of corporate regulations and expresses hope that FM26 will meet the expectations of the community.