2024 is a big year for the Football Manager series.
Not only has Football Manager 2024 broken records, it's also proven to be the most complete version of the game to date.
FM has been, for some time, the standard bearer when it comes to sports games, with its immersive qualities and attention to detail allowing it to stand head and shoulders above the rest.
However, big changes are coming and I'm concerned that this winning formula could be shattered.
FM25 Risks
It's worth prefacing all of this by saying that Sports Interactive (SI) deserve some credit and has more than earned the chance to take a risk with the series.
Over the past few years, FM has felt very similar year on year but the subtle changes provided have made it, in my opinion, the best football game on the market.
My fear comes from the element of change, with Football Manager 2024 very much being looked at as the end of an era.
Announced back in June, Miles Jacobson confirmed that huge changes were coming to the Football Manager series, both in FM24 and in FM25.
The blog post detailed how Football Manager 2024 would be the most complete version of the game to date, before a slight pivot would be taken heading into the next release.
Within this, Project Dragonfly was announced, a major overhaul of the gameplay graphics system that FM currently adopts.
Unity, the graphics powerhouse behind Genshin Impact and Cities Skylines, will now be integrated into Football Manager 2025 and take the visual aspects to the next level.
But at what cost?
With any major change comes an element of risk and this new overhaul could go one of two ways.
The FM Way
I want to start positively, as I do have faith in the team at Sports Interactive to implement this new engine in the best way possible.
My optimistic side tells me that Football Manager 2025 will be exactly the same, just with better graphics, which would be fantastic.
Whilst I may still dabble in 2D Classic, the game has needed an update in that regard for some time and this overhaul is certain to appease certain parts of the community.
Implementing a flashy new graphics system, as well as building on the immersive elements that make FM so special, is a one-way ticket to success.
If the last few years are anything to go by, then Sports Interactive will continue to strive forward and build on its incredible reputation.
However, there is another possible outcome.
All Bark, No Bite
I wanted to call this way the 'FIFA way', but that almost felt a little too harsh.
The biggest criticism around recent FIFA games, and the new EA FC 24 game, is that the game lacks real depth beyond its stellar graphics.
EA has, for some time, talked a big game when it comes to HyperMotion, Frostbite and all the other powerful dynamics that make EA FC a visual masterpiece.
However, the game lacks depth and fans of the franchise are quickly becoming bored.
No one goes to an art gallery for a single painting, instead, you pay your admission fee for everything it has to offer.
My fear, linking back to FM, is that this obsession with visual supremacy could nullify the features that have made Football Manager feel so special over recent years.
Usually, new features force an element of compromise somewhere else, with plenty of focus needed to make such a big change a success.
In the case of Football Manager, the implementation of the Unity game engine could see other areas neglected, areas that have helped make FM one of the most loved releases of the calendar year.
Fearing Change
Ultimately, it's like seeing a loved on go in for surgery; you know it's for the best but you're also fearful of the worst.
I do, however, have to look back at the past 3 years to see just how good SI has been at listening to the community and reacting to feedback.
This change, whilst scary, has been a long time coming and correct implementation could see FM's ceiling rise exponentially.
The main criticism of casual FM players has been the graphics, but this new Unity engine could squash those complaints.
Appeasing die-hard fans whilst improving aspects to retain casual ones is a near-impossible task but if anyone can do it, Sports Interactive can.
One thing is for sure, 2024 is the biggest, scariest but also most exciting year for the Football Manager franchise in over a decade.
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