A few days ago I asked if Sports Interactive had bitten off more than they could chew, as they had plans to revolutionize the Football Manager franchise in one installment.
Well, it seems the answer to that question is yes, as the Football Manager's release date was again delayed, this time to 2025, something that had never been done before.
But when exactly will FM 25 be released, and what led to this decision? Let's find out!
The Latest Release Date in Franchise's History
The FM 25 release date was delayed to March 2025, with the exact day not being specified. This means the game's release is delayed for four months, which is a huge shock for the FM community.
If many Football Manager fans were already worried about the game state before this announcement, now the community is in full alert mode.
Despite the game being delayed before, Sports Interactive explained in their statement that the additional time they had wasn't enough to fix all the problems they were facing.
"This additional time has not been sufficient to ensure the game quality and experience meets your expectations and our very high standards."
The main reason for this decision is that FM 25 is too important for Sports Interactive to be rushed out. This installment is supposed to be the beginning of a new era for the FM franchise, and Sports Interactive is treating it as such.
The company wants to deliver nothing short of a perfect product, which is commendable. However, the "biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation", could be made in two installments instead of just one, which wouldn't cause fans this much inconvenience.
"FM25 is the biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation. We simply cannot compromise the delivery of this crucial juncture in Football Manager’s history by rushing to release it in November."
Players who had pre-ordered the game will be able to refund it by contacting their retailer. This is a great move on the part of Sports Interactive and proves they truly care about their fan base.
Despite all the trials and tribulations FM 25 is going through, Sports Interactive is doing a good job navigating through them. The developers have been as transparent as you could expect, and haven't shied away from responsibility, which is a great thing to see.
At Least We Will Have Early Access
But not everything is bad. In what seems a storm of bad news, Sports Interactive confirmed that FM 25 will have "Advanced Access", which means early beta access.
The feature will be available ahead of the new release date, as is tradition, and Sports Interactive will announce the exact date soon. It's also worth noting that the gameplay reveal was moved to the end of January.
For now, FM fans can only hope Sports Interactive can iron out the game until March, and that this installment lives up to all the expectations.
These aren't great news, but let's look at it on the bright side, the game wasn't canceled, and it's preferable Sports Interactive takes more time to deliver a great product, than rush out a mediocre game.