Football Manager 2023 Update - Changes made following Turkey-Syria disaster


Football Manager 2023

Football Manager 2023 has proven to be the most popular instalment in the franchise, but there comes a moment when perspective must come to the fore.

Following the devastating scenes in Turkey and Syria, Sports Interactive and FM gaffer Miles Jacobson have issued a statement.

FM23 Development Update

The statement from Sports Interactive and Miles Jacobson is as followed:

'Everyone at Sports Interactive has been deeply saddened by the tragic events in the regions of south-eastern Turkey and northern Syria affected by the catastrophic earthquakes. More than 40,000 people are now known to have tragically lost their lives and the number unfortunately continues to rise. With many colleagues and friends affected in the region, our thoughts are with them, their families and everyone impacted at this utterly devastating time.

Football Manager 2023 Turkey Syria disaster
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IMPORTANT UPDATE - Changes have been made to Football Manager 2023

Football in Turkey has also faced disaster and disruption. A number of players and staff members have lost their lives. Clubs from areas impacted, including some in the top division, have been given the option to sit out the remainder of the season without fear of relegation.

We have to think very carefully about how we reflect natural disasters and other global events in Football Manager. Making FM is an ongoing quest to create a virtual world that’s authentic to ours but, as we saw with the pandemic and how we chose to handle that in-game, it can also offer an alternative reality.'

With that in mind, the following changes have been made to Football Manager 2023:

  • In-game advertising hoardings have been given to the Disaster Emergencies Committee which are co-ordinating fundraising for 15 leading UK aid charities, either directly or with local partners in Southeast Turkey and Northern Syria.
  • We will respect the families of those players and staff members who are confirmed as having lost their lives by removing them from FM23.
  • The leagues affected by the earthquakes will continue as normal in-game. We won’t be incorporating real-life fixtures suspensions.

We at RealSport101 echo the thoughts and prayers of Sports Interactive for everyone affected by the tragedy.

No Stranger

Unfortunately, the Football Manager series has had to pivot many times in recent years following real-world disasters, tragedies, or events.

The war in Ukraine affected Football Manager 2022, with some of those changes evident in FM23.

The team at Sports Interactive always do a great job in conducting their changes with balance and magnanimity, always ensuring that the immersion of the player is at the fore.

You can support the appeal for aid for those affected by the earthquake by clicking here.

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