release date on touch delayed until 1st December?

[Maw74]

10 minutes ago, SmurfDude said:

It still surprises me that "Touch" isn't far more popular than it is. It takes all of the best features of FM, and removes the worst features. All for a lower price. 

 

2 minutes ago, Dagenham_Dave said:

Because most people think it's the mobile or tablet version of the game. Although FM Touch on mobile devices is essentially the same as the PC version of it, many people don't realise this. Rebranding the PC version 'FM Classic' would help with this immeasurably. 

Yeah that.

I see a lot of comments around that are very dismissive of Classic/Touch, as if it is such a completely different game.

 

I was also expecting Touch Beta, we have had it in the past, it should have been made clearer that it wasn't this time around.

[mark b]

As someone who preordered the touch version only for the first time,i am extremely annoyed with this too.  No explanation for the delayed release date date like you said, and seemingly no beta too, will someone from SI please clarify what’s going on, or do Touch users not matter. 

 

[mark b]

Also no new feature announcement as promised either, I might add.

[Gerara]

No fair play once again  SI. I am used to it

[Curtneedsaride]

I was under the assumption that this year only the full version was getting a beta because that’s the only version mentioned. Then someone said Touch usually got one too. I bought the full version just in case, even though I mostly play Touch. I’m sure many are disappointed, but I’m feeling fortunate to be playing any version before November 24. 
 

I’d recommend getting a refund on FMT and just buying the discounted full version. If there’s a time SI could use the extra support, I’m sure this year would be it. And it’s nice to know next year they’ll let us know which versions will and won’t be getting beta releases. Now off to finish work, finish downloading it, and listen to Lollujo while diving in!

[ruudvanwarren]

7 minutes ago, mark b said:

As someone who preordered the touch version only for the first time,i am extremely annoyed with this too.  No explanation for the delayed release date date like you said, and seemingly no beta too, will someone from SI please clarify what’s going on, or do Touch users not matter. 

 

I play FMT only as well and last year was the first year I started to feel as though SI's interest in the FMT platform took a backwards step. It is now available on so many platforms that they need approval from every man and his dog to many the slightest of change!!! Frustrating isn't the word

[Muttley84]

47 minutes ago, Neil Brock said:

In term of an early access beta for the product, it was never part of our plans and by not including it in our announcements we thought that was clear for users.

To be fair that is pretty poor communication strategy, just ignoring the topic. I for one understood it as "if they don't say anything about it surely it will follow the same path last year". I can understand the challenges SI had/has in the period, but some better connection with the clients wouldn't hurt. I ain't to upset and I can wait for the release, but I find it unprofessional to change the release date without even giving a message and saying ''Hey guys, we are sorry but can not deliver on the 24th and will postpone it a week. Btw No Beta for Touch''. 

As the fanbase of FM grows and has kids and jobs and stuff, more people will be attracted by the simplify and fast pace of FM "Classic" (I found that in my circle of friends), and maybe it shouldn't be regarded anymore as the 3rd in the priority list as someone else mentioned in the thread. Luckily for SI there's no real alternatives for us football manager maniacs... 

Oh well, waiting another 3 weeks then. Or maybe 4?  

[Raul10]

28 minutes ago, Muttley84 said:

To be fair that is pretty poor communication strategy, just ignoring the topic. I for one understood it as "if they don't say anything about it surely it will follow the same path last year". I can understand the challenges SI had/has in the period, but some better connection with the clients wouldn't hurt. I ain't to upset and I can wait for the release, but I find it unprofessional to change the release date without even giving a message and saying ''Hey guys, we are sorry but can not deliver on the 24th and will postpone it a week. Btw No Beta for Touch''. 

As the fanbase of FM grows and has kids and jobs and stuff, more people will be attracted by the simplify and fast pace of FM "Classic" (I found that in my circle of friends), and maybe it shouldn't be regarded anymore as the 3rd in the priority list as someone else mentioned in the thread. Luckily for SI there's no real alternatives for us football manager maniacs... 

Oh well, waiting another 3 weeks then. Or maybe 4?  

Agree with this 100%.

If this was communicated i would of just purchased the full version. Might have gotten into it with being stuck in the house. Not sure if i can get a refund from third party once I've redeemed the code ..

As most have said I appreciate just getting a new game this year but can't help but feel disappointed with this. Not even seen any real confirmation yet ..

[Mayzie]

I'm glad it's not just me who was confused by Steam saying it wasn't being released until 1st December.  Fancy releasing it a day before lockdown is lifted, that is just mean 

I assume these aren't anything to do with you?  They're advertising BETA access on Nov 10th.  https://sortitoutsi.net/shop/product/14/football-manager-2021-touch

I'm sure they're not the only site either because that's how clear it was that unlike previous years, there will be no BETA access.

[Neil Brock]

4 minutes ago, Mayzie said:

I'm glad it's not just me who was confused by Steam saying it wasn't being released until 1st December.  Fancy releasing it a day before lockdown is lifted, that is just mean 

I assume these aren't anything to do with you?  They're advertising BETA access on Nov 10th.  https://sortitoutsi.net/shop/product/14/football-manager-2021-touch

I'm sure they're not the only site either because that's how clear it was that unlike previous years, there will be no BETA access.

No, not one of SEGA's participating retailers, so they've just put up incorrect information I'm afraid. 

[grade]

4 hours ago, Dagenham_Dave said:

And by the way, the sooner the name of the PC version of 'touch' is renamed back to 'FM Classic' the better, it causes nothing but confusion. 

I agree with you. But SI seems to disagree with us.

2 hours ago, Neil Brock said:

We're genuinely sorry to have let you down, but this has been a pretty hard cycle for all of us in the studio and, while we've done our best to make it 'business as usual', when it came down to the final stretch something had to give. That something, unfortunately, was the release date for Touch. 

In term of an early access beta for the product, it was never part of our plans and by not including it in our announcements we thought that was clear for users. Given the feedback here for some of you that wasn't the case, so we'll make sure to take that into account for future announcements and releases.  

Not sure how exactly I should react with this. I'm between, disappointed, angry with understanding and calm about this.

The disappointment and angry bit, is because we all expect the FMT Beta to be released the same time as FM. Maybe a day or two of delay, like it is normally. Releasing FM Beta and postponing FMT without any announcements is big NO, NO . It made me feel like a second-class citizen. A footnote... made feel like a flee in a dog and that dog shaking us off like a bad case of flees... I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but I'm human being and I do have feelings and they are pretty disappointment and angry. Are you telling me you have no one, but no one to post like 1 week ago, 1 month ago or like when you announced FM21, on twitter/Instagram/Facebook/Reddit/TikTok or whatever any new social media is on trending now and say: "Sorry folks due to the Pandemic, we are only going to deliver the Beta to FM. No beta for FMT. Sorry for the Inconvenience". it is a 2 minute post... Sure I would be disappointed, but i would be fully understanding about your difficulties. I feel so outrage right now, that I want a fully full on apologise from Miles and no one else. That is how angry I am...

Grade... Breath... Just Breath...

The calm and understanding part, is just we all are in a very difficult time... we are in Pandemic, where people are fighting for their dear lives and others fighting to exhaustion to save lives. And people had to adapt to this "period of our lives" and SI was no different. I understand that delivering a set of 3 different games was difficult to SI, i Get that... However the no communication is really P****** ** O**. I mean I'm going there... if this is the way you are going to treat FMT users for the PC/Mac, my advise is simply don't really bother releasing the game at all. there I said it.

Grade... Breath... Hyperventilating... Paper bag need... Just breath, Grade... breath.

Sorry, for the consciously rant I wrote.

Note: I have uninstalled FM21 beta from my computer and only installing it, when FMT is available. Either December 1st, before that if FMT beta is release in the meantime or if is delayed again for whatever reason. it is my form of Boycott... yes, pathetic and pointless, but boycott none the less. Tired of the FMT side note...

16 minutes ago, Neil Brock said:

No, not one of SEGA's participating retailers, so they've just put up incorrect information I'm afraid. 

But on the other hand, you didn't say nothing about a NO FMT beta, so that is your fault, not ours or the retailers. We all concluded a beta would be released, like it normally is.

Edited November 10, 2020 by grade

[Gerara]

It is not the first time that they show lack of respect to us as customers and FMT fans . I can accept that it was a mistake, a bad communication. However, It is not the first time, that it happens and it is really sad for us as loyal customers. I can remember the sad story of Football Manager Live years ago . Last year, they released FMT 20 for compatible android tablets, with unplayable 3D match engine, laggy 2D and their only suggestion to us was to ask for a refund. 

For them , FMT is probably a way to increase sales and earn money from usually older people with no time  to play full FM. Nothing more. Only disappointment for me. I am going to wait for feedback and reviews before I decide to buy their products this year.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Gerara

[Gerara]

It is not the first time that they show lack of respect to us as customers and FMT fans . I can accept that it was a mistake, a bad communication. However, It is not the first time, that it happens and it is really sad for us as loyal customers. I can remember the sad story of Football Manager Live years ago . Last year, they released FMT 20 for compatible android tablets, with unplayable 3D match engine, laggy 2D and their only suggestion to us was to ask for a refund. 

For them , FMT is probably a way to increase sales and earn money from usually older people with no time  to play full FM. Nothing more. Only disappointment for me. I am going to wait for feedback and reviews before I decide to buy their products this year.

[RCCook]

4 hours ago, Muttley84 said:

To be fair that is pretty poor communication strategy, just ignoring the topic. I for one understood it as "if they don't say anything about it surely it will follow the same path last year". I can understand the challenges SI had/has in the period, but some better connection with the clients wouldn't hurt. I ain't to upset and I can wait for the release, but I find it unprofessional to change the release date without even giving a message and saying ''Hey guys, we are sorry but can not deliver on the 24th and will postpone it a week. Btw No Beta for Touch''. 

 

Pretty much sums up my feelings as well. I work in a customer service/claims job dealing with multiple versions of an insurance product. One thing I've always tried to do is spell out exactly what the expectations are for a customer's claim, and if those change, to communicate that with the customer. A simple post on Twitter or other social media explaining the delay would have been very helpful, IMO, in ameliorating hurt feelings. And yet there still hasn't been any official communication to Touch customers other than Neil's posts in this thread.

[rp1966]

When I saw that the release of FMT had been put back I was slightly disappointed, but basically ok about it - schedules slip.  I had expected the FMT beta to to follow suit and be delivered a week late, too.  The lack of communication around the complete dropping of FMT beta was very poor.

There's another aspect to this as well.  We know that the ME is the same across FM and FMT (and allow me to also voice the wish that it be named back to FM Classic), so for that a beta test in FM is valid for both products. However, the UI aspects of FMT are separate from full-fat FM and will now not be getting the usual public beta test.  I hope SI have compensated by putting extra testing resource onto the job.

Looking forward to Dec 1.

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by rp1966

[Loren1983]

hace 8 horas, Neil Brock dijo:

No, not one of SEGA's participating retailers, so they've just put up incorrect information I'm afraid. 

Neil, the decision not to release beta is final? no option to change it?

[Neil Brock]

2 hours ago, Loren1983 said:

Neil, the decision not to release beta is final? no option to change it?

Yes, that's correct. It wasn't something we had planned to do and It's just not something which is feasible at this stage.  

[Loren1983]

hace 5 minutos, Neil Brock dijo:

Yes, that's correct. It wasn't something we had planned to do and It's just not something which is feasible at this stage.  

OK Neil, it's a shame. Everything is understandable and more in these times, but perhaps this time communication has failed you. It would have hurt us less if it had been warned in advance.

Thanks for answering

[grade]

16 minutes ago, Neil Brock said:

Yes, that's correct. It wasn't something we had planned to do and It's just not something which is feasible at this stage.  

How about previously letting us know about the delay (at the least, but the Beta as well), rather then us knowing about when FM21 beta was released?

[Neil Brock]

Yeah it's become clear from the posts in this thread that this delay should have been communicated better and it's something that I've made sure has been fed back to our communications department.

We can only apologise to those who have felt let down by this chain of events. 

[grade]

1 minute ago, Neil Brock said:

Yeah it's become clear from the posts in this thread that this delay should have been communicated better and it's something that I've made sure has been fed back to our communications department.

We can only apologise to those who have felt let down by this chain of events. 

Thanks for those words Neil, but the I'm afraid for me the damage is done.

I'm fed up of being brush aside, just because I don't like the main event of your products.

[Raul10]

22 minutes ago, Neil Brock said:

Yeah it's become clear from the posts in this thread that this delay should have been communicated better and it's something that I've made sure has been fed back to our communications department.

We can only apologise to those who have felt let down by this chain of events. 

Is there no way to offer the full beta to those who purchased FM touch?

I'm speaking with my retailer to see if I can upgrade my version, so to speak, but don't hold much hope.

Usually wouldn't mind so much but for being stuck in the house.

[uroszila]

I'm disappointed as well but I guess we cannot do anything about this.

No offense, but for the future I would like that you consider us FMT fans with same manner as full fat FM users. At least we deserve to have some informations and pictures/features from the actual game prior to release. Except date of release we didn't get any of these this year. Very bad marketing move and I believe that with this kind of attitude you are losing a lot of buyers. And I think the current pandemic situation cannot be an excuse for this. This is at least what we deserve...

[Neil Brock]

50 minutes ago, Raul10 said:

Is there no way to offer the full beta to those who purchased FM touch?

I'm speaking with my retailer to see if I can upgrade my version, so to speak, but don't hold much hope.

Usually wouldn't mind so much but for being stuck in the house.

You're well within your rights to cancel any pre-order with a retailer and order full FM instead. 

[tyro]

18 hours ago, Neil Brock said:

Our communications never indicated that Touch would be available as part of Early Access I'm afraid, apologies if you found that unclear.

Mobile release date is unchanged - https://www.footballmanager.com/news/football-manager-2021-mobile-release-date 

I think we all (or most of us at least) can understand the situation this year and this being a result of the delay. Fair enough. It sucks but that's how it is.

However, I can understand when people get angry, when there is this what I would say "lawyer" answer pointing to the text and saying we never said xyz. In the past years, FMT or FMC was always part of the beta access, so saying now that you never said it will rub people the wrong way. Maybe it was not mentioned explicitly (I don't think it ever was mentioned in previous years?) but by custom people were used to it being released with the beta. We even advised some people on the FMT forum that they would have access.

Again, I get it I understand, but please make sure to communicate this clearly to us, so we know where we stand. If this was already known ahead that it would not be part then please mention it and don't assume we would know by not specifically saying it would be part. This just creates frustration.

This year I am lucky because I wanted to start with the normal FM anyways but I am sure those who love FMT will not be as happy.

[rp1966]

17 hours ago, Caketiger said:

Yeah, it's a shame. Might have to switch to playing some console games until December rolls around. If I end up hooked on Watch Dogs and Cyberpunk 2077, FMT might have to wait until next year.

Judging by the traffic in this part of the forum though, it seems there aren't too many fans who play only FMT. Or maybe the ones that do don't have time to lurk in forums?

I think it's more a case that most of the game discussion centres around the ME, so people who play FMT just follow the thread in the forum for full-fat FM.

This forum is basically for the conducting of the annual 'Begging for an FMT Editor' ritual   

 

[Raul10]

1 hour ago, Neil Brock said:

You're well within your rights to cancel any pre-order with a retailer and order full FM instead. 

Hmm. I've asked the question of them but this is what their website states.

Digital Terms & Conditions of Purchase

Cancelling digital downloads

Digital downloads are given their own unique category under the Consumer Contracts Regulations and are therefore not services or goods.

When purchasing download or digital content, customers waive their rights to a 14-day cooling-off period. As such, you hereby acknowledge that once you click purchase you will lose your right to cancel and refund.

[Neil Brock]

27 minutes ago, Raul10 said:

Hmm. I've asked the question of them but this is what their website states.

Digital Terms & Conditions of Purchase

Cancelling digital downloads

Digital downloads are given their own unique category under the Consumer Contracts Regulations and are therefore not services or goods.

When purchasing download or digital content, customers waive their rights to a 14-day cooling-off period. As such, you hereby acknowledge that once you click purchase you will lose your right to cancel and refund.

Can you please confirm where you purchased from? Thanks. 

[Raul10]

9 minutes ago, Neil Brock said:

Can you please confirm where you purchased from? Thanks. 

ShopTo

Much appreciate the replies by the way

Edit: will add the code has been redeemed in steam also.

Edited November 11, 2020 by Raul10

[chucklehead]

Neil, anyone who has purchased a copy through a 3rd party retailer, and I'd imagine that's quite a high percentage, will have almost certainly redeemed their Steam code already. Therefore they will be unable to refund this to then purchase the 'full fat' version. 

I have a potential solution for yourselves to consider. You could set up an offer on Steam where you could buy the full game at a discount if you already have FMT21 in your library. I'm pretty sure that's possible, I think you guys have done similar offers in the past. I'd suggest quite a steep discount, 70-75%. That sounds really high, but bear in mind that everyone who this offer would apply to will have already spent their money on the game, and would essentially be taking this up just to be involved in the beta. 

I feel this would go a long way to repair the damage done with this mistake and could even lead to some of those players making a permanent swith to full FM

[RCCook]

1 hour ago, rp1966 said:

I think it's more a case that most of the game discussion centres around the ME, so people who play FMT just follow the thread in the forum for full-fat FM.

This forum is basically for the conducting of the annual 'Begging for an FMT Editor' ritual   

 

Yep- I'm on the forums nearly every day, but usually lurk the main FM discussion forum and the tactical forum. I don't post much unless I'm having an issue.

[Finknottle]

Am I correct in assuming that this year FM 21 and FM 21 Touch are to be two completely separate games? That is to say that if you buy the full fat game at around £35 or so you will not get FM 21 Touch with it like in years gone by?

[HUNT3R]

3 minutes ago, Finknottle said:

Am I correct in assuming that this year FM 21 and FM 21 Touch are to be two completely separate games? That is to say that if you buy the full fat game at around £35 or so you will not get FM 21 Touch with it like in years gone by?

They ARE two separate games and have been for the last couple of years at least. You do still get FMT with the full fat version - the announcement thread mentions this too, so there's nothing to assume. FMT is just not available right now.

[Finknottle]

Many thanks HUNT3R. So, if I want to play both games do I need to wait till December or will there be an update in these forums to enable me to play Touch? Sorry for my ignorance.

[HUNT3R]

1 minute ago, Finknottle said:

Many thanks HUNT3R. So, if I want to play both games do I need to wait till December or will there be an update in these forums to enable me to play Touch? Sorry for my ignorance.

It's up to you and when you buy it. FM, as I am sure you're aware, is available to play now with the pre-release Beta. FMT is available 1 December to play.

[Finknottle]

Thanks HUNT3R, you've made an old man very happy. I'll be buying the full fat version, as always.

[HUNT3R]

2 minutes ago, Finknottle said:

Thanks HUNT3R, you've made an old man very happy. I'll be buying the full fat version, as always.

No worries. I have the full fat version, so received FMT free, but can only play FMT from Dec 1st. I am playing FM now. Just to clarify.

[Takzuke]

8 hours ago, Neil Brock said:

Yeah it's become clear from the posts in this thread that this delay should have been communicated better and it's something that I've made sure has been fed back to our communications department.

We can only apologise to those who have felt let down by this chain of events. 

Why not make the beta of the full game available to download for anyone who owns FMT?

 

it would cost you nothing besides an email to steam 

Edited November 11, 2020 by Takzuke

[celticfan]

Given the circumstances of this year, I would agree a week's delay in the release of the final Touch version seems fair.  Similarly, if it's the case there is no beta (which I am unsure is the case or not based on the tweets) I can understand.

 

However, I think just a quick statement to confirm one way or the other would help.  As others have said, it would set expectations accordingly (i.e. I'm waiting 'til 1st December, play / do something else).

Edited November 12, 2020 by celticfan

[Finknottle]

18 hours ago, HUNT3R said:

No worries. I have the full fat version, so received FMT free, but can only play FMT from Dec 1st. I am playing FM now. Just to clarify.

Muchly thankings HUNT3R, you've made it all clear .

[CJ_Randell]

Sorry if I am late to the party, but having read through this topic I cannot believe that SI employees have been so hard headed regarding this situation. 

I am apparently one of a growing number of people who only purchase FM Touch on PC. I find the full game to be too in depth and due to my circumstances at home, I don't get enough time to play the full game. 

I was a little thrown off by the fact that the release date of my pre-order on steam suddenly changed from November 24th to December 1st. I failed to find any communication from SI that this was being pushed back. 

I sat on Tuesday night, probably like everybody else, eagerly awaiting the launch of the Beta, frantically refreshing steam and eventually replying to the FM tweet to ask what was happening with FM Touch Beta. Given that Touch has always been part of the Beta in previous years, it's safe to assume that it would be included this year. 

The attitude of the official response is astonishing. To simply brush it off as 'we never said touch was included in the beta' and 'if you're not happy, get a refund' has to be one of the worst approaches to customer service I have witnessed. 

Hopefully the promise that the communication issue will be fed back is genuine, but having worked in customer service for a number of years, I fully expect this to be a 'tell them what they want to hear' approach and we'll be back to the same obnoxious approach in future. 

Very poor. 👎🏻

 

 

[CJ_Randell]

3 hours ago, celticfan said:

Given the circumstances of this year, I would agree a week's delay in the release of the final Touch version seems fair.  Similarly, if it's the case there is no beta (which I am unsure is the case or not based on the tweets) I can understand.

 

However, I think just a quick statement to confirm one way or the other would help.  As others have said, it would set expectations accordingly (i.e. I'm waiting 'til 1st December, play / do something else).

Have you seen the statements? There's a thread regarding this in general discussion. 

The answer from SI is simply:

- We never said there would be a beta for FM Touch. 

- Get a refund if you don't like it. 

Awful customer service and communication. 

[HUNT3R]

13 minutes ago, CJ_Randell said:

Sorry if I am late to the party, but having read through this topic I cannot believe that SI employees have been so hard headed regarding this situation. 

I am apparently one of a growing number of people who only purchase FM Touch on PC. I find the full game to be too in depth and due to my circumstances at home, I don't get enough time to play the full game. 

I was a little thrown off by the fact that the release date of my pre-order on steam suddenly changed from November 24th to December 1st. I failed to find any communication from SI that this was being pushed back. 

I sat on Tuesday night, probably like everybody else, eagerly awaiting the launch of the Beta, frantically refreshing steam and eventually replying to the FM tweet to ask what was happening with FM Touch Beta. Given that Touch has always been part of the Beta in previous years, it's safe to assume that it would be included this year. 

The attitude of the official response is astonishing. To simply brush it off as 'we never said touch was included in the beta' and 'if you're not happy, get a refund' has to be one of the worst approaches to customer service I have witnessed. 

Hopefully the promise that the communication issue will be fed back is genuine, but having worked in customer service for a number of years, I fully expect this to be a 'tell them what they want to hear' approach and we'll be back to the same obnoxious approach in future. 

Very poor. 👎🏻

 

 

Cherry picking won't help either. Neil has apologised on this same page and mentioned that they should have been clearer and communicated better.

[uroszila]

@Neil Brock any news when the new features or some pictures for FMT21 will be available for us? After you didn't commnuicate clearly about the beta nor the postponement of the release I think this is what we deserve after all. We are paying for your product so I guess every customer deserve to be treated with respect. And I cannot accept the answer "soon"...

[CJ_Randell]

3 minutes ago, HUNT3R said:

Cherry picking won't help either. Neil has apologised on this same page and mentioned that they should have been clearer and communicated better.

* Checks twitter and official site *

Still no official communication regarding this. So unless somebody has seen the reply to my tweet or has happened to stumble across this thread in the forum, there's still no communication regarding this. 

[Neil Brock]

Posted this in anther thread, just for clarification:

All the release dates which have been announced can be found via the website here - https://www.footballmanager.com/games/release-date

Football Manager 2021 Touch for PC/Mac and iOS/Android is due for release on the 1st December. 

Touch wasn't announced to be having any kind of early access beta this year, which we've been made aware caused confusion as in previous years we'd done so without explicitly stating it. We apologise for any confusion or disappointment caused.

Whilst we aimed to make this year's releases as normal as possible, given the difficulties encountered as documented in our Sports Interactive and Covid-19 blog post earlier this year, the Touch date couldn't be aligned with FM21's release. 

[celticfan]

Just now, CJ_Randell said:

Have you seen the statements? There's a thread regarding this in general discussion. 

The answer from SI is simply:

- We never said there would be a beta for FM Touch. 

- Get a refund if you don't like it. 

Awful customer service and communication. 

Yea I've seen some of these - I'm just trying to take the emotion away.

 

Yes, they didn't say there would be one - they didn't say there wouldn't be obe either.  I assume many in the community, like myself, took past experience as a predictor of future behaviour.  That is - we've usually seen a Beta of FM Touch on, or close to, the same date as the Beta for the full game.

 

Had there been a statement which was along the lines of "Sorry but there will be no Beta for FM Touch this year, and unfortunately it will be delayed until 1st December.  This is due to ...." I personally would have been quite understanding.  As it stands, the closest I've seen is a fairly good tweet from the FootballManager twitter account replying to others saying that the Beta was something they had to forego due the pandemic.  The justification is sound - I'd like to have seen it as a main tweet / announcement rather than a reply to those who asked. 

I've certainly not seen anything on the release date being pushed back - maybe I'm not looking hard enough.  Again, completely understand, I'd just like it announced/called out.

[HUNT3R]

2 minutes ago, CJ_Randell said:

* Checks twitter and official site *

Still no official communication regarding this. So unless somebody has seen the reply to my tweet or has happened to stumble across this thread in the forum, there's still no communication regarding this. 

It's on the FM website.

[CJ_Randell]

3 minutes ago, celticfan said:

Yea I've seen some of these - I'm just trying to take the emotion away.

 

Yes, they didn't say there would be one - they didn't say there wouldn't be obe either.  I assume many in the community, like myself, took past experience as a predictor of future behaviour.  That is - we've usually seen a Beta of FM Touch on, or close to, the same date as the Beta for the full game.

 

Had there been a statement which was along the lines of "Sorry but there will be no Beta for FM Touch this year, and unfortunately it will be delayed until 1st December.  This is due to ...." I personally would have been quite understanding.  As it stands, the closest I've seen is a fairly good tweet from the FootballManager twitter account replying to others saying that the Beta was something they had to forego due the pandemic.  The justification is sound - I'd like to have seen it as a main tweet / announcement rather than a reply to those who asked. 

I've certainly not seen anything on the release date being pushed back - maybe I'm not looking hard enough.  Again, completely understand, I'd just like it announced/called out.

Same here. My issue isn't that it has been delayed. Its that this was never communicated and when questions are asked the response seems to be very dismissive and obnoxious. 

It's a customer service issue. 

[celticfan]

1 minute ago, Neil Brock said:

Posted this in anther thread, just for clarification:

All the release dates which have been announced can be found via the website here - https://www.footballmanager.com/games/release-date

Football Manager 2021 Touch for PC/Mac and iOS/Android is due for release on the 1st December. 

Touch wasn't announced to be having any kind of early access beta this year, which we've been made aware caused confusion as in previous years we'd done so without explicitly stating it. We apologise for any confusion or disappointment caused.

Whilst we aimed to make this year's releases as normal as possible, given the difficulties encountered as documented in our Sports Interactive and Covid-19 blog post earlier this year, the Touch date couldn't be aligned with FM21's release. 

hi @Neil Brock - thanks, this is what I was looking for, and I completely understand the reasoning / justification. 

I guess we were all used to having Touch release on the same day as the main game, and there being a Beta on the same day (-ish) as the main game and had assumed the same would happen this year. 

Thanks for clarifying and good luck with the full release of all FM versions this year.