FM 25 DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

[Psycho.]

I don't have a problem with a (much) later release, if it will be a significant improvement compared to older versions - in all areas, not just the ME. I don't see that happening based on what we know so far.

And the way things are communicated is just.. really not good.

[CalumF]

Anyone got a number for the Collyer brothers? Maybe they can drum up a new game until the next installment comes out........

[andu1]

Just now, Domoboy23 said:

I think they need something to do the polishing on first and foremost 

But yes, fingers crossed.

I expect the next versions not to have these issues.. The 1st one is the hardest.

[Nickg07]

3 minutes ago, andu1 said:

 

The truth is all players want is an uptodate game database, a few new features and bugs fixed. 

 

It's not hard to deliver that surely 

 

[andu1]

Just now, CalumF said:

Anyone got a number for the Collyer brothers? Maybe they can drum up a new game until the next installment comes out........

I would def play an updated/remastered version of CM 99/00 or 01/02

[Nickg07]

Hold up I'm just going to get chat gpt to bang me out a new management game

Edited Thursday at 17:39 by Nickg07

[ForTheLoveOfTheGame]

4 minutes ago, Carmi88 said:

That guy who leaked the release date a few weeks ago is looking like a complete fool right now

Why? He was technically right. FM themselves revealed the release date.

It only changed today. 

[Rodrigogc]

The thing is that we have to wait more 5 months and I feel nothing like playing FM24 anymore. A new in-between game would do wonders for us, especially those who like to play around Christmas every year like me.

[janrzm]

45 minutes ago, Blünderbossu said:

Wild to pretend they had a road map when they full knew they were lost in the woods.

They issued an empty road map instead of an SOS.

[andu1]

Just now, Rodrigogc said:

The thing is that we have to wait more 5 months and I feel nothing like playing FM24 anymore. A new in-between game would do wonders for us, especially those who like to play around Christmas every year like me.

They are working on FM 25.. what in between game?

Besides , if the release date is beginning / early march we could have a beta around mid/late feb.. so around 4 1/2 months from now... ( wishful thinking )

[Dbuk1]

Conspiracy theory is they saw the low amount of pre orders and got the hell out of dodge

[JonnyPT]

Cancel FM 25, buy some time to bring a ready FM 26, make available a paid league/squads update for FM 24.
If that FM 25 comes in March, will it come with shouts and international management? Obviously the answer is no, so just wait and release FM 26 in September for example. It's the best SI can do 'now'.

[jmlima]

12 minutes ago, CalumF said:

Anyone got a number for the Collyer brothers? Maybe they can drum up a new game until the next installment comes out........

Yeah, because FM 25 is looking more like the work of the White brothers.

[jcw163]

11 minutes ago, andu1 said:

I would def play an updated/remastered version of CM 99/00 or 01/02

Good news:- https://champman0102.net/

[saihtam]

All people calling to skip FM25, probably they cant. They have sponsorship and deals to hold up for annual season releases would assume.

Ofc small DLC for data update would work wonders. Wonder if they can take FM25DB and quickly port it to us for  cheap or  free.

Secondly. HORRIBLE decision to ask preorders, these kind of delays and decisions are not made day to day, it was long thought but and talked about it. Outrageous to make generic trailer, mock-up and photo shopped screenshots and ask us for money.

They really dropped the ball on this. I am really feeling for them and understand what they want to achieve for future builds and the game, but this was low kick too all the fans.

[DSYoungEsq]

I've read the last 15 pages or so of posts in this thread (from before the announcement by a couple days to now), and I do want to comment on one consistent question: the inability to understand how SI could have been acting as if the game was coming out at the end of Nov., given what we know now.

The answer, I think, is simple: a huge amount of self-denial by those inside the process.

That's not abnormal.  I've been involved in projects in the past that had deadlines, sometimes very ambitious deadlines given what was being attempted.  And it is often the case that those in the middle of trying to complete the project will fool themselves with rationalizations into thinking that they can meet the deadline, even when it becomes clear to any rational outside observer that it can't be done.  It doesn't help here that the level of "doneness" is variable.  I'm sure that whatever 'outside' pressure there was on the development team came in the form of being willing to accept a lesser product, simply to make sure that it got out in a semi-timely fashion.  So, even up to a couple days ago, I can imagine the company pressuring the team to put together something playable, and the team having entered an alternate reality where there are 36 hours in a day, and a sudden change in the trajectory of development is possible.  And in this atmosphere of self-denial and fantasy thinking, the company kept trying to keep things as normal as possible.

I think we should just be thankful that someone, somewhere in the process finally woke up and realized that the whole Nov. 26 thing was such a pipe dream that it needed to be completely scrapped.

But four months of further delay?  That makes me wonder if something major underpinning the whole re-design of the game had to be re-started from close to scratch.  Because that's essentially saying that, where they are now with the game is where they should have been in May or June. 

[_Rob]

Whatever happened / will happen, the fact they took pre-orders knowing the game was in the state it was doesn't sit right with me

[Platinum]

3 hours ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Great decision, imo.
Actually takes a lot of courage to accept the financial loss and delay the game in order to have it released in a proper state.
What about the future releases, then? Who will buy FM26 if it's out just half a year after FM25?

What we need now is a proper data update for FM24.
Move the calendar a year and get the transfers sorted.

The damage to their reputation with releasing in November likely would have been worse

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, Platinum said:

The damage to their reputation with releasing in November likely would have been worse

And now they have no room for error.

Making the playerbase wait until March and still charging the full price means the game will have to be a big improvement over FM24 or it will take years for them to gain back everyone's trust.

[Platinum]

Just now, GunmaN1905 said:

And now they have no room for error.

Making the playerbase wait until March and still charging the full price means the game will have to be a big improvement over FM24 or it will take years for them to gain back everyone's trust.

Yep, thats the risk they have taken. I hope it pays off

[Footix]

Now I regret not picking up FM24 when it was free on Epic a weeks ago. 

[anth]

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

They have let you know at every turn when the game has been delayed - it's what, 6-7 weeks notice?  That's fine.  You don't have a right to when it comes out - they set the date and you choose whether you want it or not.  Champ Manager 3 was delayed right at the last minute!  It was common in those days.  I hope they're not working too hard - I think crunch is a thing of the past.  I hope so. 

Some of you don't seem to realise it is the first new iteration of the game for 20 years.  It's not an update.  Writing new software with complex interacting systems is hard man.  

Maybe they should have called it Football Manager 5 - because that is essentially what it is. 

[Nickg07]

1 minute ago, anth said:

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

They have let you know at every turn when the game has been delayed - it's what, 6-7 weeks notice?  That's fine.  You don't have a right to when it comes out - they set the date and you choose whether you want it or not.  Champ Manager 3 was delayed right at the last minute!  It was common in those days.  I hope they're not working too hard - I think crunch is a thing of the past.  I hope so. 

Some of you don't seem to realise it is the first new iteration of the game for 20 years.  It's not an update.  Writing new software with complex interacting systems is hard man.  

Maybe they should have called it Football Manager 5 - because that is essentially what it is. 

 

They opened for pre orders 2 weeks ago, took people's money and then delayed the game for 5 months.

 

It's not ethical. 

[Drake]

42 minutes ago, AllyJoseph said:

 I don't like calling for people to lose jobs, that's outrageous when its just a game,

well, when their job is to create that game, calling for some accountability is not that unreasonable ;). At the end of the day somebody is getting paid for NOT delivering something on time.

And also that somebody is asking for preorders while raising the overall game price - when there aren't even screenshots of the gameplay available.

I really don't think that trying to abuse the trust of people who have played your games for DECADES is a sound business strategy. There's probably some publisher pressure there, but we don't know that.

There's a clear case of misestimation here, also mismanagement and miscommunication. (the last two almost always go together anyway of course). Something is very obviously not going very well at all - and has been for some time, and they only admit it now.

It's OK to miss the mark on something, but you lose credibility when you announce it so late and with such shoddy communication (or, rather, lack of it).

Worst of all - there's absolutely no certainty that pushing to March will be enough. They're afraid to even show screenshots of ME at this point - I think when it is in THAT state, 4 months is just nothing, it's not enough.

As many people say - just skip the iteration, give yourselves a year more. But they probably can't due to obligations.

No matter how you look at it, it looks very grim. And even if SI somehow manages to slap together something playable until March, I think there's 0% chance that it will be a polished product.

Edited Thursday at 18:07 by Drake

[Psycho.]

Reading back this post is also interesting. They originally planned Unity for FM22.

https://www.footballmanager.com/news/future-football-manager

[ForTheLoveOfTheGame]

2 minutes ago, anth said:

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

They have let you know at every turn when the game has been delayed - it's what, 6-7 weeks notice?  That's fine.  You don't have a right to when it comes out - they set the date and you choose whether you want it or not.  Champ Manager 3 was delayed right at the last minute!  It was common in those days.  I hope they're not working too hard - I think crunch is a thing of the past.  I hope so. 

Some of you don't seem to realise it is the first new iteration of the game for 20 years.  It's not an update.  Writing new software with complex interacting systems is hard man.  

Maybe they should have called it Football Manager 5 - because that is essentially what it is. 

They literally said in their update today that what people have been saying is right…

[Drake]

3 minutes ago, Psycho. said:

Reading back this post is also interesting. They originally planned Unity for FM22.

https://www.footballmanager.com/news/future-football-manager

Precisely, this has been in development for a LONG time and they've so far nothing to show for it.

[_Rob]

6 minutes ago, anth said:

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

They have let you know at every turn when the game has been delayed - it's what, 6-7 weeks notice?  That's fine.  You don't have a right to when it comes out - they set the date and you choose whether you want it or not.  Champ Manager 3 was delayed right at the last minute!  It was common in those days.  I hope they're not working too hard - I think crunch is a thing of the past.  I hope so. 

Some of you don't seem to realise it is the first new iteration of the game for 20 years.  It's not an update.  Writing new software with complex interacting systems is hard man.  

Maybe they should have called it Football Manager 5 - because that is essentially what it is. 

Fine. Don't open it for pre-order then and take people's money

[f.zaarour]

Whats the plan now? March is so far away, they want money then for half a season? Does that make sense?

And who knows it will be full of bugs anyway, which means more waiting for updates and before we know it, its FM26 time.

So u paid for a game that u never rly used and then they want money again for FM26!?? How?? I truly deel ashamed by this, for a game i have loved for years and years! 😭

[jimbo22]

7 minutes ago, anth said:

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

They have let you know at every turn when the game has been delayed - it's what, 6-7 weeks notice?  That's fine.  You don't have a right to when it comes out - they set the date and you choose whether you want it or not.  Champ Manager 3 was delayed right at the last minute!  It was common in those days.  I hope they're not working too hard - I think crunch is a thing of the past.  I hope so. 

Some of you don't seem to realise it is the first new iteration of the game for 20 years.  It's not an update.  Writing new software with complex interacting systems is hard man.  

Maybe they should have called it Football Manager 5 - because that is essentially what it is. 

Missing a point. And you wont be convinced otherwise. 

[Dropveter]

28 minutes ago, Rodrigogc said:

The thing is that we have to wait more 5 months and I feel nothing like playing FM24 anymore. A new in-between game would do wonders for us, especially those who like to play around Christmas every year like me.

Yeah, same I am done with FM24, even with data updates every game i have a EC after season one, I am ready to play in the current season.

 

I am sure it was a hard decision to make for everyone involved in the making of FM25

afraid for me personal i will lose interest to get the game only in March, will see then what is what

[basqueliverpool]

Personally think the way it's been done is staggering tbh, even if it's the right thing to do.

 

11 days after announcing pre orders is very very poor. 

 

Game pretty much has to be flawless come march and realistically it won't be. Will be better then 24 but nowhere near what is required for the delay basically turns 25 into a big beta for 6 imo.

 

International management should be back come march. 

 

I know they tend to be brilliant in terms of communicating but it's a different community from other games and needs some form of explaining etc and honest when done. 

[latrell]

This would be an ecumenical matter.

[Nickg07]

Just now, f.zaarour said:

Whats the plan now? March is so far away, they want money then for half a season? Does that make sense?

And who knows it will be full of bugs anyway, which means more waiting for updates and before we know it, its FM26 time.

So u paid for a game that u never rly used and then they want money again for FM26!?? How?? I truly deel ashamed by this, for a game i have loved for years and years! 😭

 

Of course it will be full of bugs.

 

Studies on fm23/24 show that players with 20 pace and 1 everywhere else can basically outscore other players, get you sucess etc.

 

This hasn't been addressed in any patches for fm24. When was the last patch for it?

 

They release a game with huge flaws based in their own words that hasn't been updated for years I.e they have creamed in profit by making zero development/progress.

 

And now the time comes to invest a bit of cash and they flub it.

 

To be honest I don't even care about the 3d graphics. I go straight into 2d mode, fastest gamespeed possible.

 

Why not just make the game engine good and rounded and patch the game throughout the game life cycle?

 

 

[HighFlyingDwarf]

12 minutes ago, anth said:

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

You are very brave standing up for the big company which took people's money knowing they had an unfinished product. Bravo.

[albertocerdeira.4]

hace 14 minutos, anth dijo:

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

They have let you know at every turn when the game has been delayed - it's what, 6-7 weeks notice?  That's fine.  You don't have a right to when it comes out - they set the date and you choose whether you want it or not.  Champ Manager 3 was delayed right at the last minute!  It was common in those days.  I hope they're not working too hard - I think crunch is a thing of the past.  I hope so. 

Some of you don't seem to realise it is the first new iteration of the game for 20 years.  It's not an update.  Writing new software with complex interacting systems is hard man.  

Maybe they should have called it Football Manager 5 - because that is essentially what it is. 

How the people dare to have a critic point of view about a game delayed twice in a month?

 

How the people dare to have a critic point of view for put into presale a game without a single screenshot?

 

I’m sorry for SI as I understand this is a very hard path, maybe caused for a very optimistic shareholders, but defending the communication policy of SI in the last month is pure slaveness

[basqueliverpool]

Also, shouldn't they be taking this chance to re work a game for September 25 launch that would make more marketing sense?

 

I get the 25 launch due to contracts etc, but releasing a game ready for close of European transfer window makes sense instead of a November release which coincides with nothing. 

[RiverReveal666]

Owned every cm and fm that has ever been made, including the likes of Championship Manager Italia. Never seen the company in such a mess and it's so sad to see. The PR has been abysmal the last few months and it could have been avoidable if they had just been more upfront with everyone.

The last few months should become a case study at how NOT to treat fans of a long standing product.

Edited Thursday at 18:47 by RiverReveal666

[f.zaarour]

Imo you cant sell this. No way. A game in march, perhaps full of bugs anyway. Which needs more time to fix, and then FM26 alrdy around the corner, and want money again? 

Imo, get a FM24 data and start date update in jan, feb. I would pay a small amount for it, no problem. And then mesh FM25 into FM26! 

Whats clear, things are going rly bad lately. I have been sayinf it back then alrdy. Also since the focus was on other platforms aswell. 🤦

Edited Friday at 01:11 by f.zaarour

[WelshMourinho]

17 minutes ago, anth said:

The bleating and crying in this thread (and other places on the Internet) reeks of children having their favourite toy taken away and throwing a tantrum. 

They have let you know at every turn when the game has been delayed - it's what, 6-7 weeks notice?  That's fine.  You don't have a right to when it comes out - they set the date and you choose whether you want it or not.  Champ Manager 3 was delayed right at the last minute!  It was common in those days.  I hope they're not working too hard - I think crunch is a thing of the past.  I hope so. 

Some of you don't seem to realise it is the first new iteration of the game for 20 years.  It's not an update.  Writing new software with complex interacting systems is hard man.  

Maybe they should have called it Football Manager 5 - because that is essentially what it is. 

Deary me what a dreadful post you've conjured up here.

The fact you think people are solely annoyed at the game being delayed shows you've misunderstood why people are disappointed. 

[basqueliverpool]

On the same token, it would be brilliant to release in march with all season results scorers etc in place for leagues running til then where contractually possible 

[Matteo3champions]

I’ve preordered the game 2 minutes after that the release date was announced, and now i’m a bit disappointed that the game has been delayed.

i won’t ask the refund, and i’m happy about my choiche. I think that SI now needs our help, our support and our effort. I buy the game since 2001 and i remember very well the version that was delayed in march 2003. More than 20 years later, we are in the same situation.
 

What i hope now is that they will give us, the best game as possible as they do their best every year. I will be very happy if they turn back about international management. 
 

I’ve read messages here that some of you won’t buy the game in march. I’m talking to you: i’m sure that is a huge lie declared to yourself, and you know it. 

[delpiero19]

1 hour ago, Blünderbossu said:

Wild to pretend they had a road map when they full knew they were lost in the woods.

A poster full of TBA kings told us there’s nothing.

It reminds of when I was in primary school and mum wanted me to show her I finished my homework, so I would run to the toilet and just sit there for as long as I can.

[wazzaflow10]

4 hours ago, Novem9 said:

Would SI have dared to make such an absurd roadmap if their shares were traded on the stock exchange?

if they were a public company there'd be microtransactions on everything. So lets be thankful they aren't.

[Brother Ben]

@santy001

How does this affect things for the researchers?  Will you guys have to resubmit everything nearer the time?

Kudos, as always, to you guys for giving up your time by the way  

[Hansaplast]

40 minutes ago, DSYoungEsq said:

....

But four months of further delay?  That makes me wonder if something major underpinning the whole re-design of the game had to be re-started from close to scratch.  Because that's essentially saying that, where they are now with the game is where they should have been in May or June. 

As WorkTheSpace in his video has pointed out: the end of march coincides with the end of the fiscal year.

This means that is for SI this is the farthest they could have pushed the release date while generating some income for SEGA.

This is probably no coincidence.
The game is far from being finished.

[OlivierL]

1 hour ago, Lord Rowell said:

Suggestion.

Release in March 2025, but call it FM26.

As part of the package, full and free database update for the 2025-26 season as soon as that is logistically possibly.

Return to November lauches for FM27 onwards going forwards.

Yes I realise it means they skip an edition, but I really wonder how the alternative of a release in March and then November is going to make any sense anyway?

Why not release it in september (after window closes) and call it FM25. and the next FM release in september 26 = FM26 ?

 

[Brother Ben]

2 minutes ago, OlivierL said:

Why not release it in september (after window closes) and call it FM25. and the next FM release in september 26 = FM26 ?

 

Money.  Would be financial suicide to do that.

Plus not all leagues run September to May.  A march release date will be ideal for those who play the Irish league for instance.

Edited Thursday at 18:41 by Brother Ben

[albertocerdeira.4]

The project of changing the engine to Unity was expected at first to have impact in FM22, as they started this project before the pandemic. They have been using resources for the engine change during the cycles of FM20, FM21, FM22, FM23, FM24 and now we know that five years later the game is in such an embrionary state that SI couldn’t provide us a single screenshot as of October 2024.

 

Believing now in a well done, functional and long term payable game in march after who knows how many delays is just magical realism.

 

I’m probably buying the game, I know how I am and if there is a beta I will be the first in make a pre-order in the first day, as well as I want to help SI to don’t fall as PES did. 
 

But, we need and deserve an honest explanation of wtf is going on. I would like to trust in a squad update, surely I want, but it is becoming harder and harder to have trust in whatever they are trying with Unity

[WelshMourinho]

10 minutes ago, Matteo3champions said:

I’ve preordered the game 2 minutes after that the release date was announced, and now i’m a bit disappointed that the game has been delayed.

i won’t ask the refund, and i’m happy about my choiche. I think that SI now needs our help, our support and our effort. I buy the game since 2001 and i remember very well the version that was delayed in march 2003. More than 20 years later, we are in the same situation.
 

What i hope now is that they will give us, the best game as possible as they do their best every year. I will be very happy if they turn back about international management. 
 

I’ve read messages here that some of you won’t buy the game in march. I’m talking to you: i’m sure that is a huge lie declared to yourself, and you know it. 

I will never understand this "they need our support" viewpoint. They provide a product the customer pays for. They aren't doing us a favour. Their reward for a good product is lots of people playing the game and money for a job well done. There's no onus on the customer to buy a poor product as some sort of good will gesture. 

 

They will get my money and my 'support' when I see what the new game is going to look like and whether it matches my idea of a gold game, and not a second before.