decapitated

I think one of the issues with adding new leagues is getting the researchers in place to scout and create the data accurately. I wouldn't think that would be as difficult for Cyprus as for say Ecuador or somewhere in Africa, but you never know what issues there are on the ground. Latvia, Canada, and Gibraltar got added as the FAs in those countries were extremely helpful (I think they even courted SI to add them but it's been a long time since I read about that so I might have got that wrong or mixed up) and they were able to set up the research networks to a standard SI were happy with, rather than there being a lot of requests for them. I would love to see Cyprus as it's been missing for far too long from the base game and I think it would get more players than say Belarus and Iceland.

I found this video quite interesting and better FM25 content than anything the usual influencers are doing.

The top four for me would be a workable re-creation of the Indian pyramid with the Indian super league being playable, a license for the Brazilian leagues (unlikely to happen apparently but then the same was said about Japan before they were added), and Saudi Arabia and Cyprus as default leagues. I'd be happy with any and Miles says new leagues will be added and I'm presuming that's to men's football as well as women's football.

The Football Manager subreddit there has a minority of users who are very toxic and entitled. The worst happens and its another Cities Skylines 2, then you just end up playing FM24 for another 12 months. The way some of them are posting, it's like the FM25 cycle so far has been the worse thing to happen to them this year so far. Either they live very sheltered lives or they need a sense of perspective.

I have a theory that choosing women's football first is an indirect way of debuting the match graphics and in-game interface without needing to go into too much detail. It would be strange like you say to introduce women's football without in-match screenshots or even gameplay footage to display the differences. It could be a very good way of showing off the graphical improvements whilst allowing more development time before the next roadmap item explaining it in more detail.

Number 3. is something I haven't thought of before but I doubt it will be a possibility due to the licensing factors though I like the idea of London City Lionesses or Glasgow City starting a men's team and challenging the EPL or the old firm. number 2. is also an interesting thing to ponder. IRL the women's game is slower and less physical than the men's game than it should logically be slower to watch in the in-match graphics than the men's game.

What would you expect and what would you like to be announced in the women's football update due next week from SI according to the roadmap? I'll be honest, I don't know too much about women's football, but I'd like it tactically to feel different from men's football with some tactics that work with one gender being less effective with the other due to the physical differences involved. I'd also like at least 10 nations to be playable in women's football to make it feel like one interconnected world like the men's game.

I know it's very disappointing that not as much was revealed as any of us would have liked but I think it's too early to write it off as a failure. We know too little to say either way which is part of the problem. No one is forcing you to preorder the title. I have as I had already saved the money up to do so, and if I'm honest with myself I know I'm going to want to play it as soon as it's released to see for myself. If some of the things SI are promising in the very brief released text regarding tactical and match day-graphics upgrades turn out to be real improvements I can see some of you guys who claim its the worst thing to ever happen in the history of the series, either pre-ordering the game or buying it after release. If I'm honest today's launch has been underwhelming especially the trailer and the sloppiness in the screenshot heights and positions but there's enough to mean I'm still quite hopeful and excited that FM25 will be worth playing in November.

To offer some constructive criticism to SI, I'm not sure Miles reliance on Twitter to reveal information about the game is that wise in the current situation where the site has become increasingly toxic and politically extreme and you have to have an account to read his content. For example Miles in the 2nd tweet says "But it doesn’t end there…" but unless you have a Twitter account it really does. More content on publicly viewable sites would be preferable.

I preordered it as I know I'm definitely going to want to play it as soon as it's out.

I'm expecting that with an added extra of a roadmap for future reveals with the first one being later this week. I wouldn't be surprised if it's less than that but I also wouldn't be surprised if it were more than that.

I'm amazed he's actually a mascot for FM25 as opposed to one for the games show as a whole as I previously thought.

It's that frog again! Is he the Tokyo game show mascot or for Football Manager only?

That was far from the worst thing posted in that chatlog. Monday is looking the most likely now for a September announcement.

Looks like FM25 isn't going to be featured in this video as they've got onto the last game.