Sega and Sports Interactive have made the tough decision to cancel Football Manager 25 across all platforms, marking the first time the beloved sports simulation series has missed a yearly release since its inception in 2004. This decision comes after a challenging development period, particularly with the transition to the Unity game engine, which has caused significant issues with the player experience and interface.

The cancellation was announced alongside Sega Sammy Holdings' latest financial results, which included a writedown of costs related to the game. Sports Interactive, after "extensive internal discussion and careful consideration" with parent company Sega, shared the news with fans via a blog post. Sega has confirmed to IGN that no job roles are affected by this decision.

Sports Interactive also announced that there will be no update for Football Manager 24 with the 2024/25 season data, as it would detract from the resources needed for the next release. The developer is currently negotiating with platform holders and licensors to possibly extend the FM24 agreements on subscription services like Game Pass.

FM25 had already faced two delays, with the latest pushing the release to March 2025. Now, Sports Interactive is shifting its focus to Football Manager 26, slated for a November release.

The developer expressed deep regret to those who pre-ordered FM25, thanking them for their trust and support, and is offering refunds. "We know this will come as a huge disappointment, especially given that the release date has already moved twice, and you have been eagerly anticipating the first gameplay reveal. We can only apologize for the time it has taken to communicate this decision. Due to stakeholder compliance, including legal and financial regulations, today was the earliest date that we could issue this statement," Sports Interactive stated.

The team had aimed to make FM25 the "biggest technical and visual advancement for the series in a generation," setting the stage for a new era. However, despite the team's efforts, they faced numerous challenges and unforeseen issues. "Due to a variety of challenges that we’ve been open about to date, and many more unforeseen, we currently haven’t achieved what we set out to do in enough areas of the game, despite the phenomenal efforts of our team," they explained.

The decision to delay the release was made to improve the game, but as critical milestones approached, it became clear that the desired standard could not be met, even with the adjusted timeline. "Whilst many areas of the game have hit our targets, the overarching player experience and interface is not where we need it to be. As extensive evaluation has demonstrated, including consumer playtesting, we have clear validation for the new direction of the game and are getting close – however, we’re too far away from the standards you deserve," Sports Interactive noted.

The team could have released FM25 in its current state and fixed issues later, but they felt that was not the right approach. They were also unwilling to delay beyond March, as it would be too late in the football season for players to purchase another game later in the year.

With the cancellation of FM25, Sports Interactive is now fully focused on ensuring that Football Manager 26 meets their goals and the quality level expected by fans. They promised to provide updates on their progress as soon as possible.

"Thank you for reading, your patience, and your continued support. Our full focus now returns to creating a new era for Football Manager," concluded Sports Interactive.