Fans can look forward to a new game engine and a refreshed aesthetic in Football Manager 2025, but some features, like the social media page and touchline shouts, are being cut.
Every year, Sports Interactive releases a new installment of Football Manager, typically with only minor updates compared to the previous version. However, this year’s Football Manager 2025 seems poised to make a more significant leap forward than what fans are accustomed to.
While Football Manager 2024 was well-received, the upcoming sequel is being developed using a new engine, which studio head Miles Jacobson explained to Metro last year will enable them to achieve things that had previously posed technical challenges.
Recently, Sports Interactive disclosed what players can expect from Football Manager 2025, along with a list of features being removed, including touchline shouts and the social media page.
“Essentially, FM25 is the starting point for the studio’s next 20 years,” Jacobson mentioned in a blog post, emphasizing the importance of the new Unity engine.
“Transitioning to the Unity engine is a massive undertaking. It provides us with excellent building blocks to create new foundations, unlock our potential, and support our future vision for Football Manager, with enhanced graphics and more streamlined development processes.”
He added that as the team gains more experience with the engine, it will lead to quicker creation and implementation of game features and design enhancements.
Part of this overhaul means that several features are being removed, including touchline shouts, the data chalkboard, the social media page, and game modes such as create-a-club, versus mode, challenge mode, and fantasy draft.
On the bright side, one of the new additions to this year’s game is an improved user interface and user experience, thanks to the capabilities of the Unity engine.
Another major change involves the traditional inbox, which is essentially an email feed, being replaced by a feature called the “Portal.”
“The Portal will serve as a more comprehensive gateway to the broader football world. It will provide enhanced tools for crafting your narrative through the Agenda and Messages sections, while also offering greater insights into events happening elsewhere through News and Matches,” Jacobson explains.
Hidden within the blog post is the announcement of a collaboration with FIFAe, FIFA’s esports division, to host a FIFAe World Cup for Football Manager, featuring a prize pool of $100,000 (£79,000).
The tournament is set to take place in Liverpool from August 29 to September 1, 2024, using Football Manager 2024 for gameplay. Interested participants can sign up here.
Lastly, Jacobson notes that the release date for Football Manager 2025 will be revealed in early September, with pre-orders available at that time. This aligns with the pattern seen in previous years, as the last three Football Manager titles were also announced during this timeframe, all scheduled for release in early November.
The latest update emphasizes what features are being removed and introduces the new user interface, rather than focusing on gameplay or match graphics. More details on these aspects are expected to be revealed as we approach the release of Football Manager 2025.
