Sports Interactive and Sega have announced the cancellation of Football Manager 25 across all platforms. This marks the first time the long-running series has skipped a year since its inception in 2004. The decision follows a challenging development process involving a significant transition to the Unity game engine.

While initially touted as a generational leap in visuals and technology, the migration to Unity presented unforeseen difficulties, particularly impacting the player experience and user interface. The announcement, part of Sega Sammy Holdings’ financial report, includes a write-down of related costs. Sega has confirmed that no job losses are associated with the cancellation.

Sports Interactive stated in a blog post that there will be no Football Manager 24 update incorporating 2024/25 season data, prioritizing resources for Football Manager 26. Discussions are underway with platform holders and licensors to potentially extend FM24 agreements on services like Game Pass.

The cancellation follows two previous delays, the last pushing the release to March 2025. Refunds are being offered to those who pre-ordered FM25. Sports Interactive emphasized their commitment to delivering high-quality games and apologized for the delay in communication, citing stakeholder compliance requirements. They explained that despite progress in some areas, the overall player experience and interface didn't meet their standards, a conclusion supported by extensive internal testing and consumer feedback. Releasing a subpar product wasn't an option, especially given the late-year release would clash with the football season.

The developer is now fully focused on Football Manager 26, aiming for a November release, and will provide updates on its progress.