Chris Kerr, News EditorFebruary 7, 20252 Min ReadImage via Sports InteractiveFootball Manager 25 (FM25) has been scrapped just weeks ahead of its proposed March 2025 launch window so developer Sports Interactive can focus on the next entry in the franchise.The title had already been delayed twice but has now been canceled by Sports Interactive and publisher Sega following 'extensive' internal discussions.In a post on the Football Manager website, Sports Interactive confirmed pre-orders will be refunded and apologized for taking so long to communicate the decisionbut noted it had to fulfil regulatory obligations."Due to stakeholder compliance, including legal and financial regulations, today was the earliest date that we could issue this statement," said the studio.Sports Interactive said FM25billed as a major overhaul for the seriespresented a number of challenges that ultimately prevented the team from achieving its desired goals."Each decision to delay the release was made with the aim of getting the game closer to the desired level but, as we approached critical milestones at the turn of the year, it became unmistakably clear that we would not achieve the standard required, even with the adjusted timeline," it explained."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 closehowever, we're too far away from the standards you deserve."The studio said it could have released FM25 in its current state and rolled out fixes at a later date, but felt that would have been the wrong decision.It also suggested that pushing the release date back again would result in the title launching too late in the football season, potentially disrupting the cadence of future releases.The studio will now focus on the next entry in the long-running soccer management sim."Through the cancellation, every effort is now focused on ensuring that our next release achieves our goal and hits the quality level we all expect," it continued. "We will update you on how we are progressing with that as soon as we are able to do so."About the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, andPocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like