The wait is nearly over
We are all probably getting to that point where FM24 is running dry and we are eagerly anticipating FM25. Development updates are coming, are we excited?
The time is fast approaching! It is the time of year I look forward to, what is FM25 going to bring us. This is where we are all getting tired of FM24 and looking forward to the new game as the new season has kicked off.
I remember the days of queuing up at midnight to purchase the game from my local store. Now you download it ready to start on the day it is released.
We are waiting for an announcement for the release date towards the end of September, but the rumours are that we will see FM25 released near the end of November 2024.
In the latest development update Miles Jacobson covered a number of highly anticipated points for the new edition of Football Manager.
Cue the excitement!
Save game transfer
Again this year we have been told that you can load your FM24 save games on FM25 to continue on your journey. I tend to scrap my save games from the previous game, but this year I actually continued a save game I had running with Derby on FM23.
The game loaded seamlessly and I got playing using the save game from the previous version. The only problem I love the game being up to date and eventually I started save games fresh of FM24.
This feature is great for anyone who is in love with their current save on FM24 and looking to continue it on the new game. Hopefully this feature keeps appearing so that players can just keep loading the save game from the previous Football Manager.
No International Management
It was announced that International management has been withdrawn from FM25. This initially was a shock to me, but after seeing the usage figures you can see why. Apparently just over 5% save games are with an International team, which surprised me.
I personally do not manage international football as I find it rather dull. You play pointless friendlies and qualifier group games and then end up at a decent tournament every two years. It just doesn’t have the competitive edge that I find at club level in leagues or cups.
The only shame here are the international saves like the San Marino challenge. This has had a fantastic following over the years and I have enjoyed watching and reading the various journeys that players do.
The main takeaway here is that it is only temporary and will return on FM26 and be feature rich. The main benefit of International management not being in the game is that we can fully focus on the club side of the game.
Women’s Football
This is a much needed feature on FM25. The women’s game has come so far over the last ten years and they need to be celebrated more in their advancement. The support the women’s game has been receiving just shows the fantastic evolution of the game.
It’s great to see female football making the strides it has and it only helps to grow the sport even further. It needs to be in the game, just like FIFA introduced it a few years ago.
The main benefit of the women’s game being introduced into the Football Manager series is that it gives it the exposure it deserves. It will also help with creating the knowledge of the female game, I mean I would struggle to name as many female players as I know obscure wonderkids.
Officially Licensed Premier League
Finally! Now onto my favourite feature of the whole game. We will have fully officially licensed league and teams for FM25. I bet that cost a small fortune, but it is something that I welcome with open arms. As someone who spends so much time managing in the Premier League, it’s going to be great to see the official logos and teams.
The main benefit of the official licensing is that the game will look so much better and you don’t need to download a load user created files. While community does a great job, it shouldn’t be better than the real thing.
This will really add the gloss to the save games in the EPL!
FM25 Conclusion
Being a fan boy, I am obviously going to be a big fan of anything that is Football Manager. FM25 is no different, I love the expansion it brings and the development in engine.
The biggest thing I am looking forward to in this edition of Football Manager is keeping Ipswich Town up. That includes using the official Premier League logos and face packs etc.
Overall, I am looking forward to the next instalment and I hope you are too. The new technology could make a real difference and we will have screen shots of the match engine soon.
