Xbox Game Pass and Cloud Gaming just lost this day one release – Gear Nuke

Sega has cancelled Football Manager 25, which means no release for this massive title for Microsoft on Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

James Binns

Published: Feb 9, 2025 Football Manager 25 has officially been cancelled, with Sega and Sports Interactive confirming that development on the game has been shut down following a series of delays. This marks the first time a mainline FM game has been skipped, and it also means bad news for Microsoft Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming users, as the game was expected to launch on both services day one. The studio has now shifted focus to FM26, which is planned as the franchise’s next major evolution.

The cancellation of FM25 follows a troubled development cycle that saw repeated delays and uncertainty. According to Sports Interactive, the decision was made to maintain quality rather than rush an unfinished product.

Studio head Miles Jacobson explained that technical issues, particularly those related to a major engine transition, made it difficult to hit a 2025 release date. The game was set to be the first Football Manager to run on Unity, a move meant to modernize the long-running franchise. However, unforeseen complications meant the transition couldn’t be completed in time, forcing the studio to scrap the game and move development forward to FM26.

Jacobson stated: “We could release something in 2025, but it wouldn’t meet our standards. We’re not prepared to do that.”

With Football Manager 25 now scrapped, attention shifts to FM26, which will serve as the series’ next official installment. Sports Interactive has confirmed that FM26 is still on track for release in late 2025, with extra development time allowing the team to polish its features and properly implement the new Unity engine.

As for platforms, FM26 is expected to launch on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and mobile devices. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming at launch, giving subscribers access to the title as part of their membership.

Miles Jacobson added: “FM26 will be the game we originally envisioned for FM25, but with additional refinements that wouldn’t have been possible on our original schedule.”

No. Development on Football Manager 25 has been permanently halted. The next game in the franchise will be Football Manager 26.

Technical difficulties and development delays forced Sports Interactive to skip FM25 and shift focus to FM26, ensuring a smoother transition to the Unity engine.

Football Manager 26 is planned for late 2025, although no official release date has been set.

Yes. Like previous titles, FM26 will launch on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The game will be the franchise’s first to run on Unity, which is expected to offer better graphics, improved AI, and new gameplay mechanics.

The decision to cancel FM25 instead of pushing out an unfinished game is a bold move, and one that ultimately makes sense for the long-term health of the series. Rushing a transition to a new game engine could have resulted in serious technical issues, and Sports Interactive clearly felt the risks weren’t worth it.

At the same time, skipping a full year is a massive blow for fans and especially frustrating for Xbox Game Pass players who were expecting a fresh entry in 2025. It leaves a gap in the yearly release cycle that the series has stuck to for so long, raising questions about how the shift to FM26 will play out.

It also sets a precedent. If the studio needed extra time to ensure a smooth launch, then delaying FM25 was the right move. But that decision comes with expectations—FM26 now has to deliver in a way that justifies this extended development period. If it launches as a polished, next-gen step forward, then the extra time will have been worth it. If not, then missing a year will feel like a major misstep.

The move also highlights an important shift in gaming. We’ve seen other major franchises, including Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty, take breaks in their annual release cycles to refresh and improve their games. Maybe this is a sign that Football Manager is heading in the same direction, moving away from yearly releases in favor of longer development cycles for bigger, more meaningful upgrades.

The wait for FM26 is on, and now it has to prove that skipping FM25 was the right call.

James Binns

Source: https://www.gearnuke.com/xbox-game-pass-and-cloud-gaming-just-lost-this-day-one-release