Football Manager confirms why FM24 data update isn't happening
No new data for Football Manager 2024.
Football Manager developer Sports Interactive has confirmed that FM24 will not receive a data update, much to the disappointment of fans who were calling for exactly that.
Following confirmation of FM25's delay, players wondered if the developer would introduce a fresh data update for the previous game to reflect the start of the 2024/25 football season.
The thinking among fans was that such an update would inject a breath of fresh air into FM24 and make the wait for FM25 a bit less painful.
Instead of introducing a fresh data update, Sports Interactive released a statement confirming there won't be any kind of update as it focuses on the development of FM25.
The statement, in no uncertain terms, states that FM24 will not be getting an official update to patch in the 2024/25 season data. The social media post even states that it's "not possible".
As for the reason why, the statement confirms: "Having now scoped the work that would be required, and despite a good initial response from many of our licensors, we cannot lift assets that we are using in FM25 and make them work in FM24 without recreating them in full.
"The same applies for many competition rules, translations and database changes that cannot be back ported. The updated assets and data would both be required to obtain licensor approval - they cannot be separated.
"This is a substantial undertaking which would take critical resources away from delivering FM25 to the highest possible quality, which we simply cannot compromise on."
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
The statement on the data update follows the decision to push back the release of FM25 to March 2025 in order to give Sports Interactive enough time to release a polished product.
Without any fresh content, some might be wondering if it's worth continuing their FM24 save without the most up-to-date information embedded into their games.
However, many are remaining optimistic for the success of FM25. One fan says: "Thank you for being transparent and keeping us in the loop with what's going on. True FM fans will be excited to play FM25 regardless."
Sports Interactive also revealed that fans who don't fancy waiting the extra months can get their hands on a refund from the retailer they pre-ordered the game from.
Despite its pushback, interest in FM25 remains at an all-time high with many expecting the best instalment of the management franchise to date thanks to the additional development time.
FM25 is being positioned as a fresh start for the franchise, with a new game engine being deployed.
The delay to FM25 paired with no official data update is certainly frustrating, but the transparency from Sports Interactive is much better than keeping fans in the dark regarding the situation.
Sarah Parish, Mandip Gill and Alexandra Burke star in the gripping drama – and for a limited time, you can watch episode 1 on our website.
If FM25 launched full of bugs and inaccuracies, it would be a catastrophic mistake from the developer and would no doubt frustrate fans even more than they already are.
For those who are desperate for a fresh batch of data for their saves, the community is already creating their own fan-made databases packed with the latest promotions and relegations for the most realistic experience.
Read more on FM24:
- FM24 wonderkids - young talent
- FM24 bargains - cheapest players
- FM24 starting budgets - richest clubs
Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
