Sports Interactive and SEGA Europe on Wednesday announced that Football Manager 2010, the latest version of their bestselling football management game will ship on Oct. 30.
Football Manager 2009 is the most successful in the Football Manager series to date, clocking up 22 weeks at No.1 in the UK (PC charts) and selling in excess of 1 million copies worldwide, as well as being voted the 2nd best video game of all time in a recent Radio 1 poll. According to data gathered from Football Manager 2009, people played the game for an average of 240 hours each. However, developer Sports Interactive has been made aware via the vibrant Football Manager community that the addition of big new features in the last few releases has come at the expense of attention to existing areas of the game and solving long standing issues.
With this in mind, Sports Interactive has spent the last year working closely with consumers and the Football Manager community to implement key improvements to this year’s game. Football Manager 2010 features new tools and changes across the board including some big additions to improve ease of use, navigation and feedback from the game with the introduction of a brand new match tactics system, the debut of a Match Analysis tool, a completely new look and new User Interface among other features.
“We have worked very hard with the Football Manager community to target not only the areas of the game that needed re-working but also what we could add to improve what’s already there. We’ve also conducted extensive usability studies which has led us to overhaul the whole presentation of the game, which we’re really excited about,” said Miles Jacobson, Studio Director at Sports Interactive.
The introduction of a Tactics Creator makes it easier to instruct the team to play the way the manager wants, alongside the introduction of touchline ‘shouts’ and quick tactic changes for instantly altering your team’s playing style during the match. Working with coaches from various levels of football, alongside some of the Football Manager communities most respected independent tacticians, the game now has an extensive array of pre-set tactical options allowing the user to select a player’s role in the team (such as ‘Ball winning midfielder’ or ‘Deep lying playmaker’), however the option to use the old ‘slider’ controls remains.
Feedback from matches has been improved to give the user better insight into where their team is going wrong, or right. A new Match Analysis tool lets players see where shots, passes, crosses, headers, tackles, fouls and interceptions have been made on the field for all players on the pitch. Managers can view this analysis both live in-game and post match, allowing them to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of both their team and their opponent’s and adjust their tactics accordingly.
Further new features will be announced via a series of blogs in the months leading up to the game’s October 30th release date which will ensure that Football Manager retains its position as the most realistic, most played, highest reviewed and best selling football management simulation in the world.
Football Manager Handheld 2010 also has a host of new features and improvements, including a brand new skin for the game and improved match engine AI.
Polish - a year of polish, making the game faster, more immersive, more realistic and easier to play with better in game feedback and more advice, delivered in a more user friendly way.
Improved Match Engine - improved AI, over 100 new animations in 3D mode, new stadiums and crowds, improved pitch degradations and better lighting make for the most immersive pitch-side experience ever.
Match Analysis - a match analysis tool that shows you where shots, passes, crosses, headers, tackles, fouls and interceptions have been made on the field for both teams. See this analysis both live in game, and post match, allowing you to pinpoint the weaknesses and strengths of both your team and your opponents.
New User Interface - a completely new vibrant look and feel to the game, plus a navigational overhaul. The side menu is replaced by an intuitive tab system, based on extensive consumer feedback and usability studies, which allows you to access all areas of FM 2010 quickly and easily.
Tactical Overhaul - a new tactics module makes it much easier to make your team play as you want them to. There are thousands of possible pre-set options and touchline “shout” instructions for making instant changes to your teams playing style. Don’t worry; the old system is still there for people who love their sliders.
News Center - a subscription based newspaper. Get the news about the football world around you that you want, and not the news you don’t want.
New Data Editor - including a brand new Competition Editor allowing you to add competitions and extra levels for leagues currently in the game, and add completely new competitions and leagues all via a very simple to use editor. Plus, the new editor allows you to keep your game up to date more easily than ever before.