FM2012 Release Day Activation Info

Hi All,

Just a quick post to make sure everyone is clear what's happening today and through to midnight.

Purchase Information:

If you've pre-ordered directly from Steam you'll be able to preload the game already, but not play it until just after midnight. Preloading doesn't make the game playable - it simply reduces strain on the Steam servers by allowing you to download a significant percentage of the code before midnight. The remainder will be downloaded from 00.01 BST tomorrow when the game officially launches, and you'll be able to play.

If you've purchased from any other digital retailer, you should expect to receive your code some time later today when they will all be released. If you have specific questions about this, please contact your retailer. Some of them will allow the pre-load, some won't - they will be able to tell you.

If you've ordered or bought a physical copy of the game and received it already, you won't be able to play it yet - in fact, your retailer probably shouldn't have provided it to you until tomorrow. Consider yourself very lucky... You will still need a Steam account and to be online once, and once only if that's all you want, after midnight tonight, to activate the game. You'll be able to pre-load via Steam and, as per the above, you'll have to wait until RELEASE DAY *trumpets* to play. I.e. 00.01 tomorrow, BST.

Release Timing:

No matter where you've purchased the game from, you will not be able to play it before 00:01 BST. There are no exceptions to this - so while that may be unpopular if your box landed on your doorstep this morning, we are sorry but we thought this way was fairer for everyone than what we've experienced in previous years where some retailers break street date, leaving members of the community who have ordered elsewhere high and dry if their retailer has correctly held the official date. Rejoice in the one-ness you'll have with your FM brothers and sisters the world over.

At midnight, regardless of where you purchased, you'll need to be connected to the Internet and to Steam, at which point you'll download the last part of the game and it will become playable. PLEASE NOTE that it takes approximately half an hour for the code to propagate across all of the Steam servers - some of you *may* experience a slight delay. If you're receiving error messages regarding availability - wait for 5 minutes, restart your computer, and try again. It shouldn't take long.

Patch Information:

I'm informed that the .exe that you download IS different to the demo code - i.e. the clever folk at SI have been working on a few tweaks and updates. At this point, I'm uncertain as to what they are. They always post changelogs to their patches and I'm sure when Miles gets off a plane, train or whatever automobile he is in doing his PR thing, he'll be on here with an update. What I guess that means is that there won't be a "Day One Patch" that you need to wait for - we've provided it prior to launch. What I can't speak for is the need for any further patches and if, or when, they may be made available - again, we need SI to cover that. I also stipulate "guess" - I am not the expert and there may be more info to come from SI. Please don't ask any more, as I don't know about the content - sorry - Miles is already going to tell me off for telling you this, but I'm trying to prevent a long list of posts all asking the same questions. If I don't answer you tomorrow, you'll know why...

If you've a question that's not answered, please post it here and I'll do my best throughout the day /evening. I'll caveat that by saying this isn't the place to discuss whether you do or don't like Steam, and I will be asking the mods to delete posts that aren't related to the topic to keep it as clear as possible for those with questions that need answering.

I hope this helps.

Cheers

Matt

good info. Cheers

Yes, thanks Matt.

when are keys getting sent to GMG they only work 9-5 so if they dont get them before then i have to wait till tomorrow which is BS

But for those who bought the game on disc, is that the same as the demo code?

when are keys getting sent to GMG they only work 9-5 so if they dont get them before then i have to wait till tomorrow which is BS

They can automate and likely will. If you want specifics you'd need to ask them directly.

But for those who bought the game on disc, is that the same as the demo code?

No - you'll need to activate and update via Steam - you will all be playing the same version.

Not Happy to put my Football Manager 2012 disk in the Laptop this Morning to find a message "Football Manager 2012 cannot be installed yet, as it is not yet released."

I'm have the worst luck today. First my Batman Arkham City order turns up and its only the friggin Xbox version not the PS3 version I ordered, so I can't play that. Now I can't even play Football Manager. This day sucks!

They can automate and likely will. If you want specifics you'd need to ask them directly.

I have asked them they said they still waiting to recieve them from SEGA

I have asked them they said they still waiting to recieve them from SEGA

Which is what Matt said above, they will receive them today and have said they will be released as soon as SEGA send them.

They can automate and likely will. If you want specifics you'd need to ask them directly.

I have asked them they said they still waiting to recieve them from SEGA

Don't worry. They now have the info they need and will be sharing from later this afternoon.

Hello, I just bought FM2012 (not via steam), and when I try to activate it on steam, I get a message : "Sorry, but he following items are not available for purchase in this country. Your purchase has been cancelled."

What that means ?

It means you can't buy FM in your country.

Don't worry. They now have the info they need and will be sharing from later this afternoon.

great stuff thanks 1st time using GMG and i was a lil worried

Great humour you got Matt, thanks for telling us that

It means you can't buy FM in your country.

I don't understand ... So, if I have a licence key (no matter in which country i bought it) - I can't activate/install/play ?

I don't understand ... So, if I have a licence key (no matter in which country i bought it) - I can't activate/install/play ?

get a uk proxy online then it shoud work

Shop-to disc arrived this morning. It's in my CD drive, installation screen came up, checked steam, then it asks for product key BEFORE installation can begin. Is this right? So I can't install 99% and wait for midnight to activate in a few seconds? I don't mind taking 30 minutes instead of 30 seconds but I thought you could install from the disc before activation.

Shop-to disc arrived this morning. It's in my CD drive, installation screen came up, checked steam, then it asks for product key BEFORE installation can begin. Is this right? So I can't install 99% and wait for midnight to activate in a few seconds? I don't mind taking 30 minutes instead of 30 seconds but I thought you could install from the disc before activation.

Do you have a CD key you can input into Steam? Check the back of the box/manual. If so you can preload off Steam, and finish the last 1% after midnight, or whenever it unlocks.

They can automate and likely will. If you want specifics you'd need to ask them directly.

No - you'll need to activate and update via Steam - you will all be playing the same version.

Will steam update it automatically and look for a patch type thing or is there something we need to do to find it

Thanks for the info. Happily received my Steam activation code about an hour ago from DLGamer (pre-ordered via FM Base), so I will be pre-loading when I get home from work ready for 00:001 launch (sadly 02:01 my time).

I bought from a separate digital retailer and I was worried I wouldn't get anything,that's cleared it up. Thanks

Hi,

When I buy a digital copy online and I activate it with my Steam account can my brother activate the game with the same digital copy? Because we live together in 1 house. I remember that the 2009 (I think) had 5 activations possible.

Hello, I just bought FM2012 (not via steam), and when I try to activate it on steam, I get a message : "Sorry, but he following items are not available for purchase in this country. Your purchase has been cancelled."

What that means ?

Are you where your status says - Lithuania?

It's one copy of the game per Steam account and you can't have the same Steam account running on two machines at the same time.

So I won't be able to play this on my Laptop and my Desktop PC?

This day just gets better. Think I'll pop this game back in the box and return to supplier tomorrow for a refund. I'm not putting up with this crap.

So I won't be able to play this on my Laptop and my Desktop PC?

This day just gets better. Think I'll pop this game back in the box and return to supplier tomorrow for a refund. I'm not putting up with this crap.

Yes you can. Just not at the same time

U can play on both just not at the same time as long as u have steam installed on both with the account fm12 is activated on

Are you where your status says - Lithuania?

Yepp, but I bought It from buka.ru (steam-version).

So I won't be able to play this on my Laptop and my Desktop PC?

This day just gets better. Think I'll pop this game back in the box and return to supplier tomorrow for a refund. I'm not putting up with this crap.

You can play on any computer or laptop you want. You just have to sign in Steam with an account that you purchased the game. So you cant play on 2 diffrent systems with the same account.

If you've ordered or bought a physical copy of the game and received it already, you won't be able to play it yet. [...] You'll be able to pre-load via Steam and, as per the above, you'll have to wait until RELEASE DAY *trumpets* to play. I.e. 00.01 tomorrow, BST.

Is this an oversight, or am I doing something wrong? I put the disc in the drive, started going through the motions of installing it, then got a message saying nothing could be installed until it was officially released.

Best place for Football Manager 2012 at this point in time:

Sorry SI but you've failed this time. Really disappointed me as a long time loyal customer.

What is exactly is your issue?

You can play on both your laptop and your PC, just not at the same time. In fact you can play on as many machines as you like, you could even log into a random computer on the other side of the world with your Steam account, without the disk, and download and play it there.

The only limitation is that you can only be logged into Steam with an account on one computer at a time.

Is this an oversight, or am I doing something wrong? I put the disc in the drive, started going through the motions of installing it, then got a message saying nothing could be installed until it was officially released.

Open up Steam and go to the library, does it have Football Manager 2012 listed? If so you should be able to preload. If it's not listed you could try inputting your CD key, I believe it's on the back of the manual.

Open up Steam and go to the library, does it have Football Manager 2012 listed? If so you should be able to preload. If it's not listed you could try inputting your CD key, I believe it's on the back of the manual.

That's worked. Thanks :thup:

surely if no copy can be used till 00:01, it is completly pointless telling stores they cannot sell today???? how am i going to play at midnight if not got a copy?

unlike some customers with limitless pots of money, i purchase games from store and every year FM and FIFA are my 2 must have purchases....... i usually have gift vouchers and the odd game to trade in to help towards my purchase, now i cannot buy game till friday ? so wont be playing with "my fm brothers and sisters" what a marketing nonsense quote!

Ummm - how do you normally get the game? If you've had it pre-launch day in the past from a retailer, you've been pretty fortunate as they're not supposed to do that.

For weeks, we've been saying that we'll release the game on October 21st. On October the 21st you'll be able to buy and play it however you want. It's not really our fault that the game isn't available before we launch it, is it? Well, technically I suppose it is - but the information is clear.

Best place for Football Manager 2012 at this point in time:

Sorry SI but you've failed this time. Really disappointed me as a long time loyal customer.

Please let me know the retailer that supplied you with the game ahead of the release date and I'll contact them and explain your disappointment.

Cheers

Matt

Yepp, but I bought It from buka.ru (steam-version).

I'll need to try and work out why you got that error - I have asked. Bear with me please.

you miss the point matt, if a game must be activated to play....fair enough, if you need to be online and use steam........fair enough, if this time is 00:01 on 21st October....fair enough

then why not give everyone a level playing field and allow people to buy physical stock to be ready for this time??? this release is completly focused on digital purchases, as far as i am aware there is no store retailer that allows trade ins or any thing similar open at midnight today (i've rung 6 locally) ? so anyone who requires to buy in method because of reasons explained cannot till tomorrow...

would of been the best method to do everything you have ie- activation, time and date but allowed stores to sell when they recieved stock so people can activate with their "brothers"at midnight

you miss the point matt, if a game must be activated to play....fair enough, if you need to be online and use steam........fair enough, if this time is 00:01 on 21st October....fair enough

then why not give everyone a level playing field and allow people to buy physical stock to be ready for this time??? this release is completly focused on digital purchases, as far as i am aware there is no store retailer that allows trade ins or any thing similar open at midnight today (i've rung 6 locally) ? so anyone who requires to buy in method because of reasons explained cannot till tomorrow...

would of been the best method to do everything you have ie- activation, time and date but allowed stores to sell when they recieved stock so people can activate with their "brothers"at midnight

It's a logistical challenge to match digital and physical releases and we deemed this to be the fairest way of doing it.

The assumption made is that the game should be available online by the point people get their stock - most people receiving it at the point of retail opening. Some retailers choose to open at midnight to cater for this (and have done for some years, in fairness to them), some at conventional hours. Some have supplied the stock early which is unfortunately beyond our control. The game is released on October 21st which has been communicated via every single retail outlet. It was posted on this site some weeks ago, Gruff.

If we make the game available earlier via physical means, we'd simply have more of this issue, not less of it. We're trying to provide the simplest and fairest mechanic. If it's making you unhappy I apologise, but I don't see what a fairer alternative would have been.

Removed a few posts to try and keep this relevant to those with questions or arriving later. No offence intended if yours was one.

Cheers.

When discharging a patient, I won't keep him/her in for an extra couple of days simply because it's unfair on others, or that their estimated date of discharge was originally put down as 48 hours later.

As analogies go that's worse than all the car ones put together:)

For those of you who have got your physical copy of the game, and have hit the issue where Steam asks for the activation code before it installs the package and forces you to cancel the installation, fear not. If you open your Steam account now, it will let you pre-load the game as if you had bought it off Steam, as you have entered a valid activation code, which is, I guess, proof of purchase.

I really dont see the point in stopping people play the game until midnight. Not only is it annoying people who already have the game, I can see a huge Steam crash at midnight when it isnt able to cope with everyone downloading the game at once.

Most already have 99% of it, Steam have handled far bigger releases than this with no problem, in Steam terms FM12 is chicken feed.

download what prior to release? very confusing

probably they fixed it before it went onto disc or it will download from steam when you activate the game.

Sorry if i sound a bit stupid here but i have already download via steam and just waiting for the last little bit to come this evening but do i need to activate it with a serial number or not or will steam just download the last little bit and away i go and enjoy fm2012.

any help would be great

thanks

Sorry if i sound a bit stupid here but i have already download via steam and just waiting for the last little bit to come this evening but do i need to activate it with a serial number or not or will steam just download the last little bit and away i go and enjoy fm2012.

any help would be great

thanks

If you've already preloaded it will automatically download the last part and you'll be good to go.

As far as I understand it - there is no official patch. You're downloading the game off steam which has already been updated since the demo, so it's not being patched. If you're buying it from the box then when you activate it Steam will update the files for you - similar to a patch but not.

Think he means what is different between demo and final code

many thanks for your reply johnhughthom.

Received my key from greenman gaming.

Me too

Greenamangaming are pros

Hello, I just bought FM2012 (not via steam), and when I try to activate it on steam, I get a message : "Sorry, but he following items are not available for purchase in this country. Your purchase has been cancelled."

What that means ?

So - i believe this error is being caused by you trying to buy from a Russian retailer, outside of Russia. That version is region locked - you would need to purchase directly from Steam, or I can try and find a retailer in Lithuania selling the game. I am checking into that but may not be able to find it before tomorrow. Sorry for any confusion.

Cheers

Matt