Do you still want to buy the game？

Lets look at the reviews on Amazon.

No I don't want to buy it...because I already have it

Good, I hate the DRM, glad it's giving the game bad reviews.

The thing is with those reviews, how many of them are people who have actually played the game - none I'd dare say.

We're aware of the problems people have had with activation, and aware of their frustrations, but maybe this is a good way to highlight anyone who IS happy with the game should go on Amazon and give the game a positive review.

Likewise anyone who is disappointed with the game (and has actually played it) could go and give their views as well.

Very nicely saved with that last line. I suggest that having FM staff on the forums asking people to go to the Amazon site to give the game positive reviews (even if this request is balanced with a tiny request for people with bad reviews also to offer their feelings) is a bit naughty.

With amazon.com you can rate something before it even gets released and before you've played/read/watched the subject matter. I'm guessing the clear majority of being who "voted" hadn't played the game yet, were frustrated at waiting so long for its release and so voted accordingly.

Take such "polls" with a heavy dose of salt.

Looking at the trend from 2-5 stars it actually goes up, it seems that a lot of people have been voting 1 inexplicably.

DRM = 1 star , play it or not

I already told ya

With amazon.com you can rate something before it even gets released and before you've played/read/watched the subject matter. I'm guessing the clear majority of being who "voted" hadn't played the game yet, were frustrated at waiting so long for its release and so voted accordingly.

Take such "polls" with a heavy dose of salt.

exactly. i remember Killzone took a hammering over a year before it came out because all the xobx/halo fanboys rushed in and gave the game 1 star.

exactly. i remember Killzone took a hammering over a year before it came out because all the xobx/halo fanboys rushed in and gave the game 1 star.

lol

I read the same amazon FM2009 poll a while back (with all the comments) and there were people who were questioning the relevance of being able to vote on a game that hadn't even been lauched, and wouldn't be for a few months.

If you ignore the actual ratings and read the comments, then you'll really see how annoyed people actually are. The high amount is caused by the DRM system, something SI should take into consideration before using it again.

The thing is with those reviews, how many of them are people who have actually played the game - none I'd dare say.

Haven't played it, gave it one star....because I couldn't play it.

The thing is with those reviews, how many of them are people who have actually played the game - none I'd dare say.

We're aware of the problems people have had with activation, and aware of their frustrations, but maybe this is a good way to highlight anyone who IS happy with the game should go on Amazon and give the game a positive review.

Likewise anyone who is disappointed with the game (and has actually played it) could go and give their views as well.

So look at this:

Good, I hate the DRM, glad it's giving the game bad reviews.

Yes, it's good that people who read the Amazon reviews might be misled into believing they shouldn't get the game. Reeeally good.

Its obvious they are giving poor reviews just for the sake of it. I hope it doesn't stop people who would actually enjoy the game from trying it anyway, but it probably will.

Being a game addict and with buying loads of pc games per year I feel football manager 2009 is the best they have produced in years so the ratings given on the amazon website do not reflect the true game. The guy who created this post probably works for the championship manager team and as they have not produced a good football manager game yet they have sent out there redundant staff to add some poison to a great football managment game.

The guy who created this post probably works for the championship manager team and as they have not produced a good football manager game yet they have sent out there redundant staff to add some poison to a great football managment game.

Did you read about the aliens controlling the government conspiracy too ?

I'd also suggest reading some of the reviews, there is a hell of a lot of negativity about the game especially with the activation process.

I just hope SI learn from this and remove this ridiculous process of having to activate the game.

In fact if you look at the ratings of all the previous FM's it actually shows that the series has gradually got worse!

Perhaps SI need to go back to basics.

As has been said before, it's probably people who ordered it, got it on release day and couldn't activate it due to the rush.

I'd also suggest reading some of the reviews, there is a hell of a lot of negativity about the game especially with the activation process.

I just hope SI learn from this and remove this ridiculous process of having to activate the game.

In fact if you look at the ratings of all the previous FM's it actually shows that the series has gradually got worse!

Perhaps SI need to go back to basics.

Absolutely spot on with what you have said. Since FM 2007 the game has seen a decline in quality ...... Can't help thinking if SEGA were n't involved then there would n't be half the problems there have been. DRM has killed it for me and I have n't bought the game which is the first time I have n't since CM 2.

SI really do need to look at the terrible mistakes they have made and go back to the drawing board for the sake of the game in general. I have never seen so many angry people and so much negative feedback to a CM/FM game before. You need to work closer with the FM community and listen to what people say and personally I would ditch SEGA although in reality that won't happen.

On the subject of the game itself, I did try the demo and to say I was disappointed with the 3D is the understatement of the year. They built it up so much saying it is something they have worked on for the last couple of years and would take advantage of new technology! The 3D is pathetic and would n't look out of place in a game from the late 90's. Stadiums that are greyed out with no 3D eye candy whatsoever, i'm not expecting FIFA 2009 but lets be honest it looks like sensible soccer!!!

Back to the drawing board on 3D chaps it is abysmal!

Quite how this shambles affects sales and future development only time will tell but SI need to sort out this shocking release and ensure that the next release is an unqualified success.

I'll be buying it once it's finished (final patch).

I have no intention to slam SI for a few problems.

Anyway, I have Trainz Railway Simulator to keep me busy until then.

I have bought it, happy to have done so, and done give any credibility to those surveys

got my copy today from the shops , most of those reviews are based on the problems getting the game running.

This bad rating is mostly due to the cack activation process. I had seen this and the moaning on the boards and ordered my copy AFTER all this. Because i think FM 2009 is a great game and i hope to find a way around the problems with activation.

Absolutely spot on with what you have said. Since FM 2007 the game has seen a decline in quality ...... Can't help thinking if SEGA were n't involved then there would n't be half the problems there have been. DRM has killed it for me and I have n't bought the game which is the first time I have n't since CM 2.

SI really do need to look at the terrible mistakes they have made and go back to the drawing board for the sake of the game in general. I have never seen so many angry people and so much negative feedback to a CM/FM game before. You need to work closer with the FM community and listen to what people say and personally I would ditch SEGA although in reality that won't happen.

On the subject of the game itself, I did try the demo and to say I was disappointed with the 3D is the understatement of the year. They built it up so much saying it is something they have worked on for the last couple of years and would take advantage of new technology! The 3D is pathetic and would n't look out of place in a game from the late 90's. Stadiums that are greyed out with no 3D eye candy whatsoever, i'm not expecting FIFA 2009 but lets be honest it looks like sensible soccer!!!

Back to the drawing board on 3D chaps it is abysmal!

Quite how this shambles affects sales and future development only time will tell but SI need to sort out this shocking release and ensure that the next release is an unqualified success.

I have always wished it would look like Sensible Soccer, i dont need any eye candy. Just was worried about getting the tactics to work in 3D, and from what i have seen from the demo it still needs work but is about a million times better than FIFA MANAGER.

Absolutely spot on with what you have said. Since FM 2007 the game has seen a decline in quality ...... Can't help thinking if SEGA were n't involved then there would n't be half the problems there have been. DRM has killed it for me and I have n't bought the game which is the first time I have n't since CM 2.

SI really do need to look at the terrible mistakes they have made and go back to the drawing board for the sake of the game in general. I have never seen so many angry people and so much negative feedback to a CM/FM game before. You need to work closer with the FM community and listen to what people say and personally I would ditch SEGA although in reality that won't happen.

On the subject of the game itself, I did try the demo and to say I was disappointed with the 3D is the understatement of the year. They built it up so much saying it is something they have worked on for the last couple of years and would take advantage of new technology! The 3D is pathetic and would n't look out of place in a game from the late 90's. Stadiums that are greyed out with no 3D eye candy whatsoever, i'm not expecting FIFA 2009 but lets be honest it looks like sensible soccer!!!

Back to the drawing board on 3D chaps it is abysmal!

Quite how this shambles affects sales and future development only time will tell but SI need to sort out this shocking release and ensure that the next release is an unqualified success.

I can see where you coming from I dont like whats happened since SI went to bed with SEGA and we will never be privy what the spat was with EIDOS. We know it was over diferences in direction the game roadmap was taking. I think there been more presure to get games out by X date and games to me look rushed. Whether this is true or not from the outside looking in thats what the impression you get. Then theres been protection system this time out and one of SEGA bods admitting Miles did not get full facts to base his decision. Target adverts in the game with IGA. I fear SEGA taking us down very dark path, I hope I am very wrong. I even noticed the slowdown in official updates SI used to provide and the worry that FM2008 had bugs still not addressed despite being logged as the game got abandoned by them to move on to FM2009. Something in the past SI never did.

Although personal note I thought FM2007 & fm2008 was not that bad frustrating and hard. It really takes far too long for players to realise and learn your tactic. Some trends like they never follow instructions on set pieces which when playing the FM2009 demo it was even worse.

I was told by the assistent no one on the posst hang on I have my wingers there I dont understand why they ignoring it. Defenders often also ignore stay BACK.

To me these are frustration as it seem your coaches tend to be boss of the flow and shape of the game tactic and set pieces seems you cant have control. This is fine but we need overall control of when the team works. What I saw on the demo nothing changed you still get feeling of being in the band and not being the conductor and ochastrator of the tactic.

On another note how many who said they would refuse to buy over DRM refused to buy.

I stuck to my guns and still refuse to buy quite frankly after seeing what happened I am glad.

I happy playing FM2008. Which I think was underated little gem.. When you know how the game thinks and works get the right backroom to how YOU want them to play and have players who you have had for 2-3 years the flow is very Good.

I will in time get FM2009 when DRM is kicked and IGA dumped. On the amazon revues I think you have to read them rightly or wrongly it is SPOT ON. DRM and ACTIVATION was a massive own goal. BAsic errors of not omitting confusion combinations was sloppy from the protection programmers suggest it was rushed to meet release deadline.

+1 to Mertle.

Well made points.