FMM now stuck behind a Netflix subscription!?

[Daniel.M]

23 hours ago, Hildor said:

We have our own poll in the discord server that started about a hour ago and the numbers are quite interesting so far, half the voters have Netflix but the vast majority consider this a negative move 🤔

Quick update on the sentiment from the FM Mobile & Touch Discord … as it’s been open for a day (~24 hours) now …

- approx. 90 replies in one day
- approx. 60% have Netflix
- approx. 90% believe this is negative for the game*

*of course this is based on the info available, before future SI blogs / further communications.

As a comparison with the Vibe community poll:

- also approx. 90 responses so far
- approx 35% have Netflix access (vs 60% on discord*)
- same +95% stat as before - of those with no Netflix access now, +95% wont get Netflix to get FMM24. 

* note there is some membership overlap between Discord + Vibe, but as this shows, not that much.

Hope this helps in some way

[Zachary Whyte]

Hello everyone, we have now released our latest development blog (see link below). Which explains our decision to partner with Netflix.

https://www.footballmanager.com/news/football-manager-2024-feature-rollout-and-new-partnerships

In addition, the FM24 Mobile FAQs are now online, (see link below) which will hopefully answer some of the questions people have had surrounding the Netflix announcement. 

https://www.footballmanager.com/help/fm24mobile

[Declan Barry]

That’s all well and good but one thing that isn’t answered is why the game is an Netflix exclusive with no option to buy it on the stores?

 

I assume this comes down to the money offered for exclusivity and will never be answered as it’s confidential, but it’s incredibly disappointing that this wasn’t the mentioned.

 

I also feel like if FM Mobile wasn’t hitting sales targets then SI must consider why. The game gets next to no marketing (I see more paid ads on the App Store, TikTok etc… by Soccer Manager), has little thought in the SI marketing team all year round to the people that play the game to engage them to become advocates and has a very limited resource internally vs FM that leads to people getting bored of the game quicker as the game development is slow and there’s aspects that have been neglected for a long time (UX for instance) that would help people to play the game more often and for longer and reduce Churn. 
 

Sadly I knew the outcome of this blog would always be blaming sales, but that seems like a cop out and the only way SI could position this to try and win positive sentiment back and not look like they’ve taken the pay check.

 

It also confirms my theory that in a few years FM Touch will likely be replacing FM Mobile for good and we can wave goodbye to the series.

[Leedsutd87]

Big question? I'm getting FM24 mobile, I'm going on holiday February to florida (9 hour flight) what does this mean for me playing FM? As ovs I'll be 33000 feet above 😄 and the flight I don't think has WiFi 

[MatiasDFS]

hace 6 minutos, Leedsutd87 dijo:

Big question? I'm getting FM24 mobile, I'm going on holiday February to florida (9 hour flight) what does this mean for me playing FM? As ovs I'll be 33000 feet above 😄 and the flight I don't think has WiFi 

You will be able to play offline, just need to connect "periodically" as the FAQ says.

Edited September 15, 2023 by MatiasDFS

[Leedsutd87]

13 minutes ago, MatiasDFS said:

You will be able to play offline, just need to connect "periodically" as the FAQ says.

Nice one, so fingers crossed it works for the full 9 hours without a sign in 😄 Duno what I'd do haha 😄 

[Hummingbird Saltalamacchia]

Interesting reading the development blog. I wonder why the sales for the mobile game have slowly been declining over the last few years? If that is the case, is it due to there being minimal changes each year? Or maybe people are tired of playing mobile games? Maybe it’s a mixture of both? Although the mobile game is a fun game, the 23 edition I have barely played, maybe the mobile users want more I don’t know. I guess it makes sense what they have decided to do though, sounds like they want as many people to download the mobile game as possible and not just release the game each year knowing sales will continue to decline even more, having the game now available on Netflix you would imagine sales would be better and it opens the game up to a wider audience as stated. I see what Declan Barry is saying but games like Soccer Manager need to advertise and market their game a lot more than Sega have to with Football Manager which has been around for many years compared to Soccer Manager. Will be interesting to see how different this years game is compared to 23.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Hummingbird Saltalamacchia
Spelling

[Declan Barry]

4 minutes ago, Hummingbird Saltalamacchia said:

Interesting reading the development blog. I wonder why the sales for the mobile game have slowly been declining over the last few years? If that is the case, is it due to there being minimal changes each year? Or maybe people are tired of playing mobile games? Maybe it’s a mixture of both? Although the mobile game is a fun game, the 23 edition I have barely played, maybe the mobile users want more I don’t know. I guess it makes sense what they have decided to do though, sounds like they want as many people to download the mobile game as possible and not just release the game each year knowing sales will continue to decline even more, having the game now available on Netflix you would imagine sales would be better and it opens the game up to a wider audience as stated. I see what Declan Barry is saying but games like Soccer Manager need to advertise and market their game a lot more than Sega have to with Football Manager which has been around for many years compared to Soccer Manager. It’s interesting to see how different this years game is compared to 23.

I agree a challenger brand needs to advertise more, but SI seem to mostly rely on their current consumer base and a little paid activity to propel the game to the top (basically 90% organic sales). When challenger brands are being so competitive, it’s no wonder SI are losing market share in the area by not investing in acquisition of new customers. For example, I type in “Football” into the App Store and the first thing I see is a Top Eleven ad. I cannot recall SI doing this with FM Mobile.

 

Likewise, relying on your core fan base is fine if the product matches expectations. However, casual players are not satisfied with an outdated UX and match engine vs competitors (3D is always one of the biggest feature asks), and for those that do play PC the game isn’t in depth enough as the feature set has stagnated in recent years. When FMH2006 came out it was based on CM2001. If we take that as the game was 5 years behind the PC version, the progression of the game has now drifted to be probably 15-20 years behind. Therefore, it’s failing to meet the modern expectations of PC players. 
 

Coupled with the very little mentions SI give it throughout the year to expose more PC players to the series, it doesn’t take a genius to work out why sales are down.

[Hildor]

1 hora atrás, Declan Barry disse:

That’s all well and good but one thing that isn’t answered is why the game is an Netflix exclusive with no option to buy it on the stores?

 

I assume this comes down to the money offered for exclusivity and will never be answered as it’s confidential, but it’s incredibly disappointing that this wasn’t the mentioned.

 

I also feel like if FM Mobile wasn’t hitting sales targets then SI must consider why. The game gets next to no marketing (I see more paid ads on the App Store, TikTok etc… by Soccer Manager), has little thought in the SI marketing team all year round to the people that play the game to engage them to become advocates and has a very limited resource internally vs FM that leads to people getting bored of the game quicker as the game development is slow and there’s aspects that have been neglected for a long time (UX for instance) that would help people to play the game more often and for longer and reduce Churn. 
 

Sadly I knew the outcome of this blog would always be blaming sales, but that seems like a cop out and the only way SI could position this to try and win positive sentiment back and not look like they’ve taken the pay check.

 

It also confirms my theory that in a few years FM Touch will likely be replacing FM Mobile for good and we can wave goodbye to the series.

This! FMM always felt like an afterthought, always last when it came to announcements, little to no community involvement (as in being so damn hard do edit or mod some parts of the game - different on pc), never seen much advertising and yet it's always topping sales charts (on android anyway). Why? Because of a faithful legion of fans! Such a small game and yet has grown three large communities (Facebook, Discord and FMM Vibe) and now you guys at SI cut out a large part of this community from their favourite game.

Unless it's a big jump and tons of improvements (which I doubt judging from the past), what will make 24 sell more then 23?

It won't, on the contrary, I would bet piracy will rise, those who don't have Netflix still will want acess to the game and it's damn easy to find it. 

[HighFlyingDwarf]

Pretty much what I thought it would be.

[Black_Hawk]

This idea of Netflix saving Mobile... is something really saved if that means losing your soul?

[Hildor]

14 minutos atrás, Declan Barry disse:

I agree a challenger brand needs to advertise more, but SI seem to mostly rely on their current consumer base and a little paid activity to propel the game to the top (basically 90% organic sales). When challenger brands are being so competitive, it’s no wonder SI are losing market share in the area by not investing in acquisition of new customers. For example, I type in “Football” into the App Store and the first thing I see is a Top Eleven ad. I cannot recall SI doing this with FM Mobile.

 

Likewise, relying on your core fan base is fine if the product matches expectations. However, casual players are not satisfied with an outdated UX and match engine vs competitors (3D is always one of the biggest feature asks), and for those that do play PC the game isn’t in depth enough as the feature set has stagnated in recent years. When FMH2006 came out it was based on CM2001. If we take that as the game was 5 years behind the PC version, the progression of the game has now drifted to be probably 15-20 years behind. Therefore, it’s failing to meet the modern expectations of PC players. 
 

Coupled with the very little mentions SI give it throughout the year to expose more PC players to the series, it doesn’t take a genius to work out why sales are down.

Typed "football" on the store and FMM 23 shows up way down, after 32 other games and apps, behind soccer manager, fifa, efootball, top eleven and many other dodgy football games. 

[Adelrahn]

If the reason for joining Netflix really would have been to 'save' the game you could have come up with better ideas that wouldn't involve throwing a good portion of very passionate and loyal players under the bus.

They could have just increase the price for the game and additionally start a partnership with for example Netflix. The money lost from Netflix for exclusivity would be covered by the increased price but with the same result for SI. It just wasn't about this all along, it's (as always) about making the biggest amount of money possible. 

The whole disaster in this case isn't necessarily switching to Netflix and dissapointing your loyal customers, above all it is the communication of the CEO himself with his comments and lack of transparancy. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Adelrahn

[passenger58]

Sports Interactive have largely themselves to blame for failing FM Mobile sales.

• The game gets next to no advertising or marketing compared to other versions. We hear nothing about new features and screenshots until about a week before release.
• In press releases, FMM is generally a footnote with only a vague paragraph or two dedicated to it. In my opinion, that reflects SI's feelings about the title.
• The FMM technical team is tiny compared to other versions, hence there's only so much development that can be done, resulting in some users feeling that the game changes little from year to year.
• Piracy is an issue, but I don't feel they've done much to counter this and seem to have just given up in the hope they can shut down the game or sell up to the highest bidder.

I've loved FM for decades. I've loved FMM for almost a decade now. This decision is unquestionably a low point in my time playing this title. I have a Netflix account but am really in two minds whether to play next year's version.

SI have done FMM dirty for years imo, like an unwanted stepchild, resulting in modest sales and they are now trying to find a way out.

EVERY adult on the planet has a mobile phone. You can't tell me that there are less potential FMM users out there than there are full FM users.

Edited September 15, 2023 by passenger58

[ElliottMS]

On 14/09/2023 at 18:01, HighFlyingDwarf said:

One big point to be raised, if the game is only accessible via Netflix accounts, and FM versions typically are only on sale for a year for licensing reasons, then does the game completely disappear from existence after a year because people can no longer buy it and it's locked behind a subscription? A troubling thought.

Assuming SI do press ahead with this I would assume the way around this is to ensure that by FMM25, the game has the backwards save compatibility which is being introduced for FM24.

At that point then the game may as well just drop the year and become a game constantly under development with regular squad updates.

[PAFC_Dugout]

17 minutes ago, passenger58 said:

Sports Interactive have largely themselves to blame for failing FM Mobile sales.

• The game gets next to no advertising or marketing compared to other versions. We hear nothing about new features and screenshots until about a week before release.
• In press releases, FMM is generally a footnote with only a vague paragraph or two dedicated to it. In my opinion, that reflects SI's feelings about the title.
• The FMM technical team is tiny compared to other versions, hence there's only so much development that can be done, resulting in some users feeling that the game changes little from year to year.
• Piracy is an issue, but I don't feel they've done much to counter this and seem to have just given up in the hope they can shut down the game or sell up to the highest bidder.

I've loved FM for decades. I've loved FMM for almost a decade now. This decision is unquestionably a low point in my time playing this title. I have a Netflix account but am really in two minds whether to play next year's version.

SI have done FMM dirty for years imo, like an unwanted stepchild, resulting in modest sales and they are now trying to find a way out.

EVERY adult on the planet has a mobile phone. You can't tell me that there are less potential FMM users out there than there are full FM users.

Sums it up perfectly 😔

[ElliottMS]

I appreciate now having an explanation.

Aside from criticising the whole decision, SI and Miles have made some big communication mistakes with this. 

1. Not recognising that this change would be met negatively by the most ardent fan base.

2. Thinking that presenting it as some sort of airy fairy positive was a good strategy by itself - we aren't stupid, you know.

3. Miles tweeting that he thinks we're all odd for not wanting to get Netflix. Condescending, crass and arrogant.

 

The polls on Vibe and our discord server, whilst small sample sizes, show the extent to which current players are simply not going to sub to Netflix to play the game. Those that play the game the most don't play it for a few weeks and then get bored, as is the way for most mobile games, we play it year round. I have an active save right now, and when that's finished I've plenty more I want to do. I'd definitely pay more than £10 for the game, but a minimum of £60? No way, its not good pricing compared to other games on the market or indeed even in SI's own portfolio.

 

I guess if this was Netflix or no game, for a lot of people its just no game either way, and that's terribly sad. 

[Shanamaj]

The explanation was very expected but doesn’t mitigate any disappointment. The lack of innovation and promotion explains lower sales and now SI decided on an easy cash out before discontinuing the series completely.

For me as a Swede the price for one year of FM is 100€ at basic Netflix plan which is absolutely ridiculous for a mobile game. I have no time nor interest for Netflix content.

Edited September 15, 2023 by Shanamaj

[xSEARLEYx]

6 hours ago, Zachary Whyte said:

Hello everyone, we have now released our latest development blog (see link below). Which explains our decision to partner with Netflix.

https://www.footballmanager.com/news/football-manager-2024-feature-rollout-and-new-partnerships

In addition, the FM24 Mobile FAQs are now online, (see link below) which will hopefully answer some of the questions people have had surrounding the Netflix announcement. 

https://www.footballmanager.com/help/fm24mobile

The issue is the 'exclusivity'. Netflix may bring more eyes to FM Mobile from a casual point of view. But anybody who doesn't currently have a Netflix sub, isn't going to get one just because the mobile version of FM is available to them. This decision is just going to lead to even more piracy of the game. Netflix doesn't offer anything good enough to justify a subscription in order to play FM Mobile. It's £4.99 a month at the cheapest option, which isn't a lot of money to some people (but, it also is, to some people)... and that comes with ads when watching their bang average content. So, nearly £60 a year, to play a watered down version of a £40 PC game, and watch B-level (at best) TV-Shows and Movies... with adverts. 

The better option, if you were for some reason to get into bed with this awful streaming company, would be to also offer players the option to purchase the game outright. With your current decision, you might as well just not release FMM24, as it is clearly a waste of time for your dev team.

[TopToffee]

6 hours ago, Black_Hawk said:

This idea of Netflix saving Mobile... is something really saved if that means losing your soul?

Nothing like avoiding hyperbole, eh?

[lcutini]

15 hours ago, TopToffee said:

Nothing like avoiding hyperbole, eh?

Lick more boot mate

[TopToffee]

3 hours ago, lcutini said:

Lick more boot mate

It’s called realism, “mate”.

[Declan Barry]

On 15/09/2023 at 12:37, Daniel.M said:

Quick update on the sentiment from the FM Mobile & Touch Discord … as it’s been open for a day (~24 hours) now …

- approx. 90 replies in one day
- approx. 60% have Netflix
- approx. 90% believe this is negative for the game*

*of course this is based on the info available, before future SI blogs / further communications.

As a comparison with the Vibe community poll:

- also approx. 90 responses so far
- approx 35% have Netflix access (vs 60% on discord*)
- same +95% stat as before - of those with no Netflix access now, +95% wont get Netflix to get FMM24. 

* note there is some membership overlap between Discord + Vibe, but as this shows, not that much.

Hope this helps in some way

We ran the same post on our FM Mobile Facebook group. After 3 days here are the results.

 

678 total votes split up by:

58% already have Netflix

40% do not have Netflix and are not  considering a subscription

2% do not have Netflix but are now considering a subscription

Edited September 16, 2023 by Declan Barry

[StephenFMT17]

This decision feels like that experiment many decades back when some scientists kept a dogs head alive for a few minutes...this game is about to die a nasty death.

[rougon]

I've bought every FMM since, Idk, back when Bobby Zamora was a goal machine. For the first time, I am seriously doubting I'll buy the next year's installment. I don't think a blog post explaining why the decision was made--unless there is some AMAZING, unheard-of benefit to gamers--will convince me. It adds an unnecessary step in getting the game, seems to lock me into a broader Netflix subscription, and is a bad direction.

It's also bad PR to just promise a blog post that will solve all doubts as if you can't tweet more than once.

And, frankly, how many threads here hit 3 pages this fast? People have serious questions that do not seem to be taken seriously. That in itself is a bad sign.

[Footix]

It's been a few days now, and I can't shake the disappointment with the decision to make the game a Netflix exclusive. Diminishing sales and all that, I get the business side of things, but it seems odd they could not have the game available for normal purchase with a 50% markup or something. It's a good game, I would actually be willing to pay a bit more than last year, but I have zero interest in Netflix and the subscription fee is too much to shell out for a game. 

Somehow I doubt SI will get a lot more regular users/players from this Netflix deal too. This game is really niche, I don't think a lot of casual gamers will download and immerse in a career. I wouldn't be surprised if the mobile game is cancelled for '25, which would be a shame. It's a fine little game, the dev team has done some great work. 

[Zoot]

8 hours ago, Footix said:

It's been a few days now, and I can't shake the disappointment with the decision to make the game a Netflix exclusive. Diminishing sales and all that, I get the business side of things, but it seems odd they could not have the game available for normal purchase with a 50% markup or something. It's a good game, I would actually be willing to pay a bit more than last year, but I have zero interest in Netflix and the subscription fee is too much to shell out for a game. 

Somehow I doubt SI will get a lot more regular users/players from this Netflix deal too. This game is really niche, I don't think a lot of casual gamers will download and immerse in a career. I wouldn't be surprised if the mobile game is cancelled for '25, which would be a shame. It's a fine little game, the dev team has done some great work. 

Netflix is veeery popular in the world of sport and football hahhahahah so it will bring them lot more people hahahhaha. 

Wery bad move they will loose players and eventually netflix will ditsch them also when they see 20 people a year play the game. Weeeeeeeeeery short therm thinking and i am sooo sorry for that.

[turbinator]

will just post what i put on fmmvibe, not that SI actually cares any more, but here you go : - 

last version i got was FMM22, ive been a fan since day one, ok i havent purchased every version but most of them

When i saw FMM price change to £9.99 i was quite suprised, but businesses need to survive aswell, i get it

i was looking forward to this version not having the last one, but this news about having to have a netflix account to play it is quite frankly appaling (ive never had and do not want a netflix account at whatever price it is) so effectively i will have to pay £60 or whatever it works out at to play FMM, i wont be doing it, im sure alot of others will be in my position, shocking move..

I dont want to play the full version and i sure wont be paying netflix to pay FMM, so thats me done with football manager, i hope this move pleases all involved.

[JR866Gunner]

For the first time in maybe 12 years I will not be buying FMM in addition to the full game. 

I used to buy both and play mobile to get my fix outside the house, in the car (as a passenger!) or anywhere in fact. Mobiles had gotten so much better that it was less taxing on the battery life when playing.

Such a shame really, I mean its odd to think that however many of us would have even be happy to pay £10 to play it, if the majority of those people dont have a sub to netflix, how is that ensuring SI get any more profits? Or have netflix bundled them a wad of cash and said - here is for exclusivity and we hope to gain even more subs in future on top of the norm.

I dont know, I mean I bout FMM23 and played less than an hour so I will just pick that up again and continue with that instead.

Can FMM23 still be bought on the Google Play store? I plan to maybe move to Android within the year and would quite like to get it if this Netflix nonsense continues to next years games too. 

[jens_dewit]

47 minutes ago, JR866Gunner said:

For the first time in maybe 12 years I will not be buying FMM in addition to the full game. 

I used to buy both and play mobile to get my fix outside the house, in the car (as a passenger!) or anywhere in fact. Mobiles had gotten so much better that it was less taxing on the battery life when playing.

Such a shame really, I mean its odd to think that however many of us would have even be happy to pay £10 to play it, if the majority of those people dont have a sub to netflix, how is that ensuring SI get any more profits? Or have netflix bundled them a wad of cash and said - here is for exclusivity and we hope to gain even more subs in future on top of the norm.

I dont know, I mean I bout FMM23 and played less than an hour so I will just pick that up again and continue with that instead.

Can FMM23 still be bought on the Google Play store? I plan to maybe move to Android within the year and would quite like to get it if this Netflix nonsense continues to next years games too. 

Unless I'm mistaken, you can buy FMM23 until a couple of days after the release of the new version. But maybe buy it before Nov 6th to be safe? As long as you buy it on the play store, it's always yours to download!

[StephenCronin]

9 hours ago, JR866Gunner said:

Can FMM23 still be bought on the Google Play store? I plan to maybe move to Android within the year and would quite like to get it if this Netflix nonsense continues to next years games too. 

Just to confirm what @jens_dewit is saying, you better buy it before the new game comes out. Marc said the following in the general thread when asked about this:

Quote

Just to mention this is a restriction on how the licences in the game operate rather than a 'decision' the studio makes (ie. in order to have licenced content in the game may be a 'cut-off' after which that product isn't allowed to be on sale*).

So FMM23 will be disappearing soon. But once you've bought it, it will stay in your Google Play library and you can install it whenever you like.

[Endymio]

This is so disappointing. FMM sales have been declining so they partnered with Netflix as per the developer blog. This is the worst thing that could happen to FMM, not because its on the new platform, but because they don't need to care about it anymore.  FMM sales have been declining because it's been basically a reskin and roster update for as long as I can remember.  Instead of actually innovating or improving it, they just caught the bag of money that Netflix threw at them and are calling it a day.

Brutal

[PAFC_Dugout]

The new features are an absolute joke 😂

[Marc Vaughan]

19 minutes ago, PAFC_Dugout said:

The new features are an absolute joke 😂

In what manner? - speaking from a developers perspective I think they're solid and appealing, they enhance play and make things more engaging and interesting while also easier to use. I realize they might not be everyones cup of tea, but I think your reaction might possibly be slightly biased by the negative reaction you had to the games move to Netflix rather than the features themselves?

(one of the things which is vital with FMM imho is to not 'bog' the game down with things which slow its gameplay and make it more 'tedious' to play, for this reason features are designed specifically not to impede on such things and rather to enhance peoples enjoyment rather than add features for the sake of 'new' features)

PS - There are also a number of things not mentioned in the feature announcement as per usual, for instance some more 'hardcore' players will be happy to hear that the number of players in the active game database has been increased by a fair amount specifically aimed at making more national teams available to be managed.

[metal_guitarist]

Appreciate some of you may be frustrated by the direction the game is taking but keep it civil please. Constructive feedback is fine, useless comments like the one above that Marc responded to or abuse of developers is not and neither will be tolerated. 

[Endymio]

The new “features” are a couple of fluffy text options and badges and a roster update.

It’s the exact same game except so can pat a player on the shoulder after a game and you added a badge or two.

This is heartbreaking.

[SSolas]

I agree with the others, Very sadly.

As an avid player and fan, I can't help but agree with the disappointment expressed by fellow fans regarding the updates in the latest version, Football Manager Mobile 2024. While the game has some positive enhancements, the absence of certain crucial features leaves us longing for a more comprehensive and satisfying experience.

One of the primary grievances shared by many fans is the lack of a 3D match engine. Games like Soccer Manager and Top Eleven have successfully integrated this feature without sacrificing game speed. The inclusion of a 3D match engine would have added a whole new dimension to the gameplay, allowing us to witness the action on the field in a more visually stimulating manner. It's disheartening to see Football Manager Mobile fall behind in this aspect.

Another missed opportunity lies in the absence of women's leagues. Women's football has been rapidly growing in popularity and recognition around the world, and it is disappointing that Football Manager Mobile 2024 has not embraced this trend. The addition of women's leagues would have not only been a step towards inclusivity but also widened the game's appeal and provided a fresh and exciting experience for players.

Furthermore, the game could have expanded its array of leagues. While the existing leagues offer a decent variety, the inclusion of more leagues from different countries would have added depth and diversity to the game. It would have allowed players to explore new football cultures and tackle new challenges, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

To make matters worse, the Football Manager Mobile 2024 version comes with a steep price tag of £60 for Netflix Subscription. Given the lack of significant updates and the absence of highly requested features, this price seems unjustifiable. Loyal fans, who have supported the game over the years, deserve more value for their investment. The price should reflect the level of innovation and improvement brought to the game, which sadly seems lacking.

As dedicated fans of Football Manager Mobile, we remain hopeful that future versions will address these concerns and deliver the experience we crave. While we appreciate the hard work of the developers in maintaining and improving the game, the current situation is akin to the frustration felt by fans of Mike Ashley's management of Newcastle United. We yearn for more substantial updates that truly excite and engage us.

Despite the disappointment surrounding Football Manager Mobile 2024, I admit that I will probably continue playing the game. However, I remain hopeful that the next iteration will be a better version, incorporating the much-needed additions discussed above. Football Manager has a loyal fan base that deserves a game that matches their passion and provides real joy and excitement. Let us hope that the developers will hear our voices and make the necessary improvements in the future.

Edited October 26, 2023 by SSolas

[Malicious Penguin]

Honestly, the hubs are a good addition, and match experience is long overdue.

Reputation titles on the other hand....! 

I do think a tweak of leagues available would be useful, but at least Japan is added.

Admittedly, all the above is moot as I don't have Netflix.

[Marc Vaughan]

1 hour ago, Endymio said:

The new “features” are a couple of fluffy text options and badges and a roster update.

It’s the exact same game except so can pat a player on the shoulder after a game and you added a badge or two.

This is heartbreaking.

For obvious reasons I'm not going to comment upon a lot of things on this thread - however with regards to the 'badge or two' comment which I presume refers to the manger 'title' feature - this is far more than that in the game.

The best way of describing it is the game responding to your playing style and the people within it (managers, coaches, players etc.) recognizing that and reacting accordingly. So for instance if you're particularly disgruntled in your team-talks on a continued basis you might pick up the 'Hair Dryer' title where your reputation proceeds you for being aggressive with your players and staff.

This can be both a positive and negative in the game - it'll motivate some players and some will love your enthusiasm and determination to win, others though might wilt in the fire and want to leave (or avoid joining) your club ... all the titles have similar effects based upon what was considered realistic for them, very few are 'purely positive' or 'purely negative' and each causes effects based on similar things in the real-world. So for example if you get a reputation as a 'Relegation Specialistic' (ie. someone who helps small teams avoid relegation) then that sort of club will want to hire you and players will have faith that you can do well in those circumstances ... but it might actually work against you and larger clubs ignore you because you're associated with struggling clubs etc.

(this feature follows my usual approach of a feature not having to be 'big and flashy' - but instead aiming to add depth and hopefully make the game more enjoyable for users without slowing down the gameplay)

[Navelgazer]

Some seem quite cosmetic and I presume to make it accessible for those coming new to it via Netflix. Pre Match etc already available albeit perhaps now tidier and given greater relevance.

I often find it's the little tweaks, such as the goal drought and ability to ask keeper to come up, as well as another licensed league. I've no doubt it will be a good game and most likely a slightly more immersive version and game world. The above response from Marc all sounds good and building a  better game world that reflects management and the media etc all quite significant steps.

I don't expect or want a 3D engine, tbf a lot of "full fat" FM players prefer 2D too. Heck I prefer text, I'd like that improving! Nor womens leagues shoehorned in early and I have a vested interest in them being added. 

A lot of emotion will be behind this, some will want it to fail due to the Netflix position. Which I understand.  However I imagine the development team would probably prefer it wasn't behind Netflix too.

I hope I still have the Netflix premium account so I can play on my phone. If not I obviously won't be paying the extra £££ to allow Netflix on multiple devices as I only really watch the odd thing with the wife on the big telly. That's the sad crux and reality . I'd love to support it and play it but circumstances may dictate otherwise.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Navelgazer
Response to post

[Marc Vaughan]

4 minutes ago, Navelgazer said:

I hope I still have the Netflix premium account so I can play on my phone. If not I obviously won't be paying the extra £££ to allow Netflix on multiple devices as I only really watch the odd thing with the wife on the big telly. That's the sad crux and reality . I'd love to support it and play it but circumstances may dictate otherwise.

That shouldn't restrict you as you're allowed two devices active at a time on a standard plan I believe - so she can watch TV while you game or vice versa etc.

"Netflix allows different numbers of simultaneous streams depending on the plan. On both versions of the standard plans, you can have up to two devices streaming at the same time. This goes up to four simultaneous connections on the Premium plan."

NetFlix help

[Navelgazer]

12 minutes ago, Marc Vaughan said:

That shouldn't restrict you as you're allowed two devices active at a time on a standard plan I believe - so she can watch TV while you game or vice versa etc.

"Netflix allows different numbers of simultaneous streams depending on the plan. On both versions of the standard plans, you can have up to two devices streaming at the same time. This goes up to four simultaneous connections on the Premium plan."

NetFlix help

Hope so, but I think we're in this. The new password clampdown has confused me a bit tbf.

Ad-free “basic” subscription (not available to new subscribers): £7.99 per month, up from £6.99 per month. You can watch, with no adverts, on one device at a time. Downloads are permitted.

II'll have to check. I really should pay more attention. As she keeps telling me....

[Marc Vaughan]

1 hour ago, Navelgazer said:

Hope so, but I think we're in this. The new password clampdown has confused me a bit tbf.

Ad-free “basic” subscription (not available to new subscribers): £7.99 per month, up from £6.99 per month. You can watch, with no adverts, on one device at a time. Downloads are permitted.

II'll have to check. I really should pay more attention. As she keeps telling me....

Message me and let me know when the game comes out, fingers crossed that what their help says is correct (it also might vary from territory to territory - I'm based in Florida at present).

[superposh]

Mixed feelings today. I'm a long time player, bought most editions, but I won't be playing this one despite having a Netflix account. I appreciate Marc and the work he puts into the game, I know the Netflix thing won't have been his decision, however, I stand by my decision to boycott all Football Manager games this year in solidarity with those long time players who don't have Netflix and don't want to stump up a subscription fee just to play a game they usually buy for eight or nine quid. Not that SI will care about me or anyone else boycotting the game, they've had their pockets filled with Netflix money. 

Had the new features announced been truly groundbreaking, MAYBE I could have rowed back from this boycott decision. That said, it would have taken something truly spectacular in terms of new features and improvements, not something I expect as I appreciate that while the game evolves with every new edition, there will never be the wholesale revolutionary changes that some people hope for. 

 

[PAFC_Dugout]

7 hours ago, metal_guitarist said:

Appreciate some of you may be frustrated by the direction the game is taking but keep it civil please. Constructive feedback is fine, useless comments like the one above that Marc responded to or abuse of developers is not and neither will be tolerated. 

If you read below seems everyone agrees with me. And where is this “abuse” you are referring to? 

[Marc Vaughan]

6 minutes ago, PAFC_Dugout said:

If you read below seems everyone agrees with me. And where is this “abuse” you are referring to? 

You are welcome to your viewpoint and obviously everyone will ultimately make their own decision as to whether to play the game, my hope is just that those that do enjoy it tbh ... 

[João14]

8 hours ago, Marc Vaughan said:

PS - There are also a number of things not mentioned in the feature announcement as per usual, for instance some more 'hardcore' players will be happy to hear that the number of players in the active game database has been increased by a fair amount specifically aimed at making more national teams available to be managed.

What is a fair amount? South American Teams are loaded properly? I might have to return to mobile since there's no news on Touch on Arcade..

[Daniel.M]

Just a little message to say that - whatever our feelings towards the new FMM - many of us are grateful that SI staff like @Marc Vaughan reply on these forums and give more details / explanation.

It is helpful + I’ll post screenshots of those 3x Marc posts above onto Vibe + the discord, pointing those people this way.

[Marc Vaughan]

4 hours ago, João14 said:

What is a fair amount? South American Teams are loaded properly?

Where possible we've made as many of the top 100 FIFA ranked national teams manageable by users - this obviously increases the players distribution all around the world by a fair amount.

[João14]

14 minutes ago, Marc Vaughan said:

Where possible we've made as many of the top 100 FIFA ranked national teams manageable by users - this obviously increases the players distribution all around the world by a fair amount.

Are you able to tell us how much is the player count atm?

 

also if you can check the PM I sent you it would be great

Edited October 27, 2023 by João14