Please bring football manager to the xbox again

[Lparkermu88]

I have been hoping for a football manager game on the xbox one for a while now.. are there any plans for one ??? Please make it happen?

[jackripper]

i totally agree with this. 

[forameuss]

It sold absolutely terribly last time they tried it, what makes you think it wouldn't again?  Not really worth the effort and cost of porting it over when they can just stick to what they're good at.

 

I've never understood the appeal of playing it on a console anyway.  Control-wise it seems like it'd be tedious, and it remains the perfect game to play on a laptop given that you've got a lot of down time.  It's a wonderful background game, something that you wouldn't get away with on a console.  Each to their own though.

[jackripper]

surely now though with next gen consoles they would be able to implement it better than the previously released titles.

[forameuss]

Yeah, performance would be better, but not really sure what they could do to make the core experience better.  It didn't sell badly because it was limited technically, it just wasn't very popular.

[puffascruffowitz]

They'd have to either have a set amount of leagues and players you start out with or at least severely limit how big a database you could start with I assume? Ehh, I have a PS4 and fail to see what advantage I'd get of playing it on my console beyond having it on a big screen. Would much rather SI focus on improvements than porting it to consoles

[nb0211]

If it were released for Xbox now, then I'm sure it'd be much better than say, FM06. The problem is, will it be able to handle the ever-growing database? I'm thinking an FM Touch based game might work, but the regular Football Manager probably wouldn't work as well. (The Xbox Scorpio might work the original version though)

And also, we've got to think about the production team - would they be able to work on console edition as well as PC, tablet etc? They probably could but I'd like even more effort into the PC edition. As the guy above me said, focus on improvements than more devices to play it on...

[FootballManager89]

Well an xbox one is like a pc and im sure you can use a mouse anyways so i dont see it being a problem from that aspect. But i do see it being a problem from aspect of it not being popular for consoles. I can't imagine seeing football manager commercials here in the states and someone getting excited over managing a soccer team. It took me years to start appreciating and liking soccer so besides that fact I just dont think its going to be popular which is the core problem. If the last fm game sold well then we would see it every year. But like the hockey sim they make that doesnt sell as well as their soccer sim the console version wont be given any attention as well.

[Welshace]

I see no benefit at this point.... the cost of porting it over alone would be enough, never mind the lack of a market and the limited capabilities of consoles in general, however next gen they may be.

As for playing on big screen, I do this now, screen sharing or hdmi cables... there are plenty of options to allow this.. hell I do it with chromecast at the touch of a button.

[Ross Ingersoll]

yeah i just run hdmi from my computer to my tv. 50 inches of pure Fm fun. . as far as marketing in the states, if i didnt see it online i wouldnt even know about the game. Funny thing isd soccer usually gets people to like fm but im the opposite. never liked soccer at all till i played fm, then after a while i slowly started watching and following it due to learning things from fm

[FootballManager89]

2 hours ago, Ross Ingersoll said:

yeah i just run hdmi from my computer to my tv. 50 inches of pure Fm fun. . as far as marketing in the states, if i didnt see it online i wouldnt even know about the game. Funny thing isd soccer usually gets people to like fm but im the opposite. never liked soccer at all till i played fm, then after a while i slowly started watching and following it due to learning things from fm

Same thing happened to me. I first played out of the park baseball but once i found out fm had a 3d match engine i hopped aboard. Took me 3 years of playing it off and on but now im a huge soccer fan. I had no interest in soccer before this game i thought it was dumb for a sport to not let people use their hands. I wonder how soccer would be played if people could use their hands though lol.

[PleasedToMichu]

Xbox is my main gaming console yet i just can't imagine playing it with a controller. And totally agree with an above point. it's a great game to have on in the background while working on a work document or cruising the internet.

[Neil Brock]

Everyone plays FM in different ways. Obviously as some of you know we tried with the Xbox many moons ago but it was very difficult to create an intuitive user interface. 

Miles said this in December 2014 for instance:

Quote

"We always have plans for evolution, revolution and new projects. But we also only talk about them when they are reality.

"We see too many people in this industry make promises that don’t come to fruition."

"We have (released FM on consoles) before and we may do again, but there are a couple of major hurdles.

"The first is that the interface is really difficult without a mouse and keyboard or, at least, a full-sized touchscreen.

"The second is that our game tends to have a much longer playtime than most – and most consoles sit underneath the main TV in the house. Taking over the TV for 5 hours at a time doesn’t tend to go down well with other members of the family and room-mates."

 

[Menion]

If I recall correctly. it as released on the original Xbox. I don't think this sold that well in the UK. Since the UK is probably the biggest market, I can imagine that sales weren't great.

I don't think it would work too well as a port. If it was heavily tweaked, it could work well but would probably require too much effort to justify.

[calcal]

This could all be sorted if someone just releases LMA Manager for the love of god!!

[Jonfun1980]

Download only £20 it would sell.

[mack4ever]

1 hour ago, Jonfun1980 said:

Download only £20 it would sell.

It may sell but it almost certainly wouldn't sell enough to even come close to covering the cost of development let alone the total cost once everything else is added in.

[number7osfp]

I can think of tens of cons to a console release, but the most important thing imo is that for many people (me included) worldwide, this isn't just any game. 

These people would probably play it even in their car touch screen, so i believe they deserve the trouble. At least one FM release per console gen would be a fair deal.

PS1: Personally, I don't have time to play regularly since i am no kid anymore. FM is the only game i will play and obviously, i wouldn't change the PC version for another.

PS2: But i still play that save from CM01/02 on my old xbox when i visit my countryhouse and last week i started a hotseat with my brother in FM2008 (which he just bought after weeks of searching) on his x360. He has also a PS4 and i have an XboxOne, but we don't have FM there.

PS3(edited): I am 29, he is 37 and we live in different areas. 

[Andrew_Goats_Gruff]

When it come out on 360, it was always around the end of the season. So if S.I wasn't happy with sales figures, theirs one fix... for the interface they could have menus on the left with a simple mouse cursor controlled by the xbox one analog stick, A= Left mouse click B: Right mouse click. Xbox keyboard for searching.. whats hard bout that for an xbox skin/interface

[forameuss]

Given how incredibly tedious text input is on consoles using the means you described, that doesn't sound like much of an improvement.

There just isn't the appetite or market that would make it worth their while I imagine.  Why would they divert considerable resources from what is already a small team to chase a market that they've already established wasn't that interested?  They'd be far better served developing the base game further while still making it available to those with even dreadful laptops.  Are there really a sizeable number of people out there who own a current generation console but don't own a laptop or desktop good enough to run the game?  If they do own both, then what makes the XBox/PS4 version a must-own compared to just buying the PC version?

[lemeuresnew]

most people have a laptop or pc right? so if you want it on the big tv (only reason i can think of wanting it on a console) couldnt you just use casting?  or a cable to the tv?

[mack4ever]

1 hour ago, Andrew_Goats_Gruff said:

When it come out on 360, it was always around the end of the season. So if S.I wasn't happy with sales figures, theirs one fix... for the interface they could have menus on the left with a simple mouse cursor controlled by the xbox one analog stick, A= Left mouse click B: Right mouse click. Xbox keyboard for searching.. whats hard bout that for an xbox skin/interface

Have you ever tried to perform any cursor control using a controller? It's slow, inaccurate, frustrating and generally undesirable. If you haven't then I recommend you get yourself an XBox controller, plug in into your PC, download Gopher 360 (essentially makes your controller function as you've said you think it should) and try to play FM with it. I guarantee that you'll get fed up and quit very quickly.

[number7osfp]

In case of playing on tv, which is a lot more relaxing and comfortable and even more for 2 players hotseat, as you don't have to sit in a desk chair for hours, a console would be my first (only) choice.

I use my laptop for work and wouldn't risk stressing or overheating it with such a demanding game. 

For single player play, PC (desktop) is my preferable option, but if a console release could match database size, graphical customization and a decent UI it wouldn't be so much a dillema for me.

I accept every opinion and the fact that each player wants to play FM in his own way

[Andrew_Goats_Gruff]

13 hours ago, mack4ever said:

Have you ever tried to perform any cursor control using a controller? It's slow, inaccurate, frustrating and generally undesirable. If you haven't then I recommend you get yourself an XBox controller, plug in into your PC, download Gopher 360 (essentially makes your controller function as you've said you think it should) and try to play FM with it. I guarantee that you'll get fed up and quit very quickly.

I used XPadder and played fm through tv, it was brilliant. 

Using xbox pad;

 

LB= Back

RB= Forward

Y= Continue

A= Left Click

B= Right Click

X= News feed

Left Analog stick= Mouse Medium speed 

Right Analog stick= Mouse fast speed

Xbox Back button= Save game

DPad ;

Right= Tactics

Left= Training

Down= Squad screen

 

Was brilliant use and never got fed up, for me an xbox version released say in October would be a big hit

[forameuss]

6 hours ago, Andrew_Goats_Gruff said:

I used XPadder and played fm through tv, it was brilliant. 

Using xbox pad;

 

LB= Back

RB= Forward

Y= Continue

A= Left Click

B= Right Click

X= News feed

Left Analog stick= Mouse Medium speed 

Right Analog stick= Mouse fast speed

Xbox Back button= Save game

DPad ;

Right= Tactics

Left= Training

Down= Squad screen

 

Was brilliant use and never got fed up, for me an xbox version released say in October would be a big hit

With you, maybe, but how many others?  Enough to make it worth the significant expenditure?  And no-one's yet managed to answer the question I posed - what makes the XBox/PS4 version a must-own compared to just buying the PC version?

[Andrew_Goats_Gruff]

Top spec PCs are too much, xbox and ps are more popular towards football fans

[Spedding]

personally it would need a massive overhaul and be more streamlined for it to go on xbox ps, 

[forameuss]

59 minutes ago, Andrew_Goats_Gruff said:

Top spec PCs are too much, xbox and ps are more popular towards football fans

But you don't need a top spec PC to play FM.  And given it's likely to be technically throttled on consoles, it doesn't really hold up.  And I know consoles are popular with football fans, but that doesn't mean FM will be.  Again, most people that have consoles are going to have a computer that is good enough to play the game on.  So what makes them want to play on the console more than that?

[gavo01]

It was thanks to the XBox version of Championship Manager 01/02 that I got hooked on the CM/FM titles.  Happy days. 

[A_Person (Named George)]

There simply isn't a market for FM on console. This isn't just a fm problem, but a problem for strategy/simulation games in general on consoles. This is why I don't play consoles anymore, they have little games that appeal to me and the games that are available i can just play on pc, so it's a win win for me atleast. And then the other points of it needing to be very well adapted. It may be popular for a percentage of people already playing fm (and i wouldn't imagine it would even be close to most), but I think it wouldn't really attract many new players

[JR866Gunner]

I can see some appeal especially what consoles can do graphically now!

[Guest]

The min specs to run the game are so much lower than this console generate that performance is not an issue.

The level of investment to port, advertise & get sign-off to release on PS4/XB is likely greater than any expected increase in revenue.

[Spurs08]

If anything I wonder if the game, or at least FM Touch, will end up on the Nintendo Switch given it theoretically at least shouldn't require a vastly different interface to the tablet version.

[supfootballers]

Have to lend my support to this idea. With the ability for people to download games for the Xbox now (which I don't think was possible for FM 2006) the opportunity to stack up the bunts should not be missed. 

I'd certainly pay £40 for a console port.

[lemeuresnew]

1 hour ago, supfootballers said:

Have to lend my support to this idea. With the ability for people to download games for the Xbox now (which I don't think was possible for FM 2006) the opportunity to stack up the bunts should not be missed. 

I'd certainly pay £40 for a console port.

you dont want to pay 4 quid for fm18 mate, let alone 40 for a different version 

[supfootballers]

I paid £34.99 for FM18 on PC. I can stretch to an extra fiver for an Xbox version. Quality game.

[Andrew_Goats_Gruff]

On 08/01/2018 at 18:09, supfootballers said:

I paid £34.99 for FM18 on PC. I can stretch to an extra fiver for an Xbox version. Quality game.

Id pay £50 for an Xbox One version

[Grandpops2015]

Now Xbox has keyboard and mouse support what's stopping you ? Bring it out on Xbox please I love the game.

[Spurs08]

20 minutes ago, Grandpops2015 said:

Now Xbox has keyboard and mouse support what's stopping you ? Bring it out on Xbox please I love the game.

For a start, I don't know how many people actually have a keyboard and mouse plugged in to their Xbox, but I'm willing to bet it's a tiny proportion. And for seconds that doesn't solve the main problem - FM is a game people play for hours at a time, which with an Xbox means taking the main living room TV out of use for hours at a time, which isn't an option for a lot of people. Add in the fact that the younger market who maybe don't have families also almost certainly have laptops, and the overlap between "people who have an Xbox but no half-decent computer" and "people who can't monopolise the family TV" is huge.

[Grandpops2015]

23 minutes ago, Spurs08 said:

For a start, I don't know how many people actually have a keyboard and mouse plugged in to their Xbox, but I'm willing to bet it's a tiny proportion. And for seconds that doesn't solve the main problem - FM is a game people play for hours at a time, which with an Xbox means taking the main living room TV out of use for hours at a time, which isn't an option for a lot of people. Add in the fact that the younger market who maybe don't have families also almost certainly have laptops, and the overlap between "people who have an Xbox but no half-decent computer" and "people who can't monopolise the family TV" is huge.

Most play on a smaller TV now not the main big TV everyone I know with Xbox or PS play on another TV .Lots use mouse and keyboard on Xbox and ps for years you never hear of the xim?

[forameuss]

38 minutes ago, Grandpops2015 said:

Most play on a smaller TV now not the main big TV everyone I know with Xbox or PS play on another TV .Lots use mouse and keyboard on Xbox and ps for years you never hear of the xim?

And, just like when they tried it before, most would simply ignore it, leading to poor sales.

That's hypothetical of course, and no-one really knows, but why would SI put all that money into a product that has already demonstrably bombed before?

[Grandpops2015]

49 minutes ago, forameuss said:

And, just like when they tried it before, most would simply ignore it, leading to poor sales.

That's hypothetical of course, and no-one really knows, but why would SI put all that money into a product that has already demonstrably bombed before?

I know what your saying but that was years ago had no keyboard and mouse support then. Plus most did just use the main TV as well. Why don't si run a poll first to see who would or wouldn't be interested in the console version.

[forameuss]

Just now, Grandpops2015 said:

I know what your saying but that was years ago had no keyboard and mouse support then. Plus most did just use the main TV as well. Why don't si run a poll first to see who would or wouldn't be interested in the console version.

Because, presumably, 1) a poll on a tiny minority of their target market isn't enough to decide whether or not to shovel a significant sum into development, and 2) they probably already know the answer they want to hear.  

The question I'll always ask when it comes to this is how big of a market is there where 1) a user has an XBox/PS4, 2) is interested in Football Management games and 3) does not own a laptop/desktop that satisfies the relatively meager system requirements that FM needs?  For it to be worth the bother, that needs to be a huge market, and I'd imagine number 3 is where it all falls down. 

[oulzac]

You think the sales on Switch are very good? I doubt it. Yet they've put out two versions on there. Nothing is stopping them from throwing it up on XBLA or PSN. We aren't talking about the full blown game here, it would have to be the moble/touch version like is on switch. I don't see any legit reason preventing them from porting that over to the other consoles. Sales isn't an excuse because it sells like **** on Switch.

[Spurs08]

45 minutes ago, oulzac said:

You think the sales on Switch are very good? I doubt it. Yet they've put out two versions on there. Nothing is stopping them from throwing it up on XBLA or PSN. We aren't talking about the full blown game here, it would have to be the moble/touch version like is on switch. I don't see any legit reason preventing them from porting that over to the other consoles. Sales isn't an excuse because it sells like **** on Switch.

We have no way of knowing how well it's sold on Switch. But it's clearly a very different proposition given it has a completely different offer - it's not just for people who have a Switch but not a PC, it's for people who love the PC version and want a portable way to play it. And if you think it's a matter of just "throwing it up" then to be honest you really don't know much about how any of this works. Porting to a different platform is complicated enough work that developers often now subcontract specialist studios to do it for them at significant expense rather thandevote so many resources to it themselves. They will obviously only do that if they're fairly confident the cost will be covered and then some by extra sales. Given they've tried this before and it emphatically did not work, and nothing substantial seems to have changed, that continues to be unlikely.

[HUNT3R]

2 hours ago, Grandpops2015 said:

I know what your saying but that was years ago had no keyboard and mouse support then. Plus most did just use the main TV as well. Why don't si run a poll first to see who would or wouldn't be interested in the console version.

The main TV. The one everyone else uses to watch TV on? There's a big stumbling block, but that's my own opinion.

[Deisler26]

I loved 06 on the Xbox 360. I think I ended up playing 10-12 seasons

[forameuss]

17 hours ago, oulzac said:

You think the sales on Switch are very good? I doubt it. Yet they've put out two versions on there. Nothing is stopping them from throwing it up on XBLA or PSN. We aren't talking about the full blown game here, it would have to be the moble/touch version like is on switch. I don't see any legit reason preventing them from porting that over to the other consoles. Sales isn't an excuse because it sells like **** on Switch.

I don't expect it sold amazingly on the Switch, but then I also don't expect it to be a fixture on there.  Expect we may see it quietly drop, maybe as early as next year for those very reasons.  

BUT, having the Switch version may be considered worth subsidising given it's filling a gap in the market.  It's always going to have that portable aspect to it that you can't get anywhere else.  What can you get by bringing it to one of the main consoles?  Particularly if it isn't the full-blown game.  Sounds like an incredibly pointless endeavour.

[deaks500]

Do you know what would be really cool , Football Manager in VR (well for the matches anyway ) You could be your manager man on the bench with a 360 degree view of the stadium and players - i know its years and years before anything like that could even be implemented but i do think that that will be part of the natural evolution on FM 

[Huey Lewis]

18 hours ago, oulzac said:

You think the sales on Switch are very good? I doubt it. Yet they've put out two versions on there. Nothing is stopping them from throwing it up on XBLA or PSN. We aren't talking about the full blown game here, it would have to be the moble/touch version like is on switch. I don't see any legit reason preventing them from porting that over to the other consoles. Sales isn't an excuse because it sells like **** on Switch.

So rather than think "SI are testing the waters with console sales on Switch" you think "they've released it on the Switch and it's going badly, they should just release it on everything else as losing money has never been a legit reason to do anything."

Right.