EA blows the final whistle on FIFA Manager

EA has blown the final whistle on its long-running FIFA Manager series.

This year's installment, FIFA Manager 14, will be the last in the series. An open letter written by series founder Gerald Köhler explained the situation. "This is was a very tough decision, so I want to take the time to explain it," he said. "This probably comes as a big disappointment to many of you, and it is understandable that you would ask why."

Köhler cited the success of the rival Football Manager series as one factor for FIFA Manager's end, alongside the rise in online and mobile games. To keep the series going, Köhler concluded, a new engine or investments in online technology would have been required.

"The football manager genre at this level of sophistication is highly specialised and primarily played in two countries (England and Germany), in which--on top of everything--one game has practically dominated the market in recent years. The niche market and general trend toward online and mobile games were also contributing factors. Moreover, FM had reached a crossroads at which a new engine and/or corresponding online technology would be the only way to give the series a boost. When all these factors were evaluated, it led us to the decision to blow the final whistle."

"All of us, the team at Bright Future and our colleagues at EA Sports, loved and still love FIFA Manager. It’s a game that has captivated many fans over the years, and been our pride and joy since its first instalment FIFA Manager 2002 (with Rudi Assauer on the cover). We’ve had Löw and Mourinho on the cover, Felix Magath twice, and many other German and international stars who have lent their expertise to the game. We were also lucky to have a very dedicated community. Your passion and commitment to FIFA Manager is unrivalled, and made the series a great joy to work on."

The future of the game now lies with the players, Köhler concluded.

"You have our heartfelt gratitude. We hope you’ll keep playing FM as long as possible, and that the fan sites will go all out to expand and improve the game wherever they can. For all your years of support and all your passion for our game, we thank you."