Game on for the next FIFA Manager

Electronic Arts has today made the latest version of its football management game series--FIFA Manager 09--official. The game is due to be released in the UK this autumn exclusively on the PC.

This latest instalment of the series promises to give fans full control over managing everything that happens to their clubs, including founding their club, signing new players, training them, and extending stadiums.

One of the biggest changes to FIFA Manager 09 will be in matches. The 3D mode promises to present better graphics, sound, and AI. There will be a fully customizable user interface that will allow gamers to substitute players, make tactical changes, and access statistics. Text mode has also undergone an overhaul, and will now feature "a unique mixture of traditional live commentary and an Internet live ticker."

The game will also include new team and single-player options to offer more possibilities for coaching. This will include a youth transfer market and match prediction tool. Players will also be given more freedom in what they do with their team, allowing more realistic results.

FIFA Manager 09 will feature licensed data for clubs, leagues, and players from 33 countries. A total of 1,500 clubs, 25,000 players, and 7,000 player photos come with the game. The football management sim will be available in six unnamed languages this autumn, and has not yet been rated by the BBFC or PEGI.

The FIFA Manager games are developed by Bright Future, a Cologne, Germany-based developer, and published by EA. The game series was originally called Total Club Manager until a name change for FIFA Manager 06. Although two versions of Total Club Manager came to consoles, the FIFA Manager series has so far remained PC only.