Football Manager 26 Advanced Access Beta Now Live
London, England – Thurs 23 Oct – It’s finally time to step into the dugout, with FM26 Advanced Access Beta now live and playable across Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Anyone who has pre-purchased FM26 from a SEGA-approved digital retailer* can now log in to Steam or Epic and launch the game directly from their library.
Please note that this is a Beta version and not yet the full game experience**. As such, players may encounter bugs or issues during gameplay that the team will be working diligently to address in future updates. Any bugs encountered can be reported directly to the Sports Interactive team via the ‘Report Bug’ button on the in-game sidebar. Online play is enabled, but the Pre-Game Editor, In-Game Editor and Steam Workshop will not be accessible until November 4.
Single-player careers started during Advanced Access can be carried across to full release from November 4.
Made with the Unity engine for the first time, FM26 lays new foundations in Sports Interactive™’s and SEGA©’s iconic series for players to define their football destiny.
Players will experience a game rebuilt for the future, where a revamped interface is tailored to streamline exploration for all players. Smarter and more intuitive, the FM26 UI gives players more avenues for navigation than previous editions and provides more educational depth with a rebuilt Search function and FMPedia, a brand-new in-game glossary defining all key football and FM concepts.
Match days are richer, more atmospheric and immersive thanks to significantly improved graphical fidelity, new volumetric animations from real-life matches and extensive Match Engine AI changes.
FM26 also delivers unparalleled tactical control through the introduction of distinct In and Out of Possession formations. Inspired by evolving tactical conversations in the real world and requests from FM fans, these formations are supported by new and redefined player roles as well as a dynamic visualiser that shows how a tactic evolves in every phase of the pitch.
Women’s Football makes its debut in FM26, with 14 playable leagues across 11 global nations and a starting database of more than 40,000 players and staff – the most comprehensive of its kind in games. New teams to manage and new talents to discover means new possibilities for FM players in every career.
And that’s just the beginning. There are many other new additions to discover, from new TransferRoom-powered recruitment tools that elevate squad-building to a redesigned Manager Creation experience that allows players to express more of themselves, their style and personality.
There are also new licences in the men’s game too, from new multi-year partnerships with FIFA and the Premier League through to series debuts for the UAE ADNOC Pro League and the Lithuanian A-Lyga.
If people haven’t already pre-purchased, it’s not too late to get involved – anyone pre-purchasing FM26 on PC or Mac from a participating digital retailer between now and the game’s full release on Tuesday November 4 will get a 10% discount*** and unlock the Advanced Access Beta.
For further details on FM26 head over to www.footballmanager.com.
*Advanced Access is available from SEGA-approved digital retailers only; please check here for a full list of digital retailers and more details as to what constitutes a SEGA-approved retailer.
** The Advanced Access Beta also contains information that is still under approval process by right holders and may contain data that does not, at this time, accurately reflect real world data. For context, some club and player assets may be absent during Advanced Access.
*** This 10% discount is on the base £49.99 retail price.
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About Sports Interactive™:
Sports Interactive is the world’s leading developer of sports management simulations. From their home at Here East, Stratford, SI creates immersive alternate realities that don’t just emulate sport but shape it. The SI team are tenaciously passionate creators, bringing talented, ambitious people together to craft gaming experiences that forever stretch the possibilities of sports entertainment. It’s this ethos that caught the attention of SEGA®, who brought SI onboard as a subsidiary in 2006. More info on the studio and its work can be found at www.sports-interactive.com.
About Football Manager™:
Football Manager (FM) is the world’s leading football management simulation title and our iconic, award-winning series has captivated a global pool of players for two decades. FM takes players to the heart of the beautiful game and lets them create their own football story as manager of their favourite club. With more than 50 of the top footballing nations to manage in and a database of more than 800,000 active players and staff from around the world of football, the game offers tasks players with making the key decisions at their club offers an unrivalled simulation experience. FM has grown to become more than just a game and is now deeply embedded in the football industry with the FM database now powering the recruitment strategies of professional clubs around the world of football. The game has become an integral part of modern fan culture, shaping the discourse around the professional game. It has been the inspiration for several books, a stand-up comedy show and even a feature-length documentary. For more information on Football Manager, visit footballmanager.com.
About SEGA® Europe Limited:
SEGA® Europe Limited is the European Distribution arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA CORPORATION, and a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe. SEGA wholly owns the video game development studios Two Point Studios, Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive and HARDlight. SEGA Europe’s website is located at www.sega.co.uk