General What video games have you been playing recently ?

[MarkG]

Just finished Breath of the Wild. September - January are normally my COD and FIFA months, but I think I have time to squeeze in Astro Bot before that starts. It will be the first game I play on the PS5 Pro since I got it at launch.

I need to find my cartridge for BOTW.
TOTK was a bit too many hours.

 

[RoncismoYellow]

I need to find my cartridge for BOTW.
TOTK was a bit too many hours.

Never played any Zelda game although I have totk but been told need to play botw first to understand anything that’s going on

 

[SwissYellow]

I am LOVING by the way how many retro games are being played. Brilliant people the lot of you.

 

[SteMerritt]

I am LOVING by the way how many retro games are being played. Brilliant people the lot of you.

Are you counting the mentioned Zelda games as 'Retro'? That is still modern to me, retro is anything pre-Dreamcast...

 

[SwissYellow]

Retro is defined as "two generations ago" Wii, PS3, Xbox 360. All retro.

ZX Spectrum - Well bloody retro.

 

[Older Shotts]

Retro is defined as "two generations ago" Wii, PS3, Xbox 360. All retro.

ZX Spectrum - Well bloody retro.

Retro Gamer mag classes anything 20 yrs old or more as retro.. so about the same.. Although I struggle to view the 360 (or Ps3, wii) as retro.

 

[SwissYellow]

Retro Gamer mag classes anything 20 yrs old or more as retro.. so about the same.. Although I struggle to view the 360 (or Ps3, wii) as retro.

I struggled when the SNES became retro as that was the first console I sold *insert old man crying gif*

 

[MarkG]

I am LOVING by the way how many retro games are being played. Brilliant people the lot of you.

Also got Raiden on the Switch. Was an arcade cabinet game in the university common room that I spent many ten pences (or 50ps) on back in the 1990s. Vertical scrolling shoot'em up.
As an arcade game you aren't getting stuck into hours of gameplay and storyline so it's nice to use for a quick break.
Unfortunately I've forgotten the attack patterns after about the first minute of the first level.

 

[90syeIlow]

Just finished Breath of the Wild. September - January are normally my COD and FIFA months, but I think I have time to squeeze in Astro Bot before that starts. It will be the first game I play on the PS5 Pro since I got it at launch.

I have a PS5 but I’m thinking of upgrading to the pro.

Is it worth it?

 

[SteMerritt]

Retro is defined as "two generations ago" Wii, PS3, Xbox 360. All retro.

ZX Spectrum - Well bloody retro.

That just shows how quickly life moves past. The 360 doesn't even come close to retro for me. But then I guess that just ages me, more than the games! Anyway, back to my Spectrum gaming videos on YouTube...

 

[SteMerritt]

Daughter is currently playing a lot of 'Peak' on her PC with her mates. Sounds like they are having a right laugh whilst doing it.

 

[Kamal]

I have a PS5 but I’m thinking of upgrading to the pro.

Is it worth it?

Depends on what games you play and how often. Most have a Pro patch now and make use of PSSR (PlayStations upscaling technology). Don't expect a generational leap but at times it's noticeable. The PS4 to PS4 Pro was a bigger leap as it went from HD to 4K.

The whole PS5 line up just had another price increase too. Would I recommend a Pro to an average consumer? Probably not. But I'm a nerd (and probably Pony) so I buy anything Sony.

I gave my launch PS5 to my niece and nephew for Christmas last year so at least that went to a good home.

 

[Jason]

Game Over

Why Football Manager 25 was cancelled

Miles Jacobson, right, is the studio director of Sports Interactive (Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Why Football Manager 25 was cancelled

University was where I nurtured a solid addiction to Championship Manager. In pockets of free time, I’d think about leaving the house and going to lectures.

Championship Manager spawned Football Manager in 2003 and under that title, it soon became a market leader for gamers everywhere, virtual coaching for the man in the street. But at the start of this year, something peculiar happened. Football Manager’s 2025 edition failed to appear.

Delay after delay led to a complete cancellation, which, commercially, was as good for business as the Champions League taking a 12-month recess. Beyond an apologetic but light-on-detail statement, the gaming community was in the dark about why development had hit the wall, and whether the entire franchise was in trouble.

They’re in the dark no longer because The Athletic has an interview today with Miles Jacobson, studio director at Sports Interactive, the firm that creates Football Manager. The good news for the likes of me is that the 2026 version is on the way, and if you’re thinking that Art de Roche’s meeting with Jacobson might be advertising fluff, think again. It’s a full-on mea culpa and an explanation for why one of the planet’s biggest gaming brands suffered the embarrassment of a year off.

‘It was pretty embarrassing’
Football Manager’s problems haven’t caused it to shed much of its popularity. An online teaser for FM26 on X drew 1.4 million views in an hour. But it has affected its reputation and, inevitably, the decision to pull FM25 rattled the stock market value of the parent company of Sega, which publishes the game.

Jacobson spelled out the reasons for the cancellation, of which there are several. One was that Sports Interactive underestimated the laborious job of switching to a new game engine (like switching from Windows to Apple, to use his analogy). A second was that when Jacobson first tested FM25, certain features, such as youth team systems, were hidden from view. “I couldn’t find things in my own game,” he said. “It was pretty embarrassing.”

A third reason was a legal issue that he’s restricted from saying a great deal about. A fourth was a further development that he can’t discuss publicly at all. Hold up piled on top of hold up and in February, Sports Interactive called the whole thing off.

Jacobson described the saga as a “disaster” financially, but said FM25 could not have been allowed to go to market. “You can’t just put st in a box and expect it to sell,”** he said. He retained his job but concedes he would have been “first out of the door” had FM26 not shown shoots of recovery. “I don’t think I’ll be allowed to forget what happened, and I shouldn’t be either,” he told Art.

Something tells me the franchise will bounce back because it’s too big not to. Whether consoles are your bag or not, there’s a lot to take from the story of a huge football brand veering down a mountainside. It brings to mind one of the sport’s oldest clichés: that you’re only as good as your last game.

 

[SteMerritt]

​

Game Over ​ ​ Miles Jacobson, right, is the studio director of Sports Interactive (Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) Why Football Manager 25 was cancelled University was where I nurtured a solid addiction to Championship Manager. In pockets of free time, I’d think about leaving the house and going to lectures. Championship Manager spawned Football Manager in 2003 and under that title, it soon became a market leader for gamers everywhere; virtual coaching for the man in the street. But at the start of this year, something peculiar happened. Football Manager’s 2025 edition failed to appear. Delay after delay led to a complete cancellation, which, commercially, was as good for business as the Champions League taking a 12-month recess. Beyond an apologetic but light-on-detail statement, the gaming community was in the dark about why development had hit the wall, and whether the entire franchise was in trouble. They’re in the dark no longer because The Athletic has an interview today with Miles Jacobson, studio director at Sports Interactive, the firm that creates Football Manager. The good news for the likes of me is that the 2026 version is on the way, and if you’re thinking that Art de Roche’s meeting with Jacobson might be advertising fluff, think again. It’s a full-on mea culpa and an explanation for why one of the planet’s biggest gaming brands suffered the embarrassment of a year off. ​ 'It was pretty embarrassing' Football Manager’s problems haven’t caused it to shed much of its popularity. An online teaser for FM26 on X drew 1.4 million views in an hour. But it has affected its reputation and, inevitably, the decision to pull FM25 rattled the stock market value of the parent company of Sega, which publishes the game. Jacobson spelled out the reasons for the cancellation, of which there are several. One was that Sports Interactive underestimated the laborious job of switching to a new game engine (like switching from Windows to Apple, to use his analogy). A second was that when Jacobson first tested FM25, certain features, such as youth team systems, were hidden from view. “I couldn’t find things in my own game,” he said. “It was pretty embarrassing.” A third reason was a legal issue that he’s restricted from saying a great deal about. A fourth was a further development that he can’t discuss publicly at all. Hold up piled on top of hold up and in February, Sports Interactive called the whole thing off. Jacobson described the saga as a “disaster" financially, but said FM25 could not have been allowed to go to market. “You can’t just put s**t in a box and expect it to sell,” he said. He retained his job but concedes he would have been “first out of the door” had FM26 not shown shoots of recovery. “I don’t think I’ll be allowed to forget what happened, and I shouldn’t be either,” he told Art. Something tells me the franchise will bounce back because it’s too big not to. Whether consoles are your bag or not, there’s a lot to take from the story of a huge football brand veering down a mountainside. It brings to mind one of the sport’s oldest cliches: that you’re only as good as your last game.

​

Should have got Kevin Toms in to sort it out.

 

[MarkG]

​

Game Over ​ ​ Miles Jacobson, right, is the studio director of Sports Interactive (Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) Why Football Manager 25 was cancelled University was where I nurtured a solid addiction to Championship Manager. In pockets of free time, I’d think about leaving the house and going to lectures. Championship Manager spawned Football Manager in 2003 and under that title, it soon became a market leader for gamers everywhere; virtual coaching for the man in the street. But at the start of this year, something peculiar happened. Football Manager’s 2025 edition failed to appear. Delay after delay led to a complete cancellation, which, commercially, was as good for business as the Champions League taking a 12-month recess. Beyond an apologetic but light-on-detail statement, the gaming community was in the dark about why development had hit the wall, and whether the entire franchise was in trouble. They’re in the dark no longer because The Athletic has an interview today with Miles Jacobson, studio director at Sports Interactive, the firm that creates Football Manager. The good news for the likes of me is that the 2026 version is on the way, and if you’re thinking that Art de Roche’s meeting with Jacobson might be advertising fluff, think again. It’s a full-on mea culpa and an explanation for why one of the planet’s biggest gaming brands suffered the embarrassment of a year off. ​ 'It was pretty embarrassing' Football Manager’s problems haven’t caused it to shed much of its popularity. An online teaser for FM26 on X drew 1.4 million views in an hour. But it has affected its reputation and, inevitably, the decision to pull FM25 rattled the stock market value of the parent company of Sega, which publishes the game. Jacobson spelled out the reasons for the cancellation, of which there are several. One was that Sports Interactive underestimated the laborious job of switching to a new game engine (like switching from Windows to Apple, to use his analogy). A second was that when Jacobson first tested FM25, certain features, such as youth team systems, were hidden from view. “I couldn’t find things in my own game,” he said. “It was pretty embarrassing.” A third reason was a legal issue that he’s restricted from saying a great deal about. A fourth was a further development that he can’t discuss publicly at all. Hold up piled on top of hold up and in February, Sports Interactive called the whole thing off. Jacobson described the saga as a “disaster" financially, but said FM25 could not have been allowed to go to market. “You can’t just put s**t in a box and expect it to sell,” he said. He retained his job but concedes he would have been “first out of the door” had FM26 not shown shoots of recovery. “I don’t think I’ll be allowed to forget what happened, and I shouldn’t be either,” he told Art. Something tells me the franchise will bounce back because it’s too big not to. Whether consoles are your bag or not, there’s a lot to take from the story of a huge football brand veering down a mountainside. It brings to mind one of the sport’s oldest cliches: that you’re only as good as your last game.

​

I can't read this in dark mode

 

[Jason]

I can't read this in dark mode

Sorry, copy and pasted from The Athletic as is behind a paywall.

 

[Carpy]

I can't read this in dark mode

Fixed

 

[SamLongSlidingTackle]

Interesting stuff and not surprised it was shelved, the complexity of these projects is mind blowing.

 

[SwissYellow]

I worked with Miles for 13 years on Football Manager, that delay has been more than a teeny bit problematic, especially with the state of the industry and Sega's health in general.

 

[Concretebob]

Don't get to play games as much, but like to buy "older" games that are second hand. Been enjoying Far Cry 5 a lot in the last few months. It's not perfect, but it's good fun.

 

[SwissYellow]

Don't get to play games as much, but like to buy "older" games that are second hand. Been enjoying Far Cry 5 a lot in the last few months. It's not perfect, but it's good fun.

All the FarCry's to be fair are fun. Even the mad Far Cry 2.

 

[Marked Ox]

Game Over

Why Football Manager 25 was cancelled

Miles Jacobson, right, is the studio director of Sports Interactive (Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Why Football Manager 25 was cancelled

University was where I nurtured a solid addiction to Championship Manager. In pockets of free time, I’d think about leaving the house and going to lectures.

Championship Manager spawned Football Manager in 2003 and under that title, it soon became a market leader for gamers everywhere, virtual coaching for the man in the street. But at the start of this year, something peculiar happened. Football Manager’s 2025 edition failed to appear.

Delay after delay led to a complete cancellation, which, commercially, was as good for business as the Champions League taking a 12-month recess. Beyond an apologetic but light-on-detail statement, the gaming community was in the dark about why development had hit the wall, and whether the entire franchise was in trouble.

They’re in the dark no longer because The Athletic has an interview today with Miles Jacobson, studio director at Sports Interactive, the firm that creates Football Manager. The good news for the likes of me is that the 2026 version is on the way, and if you’re thinking that Art de Roche’s meeting with Jacobson might be advertising fluff, think again. It’s a full-on mea culpa and an explanation for why one of the planet’s biggest gaming brands suffered the embarrassment of a year off.

‘It was pretty embarrassing’
Football Manager’s problems haven’t caused it to shed much of its popularity. An online teaser for FM26 on X drew 1.4 million views in an hour. But it has affected its reputation and, inevitably, the decision to pull FM25 rattled the stock market value of the parent company of Sega, which publishes the game.

Jacobson spelled out the reasons for the cancellation, of which there are several. One was that Sports Interactive underestimated the laborious job of switching to a new game engine (like switching from Windows to Apple, to use his analogy). A second was that when Jacobson first tested FM25, certain features, such as youth team systems, were hidden from view. “I couldn’t find things in my own game,” he said. “It was pretty embarrassing.”

A third reason was a legal issue that he’s restricted from saying a great deal about. A fourth was a further development that he can’t discuss publicly at all. Hold up piled on top of hold up and in February, Sports Interactive called the whole thing off.

Jacobson described the saga as a “disaster” financially, but said FM25 could not have been allowed to go to market. “You can’t just put st in a box and expect it to sell,”** he said. He retained his job but concedes he would have been “first out of the door” had FM26 not shown shoots of recovery. “I don’t think I’ll be allowed to forget what happened, and I shouldn’t be either,” he told Art.

Something tells me the franchise will bounce back because it’s too big not to. Whether consoles are your bag or not, there’s a lot to take from the story of a huge football brand veering down a mountainside. It brings to mind one of the sport’s oldest clichés: that you’re only as good as your last game.

Minor point but a version of Football Manager existed before Championship Manager. Definitely on the Spectrum 48k.

Can't forget the classic stick men running through on goal. There may have a Football Manager 2 but only have a vague memory of that.

I assume they bought the name or the trademark/copyright had run out.

 

[holdsteady]

Minor point but a version of Football Manager existed before Championship Manager. Definitely on the Spectrum 48k.

Can't forget the classic stick men running through on goal. There may have a Football Manager 2 but only have a vague memory of that.

I assume they bought the name or the trademark/copyright had run out.

There was a 2 and 3, although apparently Toms dropped out for the last one. Played the first and had a play of 2 at a mates house if memory serves but don’t think I even saw 3 in a shop, probably moved onto my mega drive by then.

There is an Oxford fan who does YouTube videos of spectrum football management games, there were loads with a lot of them being the £1.99/£2.99 games that local shops used to sell for the spectrum.

 

[SteMerritt]

Minor point but a version of Football Manager existed before Championship Manager. Definitely on the Spectrum 48k.

Can't forget the classic stick men running through on goal. There may have a Football Manager 2 but only have a vague memory of that.

I assume they bought the name or the trademark/copyright had run out.

Kevin Toms wrote it. There was a second version definitely, and even maybe a third. He is still writing them now.

 

[Marked Ox]

There was a 2 and 3, although apparently Toms dropped out for the last one. Played the first and had a play of 2 at a mates house if memory serves but don’t think I even saw 3 in a shop, probably moved onto my mega drive by then.

There is an Oxford fan who does YouTube videos of spectrum football management games, there were loads with a lot of them being the £1.99/£2.99 games that local shops used to sell for the spectrum.

The best management game I can remember from that time is Football Director and I got that from a small advert in a Spectrum Magazine. It then got popular so they released FD 2.

Football Manager was the first major one though from memory.

 

[RoncismoYellow]

Don't get to play games as much, but like to buy "older" games that are second hand. Been enjoying Far Cry 5 a lot in the last few months. It's not perfect, but it's good fun.

Far cry 5 is a great game as I’d the follow up game far cry new dawn, but far cry 6 was a massive let down

 

[Kamal]

Put 7 hours or so into Astrobot but started my first ever play through of Red Dead 2 tonight. Came out 7 years ago and it's been 5 years since I first bought it during Covid. Bought it again recently on PC and thats what I'm playing on.

 

[Eric Blair]

That just shows how quickly life moves past. The 360 doesn't even come close to retro for me. But then I guess that just ages me, more than the games! Anyway, back to my Spectrum gaming videos on YouTube...

Late to this but I am still a fan of Horace Goes Skiing and Bruce Lee on the Spectrum 48k

 

[Eric Blair]

Late to this but I am still a fan of Horace Goes Skiing and Bruce Lee on the Spectrum 48k

I mean 48k. Imagine that!

 

[Marked Ox]

Late to this but I am still a fan of Horace Goes Skiing and Bruce Lee on the Spectrum 48k

It was genuinely amusing watching them trying to play Horace goes Skiing on Go 8 Bit.