A Disastrous Debut on Steam
The highly anticipated return of the Football Manager series has turned into a public relations nightmare for Sega and developer Sports Interactive. Football Manager 26, which launched on November 4, 2025, has achieved the unwanted distinction of becoming one of the platform's most poorly received titles. Within a mere three days, the game rocketed into Steam's infamous 'Hall of Shame' list, securing the seventh spot among the worst rated games with a dismal overall approval rating of just 21%.
Why Fans Are in Open Revolt
This catastrophic reception stems from two primary issues that have infuriated the game's dedicated community. Firstly, players report that Football Manager 26 was launched in an unfinished state, riddled with technical problems that hampered the experience from the outset. A major post-launch update has been released, but the extensive list of fixes acknowledges a litany of initial failures, including:
- Frequent game crashes and freezing
- Blocked progression preventing players from advancing
- Significant performance issues
- Core features that simply did not function correctly
Beyond the bugs, a more fundamental redesign has drawn intense criticism. The game's completely updated user interface has been widely panned as unintuitive and difficult to navigate. Player reviews on Steam paint a picture of frustration. User stevenmcm7 lamented, 'Every single menu/screen/interaction is bloated and impractical… you are now used to a set up that is less practical and takes longer to do anything.' Another fan, st.AlexS, described the interface as 'a complete disaster,' noting that actions which once required a single click now demand three or four, with confusing navigation and poor scaling on large screens.
A Glimmer of Hope Amidst the Backlash
Despite the overwhelming negativity, a minority of players have come to the game's defence. Some positive reviews indicate that a segment of the audience has adapted to the new systems and is finding enjoyment. User niallmassey admitted to 'lots of bugs to begin with' but expressed genuine love for the new UI and features, reporting a stable experience without crashes. Another player, MowieWowie, suggested the game might be better suited for consoles, finding controller support superior to traditional keyboard and mouse input. This aligns with the game's multi-platform release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with a Nintendo Switch version scheduled for December 4.
However, these supportive voices are drowned out by the chorus of disapproval. The situation presents a significant challenge for Sega and Sports Interactive, who must now work urgently to repair fan trust. The game is not beyond saving; with consistent bug fixes and updates, a redemption arc is possible. Evidence suggests a core audience remains engaged, with SteamDB recording over 50,000 concurrent players,--a figure that hasn't migrated en masse to older versions. Nonetheless, the clock is ticking. If the developers are too slow to address the community's valid concerns, even the most patient fans may eventually abandon the pitch.
