Sports Interactive and SEGA Europe Ltd. have announced that the release date for Football Manager Classic 2014 for PlayStation Vita has been set as Friday, April 11th. FMC 2014 will be published by SEGA and will be available as both a physical release and a digital download through the PSN store.

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Sports Interactive has "no plans at all" to bring Football Manager to PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, studio director Miles Jacobson has confirmed to Sportra. The developer has previously experimented with Football Manager on console having brought the 2006-2009 titles to Xbox 360. It hasn't released a home console version since, however.

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Sports Interactive has released a Football Manager 2014 demo. Studio boss Miles Jacobson said on Twitter that the demo lasts for six in-game months and has limited leagues available. You can download it now on Steam.

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From right now, anyone who pre-ordered Football Manager 2014 from a participating retailer can download the early access Beta version of the game through Steam.

Although this Beta version is not finished - and certain aspects are likely to change or be updated in time for the full release on October 31st - it is fully-playable and features the main career mode and Football Manager Classic.

What's more, careers started in the Beta version can be continued once the finished game is installed.

FM fans who have not as yet pre-ordered the game can still get their hands on the Beta version by pre-ordering now (there's a list of participating retailers at www.footballmanager.com).

The early access Beta version of Football Manager 2014 will be playable until the Monday after release (November 4th).

Source: Press Release

Sega has released a new Football Manager 2014 video blog which shows off the updates it has made to Classic mode. Introduced last year for FM 2013 on PC and Mac, Classic mode allows gamers to complete a season in less time than the normal game mode. It retains the 3D match engine and player/staff database, but simplifies the way players manage their club and allows them to focus on selected key areas to build success.

Football Manager 2014 will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, October 31st, Sports Interactive has announced. The new game will be available for Windows PC, Mac and, for the first time, Linux.

Football Manager 2014 features a number of technical innovations designed to make the management experience more engaging, fun and immersive. These include…

ZiZo - The new ‘zoom in/zoom out’ feature allows you to set up your interface, your way. The system works in conjunction with the games adapative layout to allow anyone with a high resolution screen to have the game display the information that they want, with the text size and graphic size that they want. When used alongside Steam’s ‘Big Picture’ mode makes it practical to play FM on a TV screen.

YouTube highlights package - An improved YouTube export feature, which now allows fans to upload custom highlights packages showing goals from multiple camera angles.

Cloud Saving - The integration of Steam’s ‘cloud save’ functionality means that managers will now be able to continue a single career across a variety of computers, as long as they are logged into their Steam account. What’s more, the cross-compatibility between the Windows PC, Mac and Linux versions means that a single career can be continued across any and all of these platforms.

Steam Workshop - The integration of Steam Workshop into FM 2014 will allow fans to easily create content and share it with their fellow managers. Fans will be able to create unique game skins and graphics, customise and share bespoke databases (including additional leagues and nations) and create customised competitions. In addition, Classic Mode will feature a Challenge Editor which will allow fans to create and share unique gameplay scenarios.

Cross-save with PS Vita - Football Manager Classic players will not only be able to continue a single career across the three computer platforms, they will also be able to continue that same career while mobile on their PS Vita (the PS Vita version of FM 2014 is also required). The PS Vita game will also be the first handheld version of Football Manager to feature the 3D match engine.

As with last year’s release, fans who pre-order their copy of FM 2014 from a participating retailer (high street or digital download) will enjoy early access to a fully-playable Beta version of the game, available roughly two weeks prior to the official release date. Careers started in this Beta version will continue in the full game.

In the latest Football Manager 2014 video blog, take a look at the updates to the match day in game.

In the second Football Manager 2014 video blog, take a look at the updates to the News area in the game.

Check out the first Football Manager 14 video blog, which shows the changes made to the User Interface in the new game.

Sports Interactive has released the first video of Football Manager 14. The video, narrated by Miles Jacobson, shows an early preview of the improved 3D Match Engine, one of the major features of the upcoming game. Please keep in mind it's still work in progress at this point and not a final product.

Sports Interactive and SEGA have today unveiled Football Manager 2014… the most feature-packed and technically advanced release in the series’ history with more than 1,000 improvements and enhancements over its most recent predecessor.

In addition to enhanced gameplay, FM 2014 also delivers a range of technical innovations, with the game available on Linux for the first time and the introduction of ‘cloud save’ technology, which means that managers can now pursue a single career from any computer, anywhere in the world.

The FM experience is also more customisable than ever before, as the integration of Steam Workshop tools make it easy for managers to create and share customised FM content and experiences such as photo/logo packs, new and custom competitions and even tailor-made in-game challenges using the new Challenge Editor which has been incorporated into the free-to-download Pre-game Editor.

“Our unchanging goal in the development of the Football Manager series is to deliver the most authentic and immersive simulation of real-world football management wherever you may be in the world,” says Sports Interactive’s Studio Director Miles Jacobson. “Players can now take charge of their team anywhere they can access a home computer, and with huge improvements to existing features plus the addition of loads of new stuff, can have the best Football Manager experience to date while doing so.”

Some significant FM 2014 highlights include:

Improved Match Engine
The 3D Match Engine has seen extensive improvements, including enhanced AI, improved lighting and player animation, individual player character and kit models, more realistic player reaction to on-field incidents and a range of optimisations which combine to make this the best looking and fastest FM Match Engine yet.

Tactical overhaul
There has been a complete redesign of how tactics are created, selected and implemented with player roles and team strategies becoming even more prominent, definable roles for players for multiple positions, new player roles and instructions and improvements to rival managers' AI so that they’ll adapt their tactics more readily over time.

More realistic transfers and contracts
FM 2014 features a revamped transfer module where opposing clubs and managers adopt a more realistic approach when making or responding to transfer offers. In addition, a number of new ‘real world’ transfer clauses have been added, such as the facility to loan a player back to the club he’s just been bought from and the option to offer a combination of cash and loan players, as well as new contract clauses such as a sub bench appearance fee. On top of this, the old ‘turn-based’ system of transfer negotiations can now be done two ways, the tried and tested system and a new ‘live’ system, similar to that used in FM’s contract negotiations.

More sophisticated board interaction
Contract negotiations are more realistic in FM 2014, as managers and boards can now make demands and lay down their respective visions for the club in both initial job interviews and contract renewal discussions. Managers can also attempt to renegotiate transfer and wage budgets as a reward for staying loyal if they’ve been offered a job by another club, with the outcome helping aid their decision on whether to move or not.

Improved interaction with players, staff and media
There is now better interaction between players, managers, their rivals and the media; for example, members of the coaching staff now offer feedback on how reserve and youth team players are performing. Managers can also ask key players to have a word with unhappy squad members, while the introduction of an end-of-season meeting allows the manager to let the squad know how they have performed and set targets for the coming season.

News system
The news system has been overhauled so managers can now deal with many club matters directly from their inbox. In addition, news is now colour-coded, based on category, and contains more detail – for example, scout reports now appear as a single news item with a top-line report on all players scouted and the facility to shortlist or make an offer for each of these players.

Enhanced user interface
Major changes have been made to FM 2014’s user interface. Key areas have been redesigned – including the training overview page, the transfer centre and the news homepage – while widespread changes have been made across the game’s user interface. The language employed throughout the game has also enjoyed a major overhaul and now corresponds more closely to the language of real world football.

Football Manager Classic evolved
Managers can now choose more than three playable nations in Classic mode for a more immersive experience. In addition, FM’s ‘fast play’ mode now includes Transfer Deadline Day, a Match Plan wizard and new unlockables.

Football Manager 2014 will be released for Windows PC, Mac and Linux before Xmas 2013. Fans who pre-order a copy of FM 2014 from a participating retailer (high street or digital download) will enjoy early access to a fully-playable Beta version of the game, available roughly two weeks prior to the official release date. Careers started in this Beta version will continue in the full game.

Further details on the game’s 1,000-plus new and enhanced features will be revealed over the coming weeks. There will also be weekly updates and video blogs detailing many of the key features.

Source: Press Release