Managerial games are a type of video game that involves the management of people and characters. They involve elements of strategy and financial planning, often to build a sports team or other successful venture. Football has generally been the most popular subject for these types of games. In this article, we discuss the history of managerial games.
How many hours have you spent on managerial games? Not just football manager, but the budget ones you played on PC as a teen, added to the fantasy football leagues, and the throwaway titles on mobile apps? Managerial games are a unique proposition, a sneak behind the scenes of your favorite clubs. Yet they have not always been as in-depth as they are today. Below, we discuss the evolution of managerial games.
What is the next step for managerial games?
Arguably, Football Manager 2024 was the greatest management simulator of all time. Its match mechanics were extremely fluid, with new, in-depth rules added for set pieces. With additional leagues such as the Japanese system, it is hard to see how it can get much better, aside from updates to the graphics and on-screen activity.
A good place to look is in the world of entertainment and what is happening in general. The metaverse and VR are hot topics, but ones that are often spoken about with very little action actually taking place there. It is very doubtful the game would go in that direction unless significant users moved to the Metaverse for their gaming needs. Similarly, VR would offer very little extra to the managerial, tactical style used in these types of titles.
Another option may be live streaming. These games have become very popular in the casino industry. Croupiers and dealers will deal cards and spin roulette wheels, then their actions are streamed to players who can take part. In slot games, this has led to a whole host of gameshow-style slot titles, buoyed in popularity by casino free spins to get people playing. While adding them to the managerial game may require a little more imagination, developers could use actors as in-play backroom staff, or even stream tactical tips from real managers.
The early days of managerial games
In the early days of home computers, anyone and everyone could create a game. This led to some quite amusing titles, some of which had early manager-based styles. Rock Band was one example, where you would have to sign artists to a record label, get them gigs, and help them become the biggest band on earth.
Sports management games tended to do better, and the best of these came in 1982 with Football Manager. Created by Kevin Toms, the designer had always harboured an obsession for football management. In his younger days, he had built a board game around the idea and even programmed a rudimentary text-based adventure.
Released on the home computers of the day, the limitations were stifling. However, he would rewrite each iteration from scratch, improving it from the previous version. This meant that by Football Manager II, players had a wider range of actions on the pitch and even unpredictability. This was followed up by a World Cup edition and a host of management simulation games followed.
A highlight of this era, albeit a quirky one, was Tracksuit Manager. In this, the manager must try to qualify for the FIFA 1990 World Cup. Instead of a transfer market, they are given a list of 100 eligible players they must call up for their team. It even had real players such as Maradona and Peter Shilton.
Championship Manager
Many pinpoint the start of the modern era of football management games at the door of 1992's Championship Manager. The first version was created in a bedroom, but its success led to the formation of Sports Interactive which would release the second game. Its in-depth rosters, ability to manage backroom staff and transfers, along with edge-of-your-seat game mechanics led to even more sequels.
One of the men involved in this, Miles Jacobson, had worked on the original Football Manager titles in the eighties. He would be with the project for some time while also working in the UK music industry. When Sports Interactive split with their publisher Eidos, he would take the concept to SEGA and bring back the Football manager brand he had worked on previously. Eidos would turn Championship Manager into one of the premier mobile management games. However, Football Manager would go from strength to strength on PC and console.
Today's iteration of Football Manager relies heavily on AI. This has mimicked human behavior, so reactions to the press and play on the field are more akin to the personalities you would find in real people. In some ways, it is the height of NPC interaction. Few other titles rely so much on the human nature of people to add realism.
Football Manager is seldom out of the game charts. It constantly updates with new patches, and is beloved around the world. With a strong past, it will continue to innovate in the future so you can enjoy this fantastic title.