{{Short description|2008 video game}} {{use British English|date=October 2024}} {{use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox video game |title = Football Manager 2009 |image = Football Manager 2009.jpg |image_size = 250px |developer = [[Sports Interactive]] |publisher = [[Sega]] |series = ''[[Football Manager]]'' |platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS|Mac OS X]], [[PlayStation Portable]] |released = {{vgrelease|EU|14 November 2008<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/5822240/Football-Manager-2009/Product.html |title=Football Manager 2009 |url-status=dead |website=Play.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913115534/http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/5822240/Football-Manager-2009/Product.html |archive-date=13 September 2008 }}</ref>|NA|18 November 2008}} |genre = [[Sports management video game|Sports management]] |modes = [[Single-player video game|Single player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]] }} '''''Football Manager 2009''''', also known as '''''Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009''''' in North America, is a [[Association football|football]] manager [[simulation video game]] and the sixth instalment in the ''[[Football Manager]]'' series. It was released on [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Mac OS X]], and [[PlayStation Portable]] on 14 November 2008 in Europe and on 18 November 2008 in North America. The [[game demo]] was released on 2 November 2008 via the [[News of the World]], [[BitTorrent]], and [[Steam (service)|Steam]]. An [[Arsenal F.C.]]-branded version of the game was also released.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footballmanager.com/index.php?p=article&newsid=2782 |title=N/A |website=Football Manager |access-date=7 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711015654/http://www.footballmanager.com/index.php?p=article&newsid=2782 |archive-date=11 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Gameplay == ''Football Manager 2009'' features similar [[gameplay]] to that of the ''Football Manager'' series. Gameplay consists of taking charge of a professional football team (the game also includes semi-professional, amateur, and international teams) as the [[Manager (association football)|manager]]. Players can sign football players to contracts, manage finances for the club, and give team talks to players. The ''Football Manager'' series is a simulation of real world management, with the player being judged on various factors by the club's [[Artificial intelligence in video games|AI]] owners and board.<ref>{{cite news |title=A league of their own: six of the best football video games |last=Boxer |first=Steve |work=The Guardian |date=28 August 2018 |access-date=22 October 2018 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/aug/28/six-best-football-video-games-fifa-pro-evolution-soccer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905160554/https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/aug/28/six-best-football-video-games-fifa-pro-evolution-soccer |archive-date=5 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some of the new features and box art for the game, the first in the series to be released on [[DVD-ROM]] rather than on [[CD-ROM]], were announced via a series of videos on 3 September 2008, while other new features were released via a series of podcasts and online blogs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hmv.com/hmvweb/navigate.do?ctx=3583;6;-1;-1;-1&pPageID=3604 |title=Football Manager HMV Blogs |last=Jacobson|first=Miles <!--Sports Interactive studio director--> |access-date=8 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309145200/http://hmv.com/hmvweb/navigate.do?ctx=3583;6;-1;-1;-1&pPageID=3604 |archive-date=9 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The main new feature to the game is the [[3D computer graphics|3D]] match engine. This can now be watched fullscreen, with a widescreen option available. Other features include being able to play as a female or male manager, improvements to the interaction between the manager and his assistant manager, improved mid-match team talks and tactics, training players to have preferred moves, and transfer rumours. There are also be [[press conference]]s, where the player can build up a rapport with the journalists, and the finance and transfer systems have been completely reworked. The game is set to feature more players than ever before, with over 350,000 in the database at the time of the game's announcement. The Microsoft Windows version has a skin similar to the one used in ''[[Football Manager 2008]]''.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
The handheld version includes a [[2D computer graphics|2D]] match engine for the first time, and the game was shipped with two skins: a light and a dark alternative.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77URmWUc-1k |title=FM2009 & FMH2009 - Part 2 on YouTube |author=Miles Jacobson, Sports Interactive studio director |website=[[YouTube]] |date=3 September 2008 |access-date=25 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601190129/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77URmWUc-1k |archive-date=1 June 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> The game suffered setbacks on and before launch day, most notably many users found themselves unable to activate the game due to servers providing activation for the DRM system system coming under [[distributed denial of service]] attacks.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
== Controversy == On release, many buyers had problems with the game's copy protection. A printing error on the manuals caused the keys to be difficult to read and there were distributed denial of service attacks on the [[Uniloc]] activation servers that prevented purchasers from activating their games. Since the provided telephone activation lines were also run using the activation servers, they were also out of action. In response, SEGA issued a press release apologising for the problems faced by purchasers. As of May 2011, the game could no longer be activated as the website that deals with product activation of ''Football Manager 2009'' was shut down.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sega apologetic for Football Manager problems |url=http://www.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=17044 |publisher=TDC |date=14 September 2008 |access-date=14 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709205819/http://www.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=17044 |archive-date=9 July 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=309044 |title=DRM still causing FM 2009 headaches |date=19 November 2008 |work=Eurogamer.net }}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
== Reception == {{Video game reviews | GR = PSP: 83%<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/psp/953034-football-manager-handheld-2009/index.html |title=Football Manager Handheld 2009 for PSP |website=[[GameRankings]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=2 November 2018}}</ref> | MC = PC: 83/100<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/worldwide-soccer-manager-2009/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Worldwide Soccer Manager 2009 for PC Reviews |website=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=2 November 2018}}</ref> | PCPP = 8/10 | EuroG = 8/10 | PCGUK = 69/100 }} {{expand section|date=October 2024}} ''Football Manager 2009''{{'s}} Microsoft Windows version received a "Platinum" sales award from the [[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]] (ELSPA),<ref name=platinumelspa>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090515224703/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3944 |url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3944 |title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Platinum |work=[[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]] |archive-date=15 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom.<ref name=gamasutrasales>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |title=ELSPA: ''Wii Fit'', ''Mario Kart'' Reach Diamond Status In UK |author=Caoili, Eric |date=26 November 2008 |work=[[Gamasutra]] |archive-date=18 September 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Studio director Miles Jacobson stated that "for every one person that bought ''Football Manager 2009'' there were four who pirated it".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-10-si-discusses-football-manager-piracy |title=SI discusses Football Manager piracy |date=10 October 2011 |work=Eurogamer.net |access-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112135536/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-10-si-discusses-football-manager-piracy |archive-date=12 November 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>
== See also == * [[Business simulation game]] * ''[[Championship Manager 2009 Express]]'' * ''[[Championship Manager 2010]]''
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{official website|http://www.footballmanager.com}}
{{Football Manager series}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Football Manager|2009]] [[Category:2008 video games]] [[Category:Games for Windows]] [[Category:MacOS games]] [[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]] [[Category:PlayStation Portable games]] [[Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Windows games]]