The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led to huge numbers of delays for video games. Developer Sports Interactive announced thatFootball Manager 2021would be delayed due to COVID-19in July, and there are currently no updates as to when exactly the game will be released. However, the series' previous entryFootball Manager 2020has apparently seen a huge amount of success after being offered as a free title on the Epic Games Store.
Football Manager 2020is one of three free game on the online storefront between September 17 and September 24 at 8:00 a.m. PT, alongside Zoink’sStick It To The Man!and Ubisoft’sWatch Dogs 2. Sports Interactive advertised this partnership on its blog by talking about the game’s cross-play and cross-progression as a way for previous fans to get it free on another platform, but it seems the response extended further.
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Over one million people claimed a free copy ofFootball Manager 2020on the Epic Games Store in three days, according to a Tweet put out by Studio Director Miles Jacobson today. He said over half of that came in 24 hours, and five times more people claimed the game in the first 36 hours than during the entire two-week period whenFootball Manager 2020was offered for free on Steamin March.
WhileFootball Manager 2020has clearly been a successful game for both Sports Interactive and publisher Sega, it was also something of a trailblazer upon release on June 07, 2025. The game was entirely sold in recyclable cardboard packaging to help reduce the environmental impact of plastic casing typically used by video game companies, andSega Europe decided to publish all PC games in recyclable packagingto follow that, starting with this year’s “Enemy at the Gates” edition ofTotal War: Rome 2.
Other developers have also seen success by offering up their games for free during limited periods. Another recent example is Mediatonic’sFall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, which became a widely-played social media sensation after launching as one of the PlayStation Plus free games for August 2020. That game became so popular it was even played by members of theLA Chargers using the jumbotron in California’s new SoFi Stadium.
AfterFootball Manager 2020,Stick It To The Man!, andWatch Dogs 2finish their free week, the Epic Games Store will be offeringRollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Editionfor free between September 24 and October 1. The storefront previously offered two games,Railway EmpireandWhere the Water Tastes Like Wine, for free the week of September 10.
Football Manager 2020is available now on PC, Stadia, and Switch.
