Football Manager 2018 have included a feature in which you can come out as a gay player and fans have reacted refreshingly positively.
Football Manager is one of the most well-known football games out there. It lets you take control of your own football team in a virtual setting, buy and sell your own players and helps you believe you truly would be more successful than Arsene Wenger.
The newest edition of the game (Football Manager 2018) is set for release on 10 November but its beta was brought out on 26 October and those who have already gotten the opportunity to play it have noticed something interesting: you can come out as gay.
Football Manager’s director, Miles Jacobson, has since confirmed on Twitter that this is a new feature of the game and his tweet has been met mostly with positivity.
I was expecting the worst in terms of replies, it’s really nice that the reaction on here’s been so positive
— Spookthya (@sathyajames) October 29, 2017
Will it stay in the main game? Awesome feature by the way.
— Ed McGready (@Thestretch83) October 29, 2017
Genuinely nice touch. Yet another year you and the game are way ahead of the curve…..
— Ed McGready (@Thestretch83) October 29, 2017
Ok. Still, great to see FM blazing a trail
— Jed Williamson (@TheGreatLummox) October 29, 2017
Excellent – well done.
😃 -> “I would normally get more if I told people they were getting a free diamond with their copy of the game.”
— Prof Patrick McGhee (@ProfMcGhee) October 30, 2017
Handled impeccably and in respectful & understated manner, quality from everyone involved, plenty of people could learn lessons from this
— Henry Parsons (@HenryParsons97) October 30, 2017
Brilliant idea in my eyes. Fair play to FM. Shouldn’t be seen as taboo in any way dhape or form in thr game.
— Jonny Shurben (@Jonny_Shurben) October 29, 2017
Love the idea, I still remember brexit in ‘17was really nice to see. I look forward to this in ‘18
— Lance Newman (@LanceNewman1) October 29, 2017
Excellent addition. Great to see a (mainly) positive reaction to it too. pic.twitter.com/v5xu6R8C4R
— Ben Keay (@Fed_by_Ben) October 29, 2017
Amazing, #fm18 paving the way. Well done.
— Martin Drury (@kingtinger) October 29, 2017
I think this is my favourite new feature. 🌈
— Thomas Roode (@LeonTrotsema) October 29, 2017
Football Manager has been around since 2004 and has a loyal fanbase. Therefore, it’s probably going to reach a lot of people. By spreading awareness and offering support, which is the aim of the game’s new feature, it should hopefully help to make members of the LGBT+ community who are playing it feel more comfortable being themselves, even if that doesn’t mean coming out personally.
In the year 2017, homophobia in football is still startlingly rife and, with articles like the Daily Star’s recent piece on gay footballers, you can understand why no one in the sport comes out.
Well done to Football Manager for trying to make the sport more inclusive.