Football Manager 2013 was officially announced today, along with a potentially divisive new feature. It appears that Sports Interactive would be implementing a new Classic mode into Football Manager 2013, enabling time-short players to play out an entire season in around eight hours. The mode sees the player relinquishing control of much of the backroom activity (such as press and training) to the computer in order to streamline the FM experience. Whist it can be argued that removing the all-consuming nature of the game effectively tears the heart and soul out of the FM franchise, many players who grew up with its first incarnations (this writer included) are short on time to play it, having been unfortunately tied down to full-time jobs and serious relationships. Potentially, FM Classic allows these players to take part in the wonders of FM whilst still maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If nothing else, itll keep the divorce rate down. Another important bit of information about classic mode is that it can be split into two different campaigns; a regular, open season and the new-to-PC challenge mode, taken from the smartphone edition of the game. Challenges will include achieving certain objectives within a certain period of time, such as saving a club from relegation in the last months of the season or winning a certain number of trophies. These in turn will provide unlockable power-ups, such as additional money in the transfer kitty or a negating of the need for work permits. Whilst the idea of turning the deep, cerebral approach of yesteryear into something more akin to a console game as anathema to some FM die-hards, it must be noted that you dont have to engage with this mode if you dont want to. Regular mode remains alive-and kicking, and has new features of its own. These features include a graphical overhaul to the 3D match engine in order to makes look more like their real-life television equivalents. Furthermore, new staff roles that reflect modern football, such as a director of football to oversee transfer business. The ability to add tone to the team-talks, an important innovation to last years incarnation, has rolled on into the press conferences. Potentially, a player might be able to engage in more adversarial tone with the press, providing the shot in the arm these dreary weekly events so desperately needed. However, the new mantra surrounding Football Manager appears to be that speed is king. Though we wish we all had the time to play through a season, its a simple fact of life that some of us dont, and SI appear to be taking steps to make sure that demographic is catered to. Whether or not this will prove to be a good or bad thing, only time will tell. What do you think of SIs new features? Feel free to comment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PRQiCNdSGSg Football Manager 2013 will be released in November.