What Makes Soccer Manager So Addictive?
Posted on 11th November 2015
I live in a small country called Suriname on the North cost of South America. In 2005 I was looking for a soccer simulation game to play online that required no installation. I was drunk in love with Championship Manager and so I wanted a soccer simulation game that I could play anywhere online. I searched the net and found Online Soccer Manager at the time. It was fun but still not the real deal.
And then, somehow I came across Soccer Manager. I don’t know if it was an ad on the internet or an ad in a soccer magazine. I can’t remember. But in 2006 I found Soccer Manager and I was sold! Soccer Manager was free and most important, it had real clubs and real soccer player names. It even had the original club logos back then.
I ended up in World Championship 18 and Boca Juniors was one of the best clubs still available because all the European powerhouses were already taken by then. Barcelona is my favorite club but since I could not get that I took Boca Juniors because i’m a big Argentina fan too.
I built the club from scratch because it was hard to sign top players. I decided to be patient and started to sign young promising talents that would be in high demand later. I must say that the Soccer Manager forum helped me a lot to recognise big talents and also magazines like Four Four Two and Goal.com came in handy.
That’s how Soccer Manager became a second habit for me. Everyday I was online searching for hot prospects and interesting players. When the rating of these talents went up I traded them for bigger players to strenghten my squad. One of my first major signings was Giuseppe Rossi and after that Mario Gomez.
I signed many big talents that are stars today, like my number one goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (310k), David De Gea (1m), Robert Lewandowski (500k), Isco (400k), Neymar (900k) and Rafinha Alcantara (250k). My best ever signing is still Lionel Messi. And that’s how I made my club into a powerhouse within my Game World with cracks like Messi, Reus, Busquets and Alaba. After 25 seasons I have won 23 trophies. I have won the domestic league 5 times, won the SMFA Cup also 5 times and many other cups.
But what makes this game so addictive? Why do I keep coming back for more? After playing this game for almost 10 years it puzzles even me that I still enjoy it. These are the key reasons I think….
- Realistic Game Play – Just like a real life manager you’re constantly looking for something to do for your team and club. If you’re not masterminding the tactics for the next game, you’re trying to make deals for hot players or talents.
- The Layout – I like the easy layout. It’s simple and fast. Not glossy but authentic. For the most part I play this game on my smartphone so I love how the images open up quick when you click on the links. And the fact that I can access the desktop version easily.
- Transfers and Ratings – It is fun to make transfer deals. The amazing thing about this game is that if a player performs well in the real world his rating goes up in the Game World as well. He becomes a hot commodity. As if the Soccer Manger Game World is an artificial reflection of the real football world. I bet that if real life managers would check Soccer Manager now and then they would have some realistic feedback on how good or bad a player is.
- Matchday – You really live towards matchday. There is nothing sweeter than clicking the play button and watching your team perform. Especially when you outclass your opponent. But when you lose it spoils your mood. You have to go back to the drawing board to find out what you did wrong and what your opponent did right.
And the thing with this game is that you put so much time and energy in it, that over time you form a bond with your digital club. So much that it brings out your real emotions when you win, lose or sign your favorite player.
I start my day with football and end it the same way since I came across Soccer Manager. First thing in the morning is to check out the Newsfeed of my Game World and other developments. I simply love this game. Why? Because it acts like a digital extension of the real football world out there. And when you really really love football, you want to enjoy it in every possible way. And with SM at least I can make Messi win the SMFA World Cup with Argentina or sign Christian Benteke.
Will I still play this game when I’m 60 years old ? I think so.
Irwin has been playing Soccer Manager since late 2005 and is a self confessed football and Soccer Manager addict. You can find him competing in World Championship 18.
