Interviews// Exclusive SPOnG Interview with Sports Interactive MD, Miles Jacobson

SPOnG: What are SI's and your publisher's marketing plans for Football Manager on PSP? How do you plan to communicate the Football Manager experience on PSP to both die-hard fans and newcomers

MJ: The overall message will be the same - How Will You Manage? We haven't confirmed full plans yet, but there are some tricks up our sleeve, and we'll use the time to re-promote the PC/Mac and Xbox 360 versions too.

SPOnG: Will the game make us of wireless multiplayer features? And if so how?

MJ: Not the first iteration, no. It is in our plans for the future, and Football Manager Portable will be an annual release, just like our PC series.

SPOnG: Football Manager is renowned for is addictiveness and its relationship-destroying properties! Can you tell us any funny stories you have heard of players who might have got a bit too into the game to the detriment of their real lives/jobs/marriages?

MJ: We don't get told that many first hand - Men's Health magazine claimed a couple of years ago that our games had been cited in 35 divorce cases that year, which is a pretty scary stat. There was also a show on Channel 4 where a family business ended up sacking one of the brothers because he used to play the game at work all the time, and there are countless stories of people blaming the game for failing exams. But if it wasn't our game, it would be something else, so we don't feel too guilty.

SPOnG: Any plans to take the Football Manager series onto next gen consoles?

MJ: The Xbox 360 version is confirmed for release in March and is playing great at the moment. We haven't spoken to anyone about PS3 yet, but who knows what will happen in the future?

SPOnG: NHL Eastside Hockey Manager and the forthcoming Out of the Park Baseball Manager are clearly aimed at the US Market. How has it been developing and marketing titles with US sports fans in mind? How do you feel your average baseball or hockey fanatic differs to your average soccer fan?

MJ: It's been a lot harder than we expected, but not the development side of things, more the marketing and sales side. Management titles are something new for the US, and the retailers need to see a breakthrough title before there will be full support, but there won't be a breakthrough unless people can buy the games! The review scores have been excellent for Eastside, and Out of the Park is looking brilliant, but it's going to be a long, slow, process for the US, but we're more than prepared to take time to break the games properly, and open the floodgates. American sports fans love stats, and our games have a lot of those!

SPOnG: Any plans for more new titles in the near future?

MJ: Yup - we've got one title in development that may see the light of day before Football Manager PSP & Xbox 360, but we're very tight lipped about it until it's 100% confirmed. We also have an R&D department who are always looking at new ideas, and they are at prototype with something at the moment, but we'll have a look at it when the prototype is complete and decide whether to move forward with it or not.