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When SEGA announced a new entry in their beloved Sakatsuku series—this time rebranded for a global audience as SEGA Football Club Champions 2025—longtime fans and newcomers alike had questions. What would this game offer that sets it apart in a genre dominated by Football Manager? How would it balance free-to-play mechanics with the depth fans expect? We had the opportunity to sit down with Producer Katsuya Hisai for an email interview to get answers straight from the source.
Bringing Sakatsuku to the World
Hisai comes to this project with deep roots in the franchise. He joined SEGA in 2008 and has worked on multiple Sakatsuku titles, including serving as a planner on “Sakatsuku 6” and “Sakatsuku DS 2010,” and later as director for “Sakatsuku 7.” For this latest installment, he’s taken on the role of Chief Producer, steering the series in a bold new direction.
The game emerged as a response to how the mobile title “Sakatsuku Road to World” (RTW) had evolved. “Since RTW has increasingly taken on the characteristics of a social game focused on collecting players, our concept for the latest installment has been to create something that delivers the original Sakatsuku experience, with gameplay more in line with consumer console titles,” Hisai explained.
This marks a significant shift for the series, which has historically been available only in Japan. “Up until now, the series has basically only been distributed within Japan, so as we expand our fan base worldwide this time, we’re truly delighted to see interest from players in Southeast Asia,” Hisai shared.
What Makes Sakatsuku Special
At its core, the Sakatsuku series has always occupied a unique space in the football management genre. When asked about the series’ appeal, Hisai emphasized its accessibility and emotional connection.
“While retaining the realism of club management, the game also incorporates a sense of fantasy, such as fictional players making their mark. Rather than being a complex simulation, it’s designed to be enjoyed casually as a player development game.”
He went further, highlighting what he sees as the heart of the experience: “Ultimately, it’s a ‘character game’ centered on the players themselves, and the real appeal lies in how much affection you can pour into nurturing your club and the players who join it.”
This philosophy shapes how SEGA Football Club Champions 2025 differentiates itself from competitors like Football Manager. “We believe the gameplay experience of this title is completely different from Football Manager. While it takes the form of a club management simulation, it is also designed to be more RPG-like, with a strong emphasis on player development,” Hisai noted.
The game is structured to provide a more forgiving experience.
“It is more ‘game-like’ in design, meaning that as players progress, the game is generally structured so that they can keep winning. This makes it easier to enjoy a sense of achievement, allowing players to feel good while watching their club steadily grow over time.”
Finding the Right Balance
One of the biggest challenges facing the development team was creating a game that appeals to both newcomers and series veterans. The game aims to sit somewhere between traditional football management simulations and casual mobile titles.
For longtime fans, Hisai promises depth. “In ‘Sakatsuku Mode,’ we are developing the game with a volume comparable to past titles, so it is designed to deliver an experience that will satisfy long-time fans.” However, the team has made adjustments for modern gaming habits.
“To match the modern pace of gaming, we’ve implemented features such as auto-progression to keep things moving smoothly, reducing the time required to complete a single season compared to previous entries.”
The collaboration with Football Manager has proven valuable in adding authenticity. “Through collaboration with Football Manager, we’ve been able to create player data that is more reliable than ever before. This data allows us to add greater depth to elements such as conversations during contract negotiations and player movements during matches, enhancing the overall experience.”
Dream Team Mode and Fair Play
The game features two main modes: Sakatsuku Mode (the traditional career experience) and Dream Team Mode, which emphasizes competitive play with ranked ladders and events. Dream Team Mode includes gacha mechanics for obtaining players, which naturally raises questions about fairness. Hisai was direct about how the team addresses pay-to-win concerns.
“We’ve made sure it’s not just a contest of raw player parameters. Careful planning and preparation are essential—such as aligning player policies, matching positions and play styles, and activating formation combos.”
The design intentionally ties the two modes together. “Formation combos are generally unlocked by progressing through Sakatsuku mode, so players need to spend time in that mode to prepare properly. SP players themselves also need to be developed effectively within Sakatsuku mode,” he explained. This creates a system where success requires engagement with both modes.
“In that sense, it’s not enough to simply collect a large number of high-rarity SP players. What really matters is how well you can continue playing the game and nurture your players over time—this is where management skills come into play.”
Players developed in Sakatsuku Mode also have value in competitive play. “Additionally, players obtained in Sakatsuku mode have high potential. By carefully developing not only SP players but also those from Sakatsuku mode, they can become valuable and necessary pieces in your Dream Team mode lineup.”
Rewriting Football History
One of the most intriguing features is the ability to bring players from your collection into Career Mode. During the closed beta test, players could bring someone like Messi into their career and have him restart at 19 years old, essentially rewriting his career path.
This feature draws directly from Sakatsuku tradition. “Traditionally, Sakatsuku has featured a ‘Reincarnation’ mechanic, where retired players return after a certain period as young prospects. Allowing SP players to enter Career Mode was inspired by that system—it’s essentially a way to fast-track and force a reincarnation event,” Hisai revealed.
The decision reflects the team’s desire to maintain the series’ identity within a free-to-play framework. “Even within the constraints of a free-to-play business model, we wanted to capture the console-style Sakatsuku experience,” he said. The romantic appeal is clear: “Since player development is a core part of Sakatsuku, giving fans the chance to take real-world star players and redesign their careers from a youthful stage is, I think, a romantic idea for football fans.”
Keeping Players Engaged Without Overwhelming Them
Balancing accessibility with depth proved to be one of the development’s toughest challenges. “This was one of the most challenging aspects to fine-tune. We spent a lot of time debating how much tutorial content to include and in what order to introduce game features,” Hisai admitted. The team recognized the delicate balance required.
“For new players, being given too many features at once can be overwhelming and lead to early drop-off. On the other hand, long-time fans may feel frustrated if features they could access from the start in the console era are locked away.”
Their solution involved careful pacing. “We’ve carefully calculated when and how each feature unlocks based on playtime, and in the closed beta, this approach resulted in a high tutorial completion rate and short-term retention numbers that exceeded our expectations,” Hisai said. Looking ahead, the team has plans for ongoing content.
“As for future updates, if our ongoing licensing negotiations succeed, we may add new leagues. Events and gameplay systems will be introduced on a regular basis.”
The team is also committed to community feedback. “We’ve built a community around the concept of ‘Let’s make Sakatsuku together with the players!’ so we welcome feedback. We have an official Discord server, and I personally check it often and sometimes join discussions,” Hisai shared.
Release Date and Final Thoughts
Originally planned for an earlier release, the game has been pushed back to ensure quality. “We’re asking you to wait just a little longer, but in order to make the game even better, we’ve decided to shift the release to early 2026,” Hisai announced.
His message to potential players is welcoming: “For those who have never played Sakatsuku before, we believe we can deliver a unique and fresh football game experience. Once it’s released, we hope you’ll give it a try!”
For those who find themselves wanting more depth after playing, Hisai has a suggestion: “If you find yourself wanting more after playing this game, it would be great to then try Football Manager for a more in-depth simulation experience.”
SEGA Football Club Champions 2025 represents an ambitious attempt to bring a beloved Japanese franchise to the global stage while maintaining its unique identity in a crowded genre. Whether it succeeds will depend on execution, but with a producer who actively engages with the community and a clear vision for what makes the series special, the foundation appears solid. Fans will have to wait until early 2026 to see if the team can deliver on their promises.
