Franchise Hockey Manager 12

Franchise Hockey Manager 12

Released Oct 2025

Franchise Hockey Manager returns for the 2025-26 season with plenty of additions to the deepest, most authentic hockey strategy gaming experience you can find. Choose from teams around the globe and select a team to guide to glory, including a chance at the ultimate prize, the Stanley Cup®.

78% positive · 136 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence

Where to buy

Steam $19.99
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Evaluation

Franchise Hockey Manager 12 launched on October 23, 2025 and received a consistent series of feature-bearing updates throughout the 2025-26 NHL season. The developer shipped five updates: a hotfix on October 24, 2025; a gameplay and bug-fix update on October 31, 2025; a larger feature update on December 18, 2025; a February 5, 2026 update that explicitly noted the next update would follow the NHL trading deadline on March 6; and finally an update on March 19, 2026 described as the "final post-trading deadline roster update," adding new features and CSV export tools. That March 19, 2026 update is notable: it explicitly calls itself the "final post-trading deadline roster update," and the February 2026 post had already indicated this would be the last planned update before the trading deadline period closed. This is consistent with the game's annual support model — updates are tied to the real-world NHL season calendar, and the trading deadline represents the natural end of the in-season update cycle. As of today, September 24, 2026, there has been no developer communication since March 19, 2026 — over six months of silence. The game's established update cadence ran from October 2025 through March 2026, aligned with the NHL season. That season has concluded. No future content, new version, or ongoing development for FHM12 has been announced. The next installment in the annual series (FHM13, covering the 2026-27 season) would be the expected next product, not additional updates to FHM12. The game launched as a complete annual sports title and received its full season's worth of post-launch support. Development of FHM12 is complete.
Evidence
Update 12.4.40 described as the 'final post-trading deadline roster update,' adding new features and CSV exports. This is the most recent developer communication, now over six months ago.
news post · Mar 19, 2026 source development ending
high
Update 12.3.37 explicitly stated the next update would come 'sometime after the NHL trading deadline on March 6,' confirming the March update was the final planned one.
news post · Feb 5, 2026 source development ending
high

Media

Details

Publisher
Out of the Park Developments
Achievements
183
Platform
Windows, macOS
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player

About this game

The Franchise Hockey Manager series returns for its 12th version in 2025-26, with new additions that will further expand on the most authentic hockey strategy gaming experience you can find.

Choose one of dozens of leagues around the world and select a team to guide to glory, including a chance at the ultimate prize: FHM12 is licensed by the NHL®, allowing you to take the reins of your favorite franchise to capture the Stanley Cup®.  Or, take control of a national team and try for international supremacy.

You can also choose a historical game, where you can begin in any year in NHL® history, play in one of several historical minor leagues, or play in a legendary international tournament, including (new for this year) the World Championships as far back as 1929.

If you'd like to create your own customized league, you can do that, including allowing international play in the world you design.

If you've been playing FHM11 and can't bear to part with your team, import that save into FHM12 and carry on with the addition of FHM11's new features.

However you choose to play, you have control of your team and can oversee finances, select strategies, hire your staff, make trades, sign free agents, and draft the newest generation of stars as you try to build a championship team - and then make it into a dynasty!

All new for Franchise Hockey Manager 12:

  • Preseason training programs can be selected and directed to help your players make big improvements before the season starts

  • Targeted training during the season can help direct your players into the exact improvements you want to see

  • An improved Draft Day Experience, including ongoing deal-making and news coverage as the draft is underway

  • Trade news has been significantly enhanced, including observations about the reasons the trade was made

  • We've continued to modify and improve the AI's roster handling and player management, and cleaned up a large number of small issues that were detracting from performance and realism

  • Historical mode has added the World Championships: all the historical World Championship tournaments back to 1929 are now included

  • Better tactics management: sets of tactics can now be saved and re-loaded 

  • Player generation has had further improvements, making superstars rarer but adding the long-shot possibility of a generational-level talent appearing that will eventually (if all goes well) stand with the best of the best in hockey history

  • A new in-game help system so the information you need is there when you need it

  • The big flow of good major junior players into college hockey has been implemented, and the college transfer portal activity has been ramped up

  • New league reports: staff ratings and alumni rankings, so you can compare your carefully assembled staff to those around the league, and discover which teams in the league have been producing players that go on to bigger and better things

  • As always, complete team and player updates for the new 2025-26 season, as well as smaller changes

Last evaluated Sep 24, 2026
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