FHM9 Status

JeffR · 10-11-2022, 07:27 PM

Hello everyone, there have been a lot of questions about what's going on with FHM9 and how late we're getting in the year without an announcement of the game, its new features, and a release date. We were certainly hoping to let you know that stuff by now, but we've run into a delay.

There are no issues with FHM9 itself - the game is proceeding through testing well, the new systems are mostly functioning as intended apart from some final adjustments, there are just a few things (like the finalized opening night database) left to drop in, and in general everything looks nice and stable in the most recent test builds.

The problem is, our license term with the NHL expired after FHM8 ended, so we needed to negotiate a new contract with them this year. Unfortunately, the process of doing that was delayed this summer, which left things in limbo until September. We had a productive conversation with them a couple of weeks ago, agreed to the basics of a new multi-year deal, and it looked like everything would be ready to go for release and we'd be able to announce the date and details imminently.

However, that agreement has to pass muster with their legal department first. And it seems that they're swamped with work at the moment. We're obviously one of the smallest licensees, so we have to wait in line for them to get to us, and it's taking an unexpectedly long while to get through that line - I thought we'd have the approvals done by early last week, then early this week, but that didn't happen, and we're still waiting right now. Not the fault of anybody at the NHL, I assume they're in the same position most businesses find themselves in at the moment - a tight labour market means nobody is staffed as fully as they'd like, and the people they do have are trying to manage the extra workload as best they can. So, we wait.

Once that's done, we'll announce FHM9 properly shortly afterwards. The marketing stuff is pretty much ready to go and just needs a greenlight. I know that everybody is anxious to hear the details of what's coming, but we still want to be able to present it all in a coherent way, and at a time when we can tell you exactly when you'll be able to buy it (obviously, the gap between the announcement and the release date will be much shorter this year than in the past.) In the meantime, thanks for your patience.

GMO123 · 10-11-2022, 08:48 PM

Thank you for the information.

Ok, we'll wait. No problem.

I don't know if it's possible or if anyone wants this, but if the process drags on too long, is there any possibility of releasing this without the NHL players so those who use custom or historical options can use FHM9?

Raindrops · 10-11-2022, 09:04 PM

Historical options would also need NHL Licences as well

Empach · 10-11-2022, 09:51 PM

Really appreciate the information. Hopefully things get cleared up soon. Looking forward to the new game.

artlan · 10-11-2022, 10:00 PM

Appreciate the transparency JeffR! Good things are worth waiting for. Looking forward to the release date.

JeffR · 10-11-2022, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMO123

Thank you for the information.

Ok, we'll wait. No problem.

I don't know if it's possible or if anyone wants this, but if the process drags on too long, is there any possibility of releasing this without the NHL players so those who use custom or historical options can use FHM9?

The only way we'd released an unlicensed version is if the license renewal broke down completely and we walked away, which is something neither they nor we want. It'd be very messy from our side, too, having to pull stuff from the game, re-do all of our FHM9 marketing materials, probably pull previous licensed versions of FHM from sale, etc.

But that's a very remote possibility. They've been quite accomodating and have agreed to some shortcuts in the usual process to speed things along. The point we're at right now is basically the most streamlined way of doing this that's possible, but there are still some checkoffs that are unavoidable.

And just to clarify, it's not the player names that're covered by the licensing, it's the NHL's properties - logos, uniforms and such.

jumpSeat · 10-11-2022, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffR

The problem is, our license term with the NHL expired after FHM8 ended, so we needed to negotiate a new contract with them this year. Unfortunately, the process of doing that was delayed this summer, which left things in limbo until September. We had a productive conversation with them a couple of weeks ago, agreed to the basics of a new multi-year deal, and it looked like everything would be ready to go for release and we'd be able to announce the date and details imminently.

However, that agreement has to pass muster with their legal department first.

It would have been nice to get it done in the summer, but life is full of events beyond our control. The most important thing now is keeping the community informed and I'm grateful you chose to do that. Hope the license gets approved sooner rather than later, but in the meantime, exercising a little patience never hurt anyone. Cheers!

alko · 10-12-2022, 12:00 AM

Dont worry. In the time, correct as many bugs as you can.

oldfatbaldguy · 10-12-2022, 01:30 AM

Thanks for the update, Jeff. I appreciate that this game is still getting new editions and still being improved, and I appreciate that your priority is quality rather than rushing something out to meet some arbitrary deadline.

hurricanekevin · 10-12-2022, 08:05 AM

Thanks for the update, I think we can all relate to being held up by a bit of red tape and long lines!

Can't wait (but will wait) for the new release!

tomkmb · 10-12-2022, 09:46 AM

Thanks for the update Jeff, I appreciate this being shared as I'm sure you'd have rather kept it in house until it was all sorted but at least now as a (rabid) fanbase we know what we are waiting for.

I cannot wait to see what you've done with FHM9 and look forward to purchasing and sinking hundreds of hours in, again.

Anton · 10-12-2022, 09:53 AM

Thank you for being upfront and keeping us in the loop!

Baileycjj · 10-12-2022, 11:16 AM

Thank you for the update! It is appreciated.

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

frogman210 · 10-12-2022, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffR

Hello everyone, there have been a lot of questions about what's going on with FHM9 and how late we're getting in the year without an announcement of the game, its new features, and a release date. We were certainly hoping to let you know that stuff by now, but we've run into a delay.

There are no issues with FHM9 itself - the game is proceeding through testing well, the new systems are mostly functioning as intended apart from some final adjustments, there are just a few things (like the finalized opening night database) left to drop in, and in general everything looks nice and stable in the most recent test builds.

The problem is, our license term with the NHL expired after FHM8 ended, so we needed to negotiate a new contract with them this year. Unfortunately, the process of doing that was delayed this summer, which left things in limbo until September. We had a productive conversation with them a couple of weeks ago, agreed to the basics of a new multi-year deal, and it looked like everything would be ready to go for release and we'd be able to announce the date and details imminently.

However, that agreement has to pass muster with their legal department first. And it seems that they're swamped with work at the moment. We're obviously one of the smallest licensees, so we have to wait in line for them to get to us, and it's taking an unexpectedly long while to get through that line - I thought we'd have the approvals done by early last week, then early this week, but that didn't happen, and we're still waiting right now. Not the fault of anybody at the NHL, I assume they're in the same position most businesses find themselves in at the moment - a tight labour market means nobody is staffed as fully as they'd like, and the people they do have are trying to manage the extra workload as best they can. So, we wait.

Once that's done, we'll announce FHM9 properly shortly afterwards. The marketing stuff is pretty much ready to go and just needs a greenlight. I know that everybody is anxious to hear the details of what's coming, but we still want to be able to present it all in a coherent way, and at a time when we can tell you exactly when you'll be able to buy it (obviously, the gap between the announcement and the release date will be much shorter this year than in the past.) In the meantime, thanks for your patience.

Thanks for the info I was curious about what was going on there as well. I am sorry that things have taken so long, but I appreciate the transparency. Hope everything goes smoothly from here on out for everyone involved!

Colorado · 10-12-2022, 05:47 PM

Jeff, good of you to give an update.

hope all is resolved and concluded soon.

Northernsky · 10-12-2022, 08:40 PM

Thanks Jeff for the update. I hope you realize we appreciate you and Adam.

jumpSeat · 10-13-2022, 02:09 AM

Great to see all the good will in here! Cheers to everyone sharing the good vibes!

Zeke K · 10-13-2022, 04:31 AM

Aww damn, now I can understand why info on 9 has been slow to come about. It's a bummer you've been made to wait and that wait got passed on to us! I'd have loved to have had it already of course, but this is totally understandable.

Right call to make to wait it out to make sure everything is legit. I hope the red tape gets cut soon as I'm really looking forward to the announce details.

Thanks for letting us know.

Cod · 10-14-2022, 06:58 PM

Thanks for being so forthcoming about this information. Hopefully y'all can get something worked out with the NHL soon after opening week, as I assume this is a crazy week for the league office.

Mark L · 10-14-2022, 09:42 PM

So you couldn't tell the customers what you've been working on or even go into tremendous detail on forums without showing any licensed graphics? Needn't even mention the NHL.

10-11-2022, 07:27 PM	#1
JeffR FHM Producer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Kelowna, BC Posts: 17,252	FHM9 Status Hello everyone, there have been a lot of questions about what's going on with FHM9 and how late we're getting in the year without an announcement of the game, its new features, and a release date. We were certainly hoping to let you know that stuff by now, but we've run into a delay. There are no issues with FHM9 itself - the game is proceeding through testing well, the new systems are mostly functioning as intended apart from some final adjustments, there are just a few things (like the finalized opening night database) left to drop in, and in general everything looks nice and stable in the most recent test builds. The problem is, our license term with the NHL expired after FHM8 ended, so we needed to negotiate a new contract with them this year. Unfortunately, the process of doing that was delayed this summer, which left things in limbo until September. We had a productive conversation with them a couple of weeks ago, agreed to the basics of a new multi-year deal, and it looked like everything would be ready to go for release and we'd be able to announce the date and details imminently. However, that agreement has to pass muster with their legal department first. And it seems that they're swamped with work at the moment. We're obviously one of the smallest licensees, so we have to wait in line for them to get to us, and it's taking an unexpectedly long while to get through that line - I thought we'd have the approvals done by early last week, then early this week, but that didn't happen, and we're still waiting right now. Not the fault of anybody at the NHL, I assume they're in the same position most businesses find themselves in at the moment - a tight labour market means nobody is staffed as fully as they'd like, and the people they do have are trying to manage the extra workload as best they can. So, we wait. Once that's done, we'll announce FHM9 properly shortly afterwards. The marketing stuff is pretty much ready to go and just needs a greenlight. I know that everybody is anxious to hear the details of what's coming, but we still want to be able to present it all in a coherent way, and at a time when we can tell you exactly when you'll be able to buy it (obviously, the gap between the announcement and the release date will be much shorter this year than in the past.) In the meantime, thanks for your patience.

10-12-2022, 08:05 AM	#10
hurricanekevin All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2020 Location: Florida Posts: 871	Thanks for the update, I think we can all relate to being held up by a bit of red tape and long lines! Can't wait (but will wait) for the new release! __________________ Fictional Team Logos

10-13-2022, 02:09 AM	#17
jumpSeat All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2021 Posts: 862	Great to see all the good will in here! Cheers to everyone sharing the good vibes! __________________ FHM Fan Fiction: A Flying Skate Down Memory Lane

10-11-2022, 08:48 PM	#2
GMO123 Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 412	Thank you for the information. Ok, we'll wait. No problem. I don't know if it's possible or if anyone wants this, but if the process drags on too long, is there any possibility of releasing this without the NHL players so those who use custom or historical options can use FHM9?

10-11-2022, 09:04 PM	#3
Raindrops Major Leagues Join Date: Jun 2020 Posts: 302	Historical options would also need NHL Licences as well

10-11-2022, 09:51 PM	#4
Empach Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 125	Really appreciate the information. Hopefully things get cleared up soon. Looking forward to the new game.

10-11-2022, 10:00 PM	#5
artlan Minors (Single A) Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 80	Appreciate the transparency JeffR! Good things are worth waiting for. Looking forward to the release date.

10-12-2022, 12:00 AM	#8
alko Major Leagues Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 476	Dont worry. In the time, correct as many bugs as you can.

10-12-2022, 01:30 AM	#9
oldfatbaldguy Major Leagues Join Date: Dec 2020 Posts: 388	Thanks for the update, Jeff. I appreciate that this game is still getting new editions and still being improved, and I appreciate that your priority is quality rather than rushing something out to meet some arbitrary deadline.

10-12-2022, 09:46 AM	#11
tomkmb All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2021 Posts: 1,479	Thanks for the update Jeff, I appreciate this being shared as I'm sure you'd have rather kept it in house until it was all sorted but at least now as a (rabid) fanbase we know what we are waiting for. I cannot wait to see what you've done with FHM9 and look forward to purchasing and sinking hundreds of hours in, again.

10-12-2022, 09:53 AM	#12
Anton Minors (Double A) Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 133	Thank you for being upfront and keeping us in the loop!

10-12-2022, 11:16 AM	#13
Baileycjj Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: West Chicago, IL Posts: 88	Thank you for the update! It is appreciated. Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

10-12-2022, 05:47 PM	#15
Colorado Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 388	Jeff, good of you to give an update. hope all is resolved and concluded soon.

10-12-2022, 08:40 PM	#16
Northernsky Major Leagues Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 366	Thanks Jeff for the update. I hope you realize we appreciate you and Adam.

10-13-2022, 04:31 AM	#18
Zeke K Minors (Double A) Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 153	Aww damn, now I can understand why info on 9 has been slow to come about. It's a bummer you've been made to wait and that wait got passed on to us! I'd have loved to have had it already of course, but this is totally understandable. Right call to make to wait it out to make sure everything is legit. I hope the red tape gets cut soon as I'm really looking forward to the announce details. Thanks for letting us know.

10-14-2022, 06:58 PM	#19
Cod All Star Starter Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,096	Thanks for being so forthcoming about this information. Hopefully y'all can get something worked out with the NHL soon after opening week, as I assume this is a crazy week for the league office.

10-14-2022, 09:42 PM	#20
Mark L Minors (Single A) Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: Victoria, BC Posts: 62	So you couldn't tell the customers what you've been working on or even go into tremendous detail on forums without showing any licensed graphics? Needn't even mention the NHL.