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Football Manager 2018 to feature footballers coming out as gay

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Football Manager 2018 to be released on 10 November 2017
Photo: @FootballManager

Football simulation game Football Manager have incorporated a secret feature in the upcoming 2018 version that allows footballers to come out as gay.

Last year, the ultra-popular management sim included Brexit as a feature to Football Manager 2017 that simulated various different potential outcomes from the UK's negotiations to leave the European Union.

This year, though, they are taking a bigger step in terms of including something that is not yet a regular part of the modern day football.

Speaking to the BBC, Sports Interactive director Miles Jacobson revealed the new Football Manager game will for the first time see players to come out as gay in the game.

Part of the reason we decided to do this is because there are gay footballers.

We know from the amount of professionals that there has to be players who are gay but feel they don't want to come out.

I find it weird that it's still a problem in football so we decided to try and show people that coming out isn't a big deal and can be a positive thing.

I just think it's crazy that in 2017 we are in a world where people can't be themselves.

The feature will only be available only apply to "newgen" players - fictional players who are released into the game every season - to prevent the company being sued.

Likewise, it won't apply to players who are from some leagues and nationalities where being homosexual is illegal.

We also had to take some legal advice, because in some countries that are less forward-thinking than the UK, it is still illegal to be gay.

In those cases we have simply respected their laws, so if a player is based in one of those countries, the player won't come out.

This weekend has seen the beta release of the new 2018 version, and the secret feature in the game has already been discovered.

And the reaction from gamers has been overwhelmingly positive.

Twitter reacts to Football Manager 2018's new feature in positive fashion

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