NUTMEG! A Retro Football Management Game News

[p]It’s the 89th minute, the score locked at 0-0. You need three points for the title; your team is on the charge. A long ball gets held up by the target man, who flicks on a coy ball through to your star striker, a one-on-one situation... [/p][p] [/p][p]But then, disaster – only a 42% chance to score. You look on helplessly, before a silver glint catches your eye – your Goal Plated card. You play it, rocketing the chance of a goal to be almost certain. The striker shoots... [/p][p] [/p][p]...AND SCORES! [/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]In NUTMEG!, Boost Cards are incredibly influential tools in your managerial arsenal. Playing the correct card at the right time can completely change the narrative of the game. Boost Cards are split into four main categories – Goalie (green), Defence (blue), Control (yellow), and Attack (orange) as well as Stamina (purple) that can be played at any time. Each one can only be played in its relevant event, indicated by the colour of the coin next to the action cards. When played, the card will increase the likelihood of the most favourable outcome for your team by the amount on the card, while decreasing the chances of the other two to compensate. [/p][p] [/p][p]Boost Cards can be earned via monthly packs, as well as when your managerial targets are met. In addition, you’ll draw one tactical card per card run during the match, influenced by your intensity tactics. Additionally, any cards used on a goal-scoring run will be returned in a worn condition.  [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You can have a maximum of 10 cards in your hand, meaning any cards left on the top row when opening a pack will be discarded. During the match, any tactical cards, or cards returned to you via a goal scoring run, will not remain in your hand when the full-time whistle blows. [/p][p] [/p][p]After opening a pack, you can combine cards. Standard cards can come in +10%, +20%, or +30% variants, but through combining, you can create match-defining cards such as Goal Plated, which increases a goal scoring opportunity by 60%, and Class Act which not only provides +30% to goalkeeper actions, but also allows you to draw an additional card from the Tactical Deck. Some of these combinations will be unlocked through the seasons and by completing challenges. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Choosing the best hand to take into each match and then playing them at the perfect time is the difference between a good manager, and a legendary one. May the odds be in your favour... or alter them until they are! [/p][p] [/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Want to be In The Know? Wishlist NUTMEG!, join our Discord, and follow us over on X and TikTok to stay up to date with all the latest news. [/p]

[p]Recently, Social and Community Lead Chris Groves sat down with NUTMEG’s Game Director, Jacob Habgood, to discuss all things around the development of NUTMEG! - including how feedback given from Gaffers on both the Demo and the VIP Playtest Program have improved the game - as well as answering some questions from the community.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Watch the video down below. Thank you to members of the Playtest Program who also submitted questions! [/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Want to be In The Know? Wishlist NUTMEG!, join our Discord, and follow us over on X and TikTok to stay up to date with all the latest news.[/p][p]
[/p]

[p]Put down your inflatable bananas and pick up that Parker pen, for the contract of your first managerial job has arrived. Start Date? March 26th, 2026.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Revealed in the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted Showcase, NUTMEG!’s release date falls just before the critical Easter weekend, giving you the perfect chance to experience the pressure and elation of being a football manager with the nostalgic retro spin.
[/p][p]NUTMEG! is a nostalgic football manager game with a deckbuilding twist, set in the '80s and '90s. Relive the days when the tackles were as hard as the mullets were long and football was about football.
[/p][p]If you have not already had a taste of the matchday experience, our demo is still live for you to sink your studs into, featuring a selection of iconic matches to take the victory in.[/p][p][/p][p]Check out our brand new trailer below and keep an eye on our Steam Page for more updates so you don’t slip on the run up (see what we did there) to launch.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink] [/p][p]Want to be In The Know? Wishlist NUTMEG!, join our Discord, and follow us over on X and TikTok to stay up to date with all the latest news.[/p][p]
[/p]

[p]Secret Mode and the NUTMEG! Team is delighted to announce both the Joey Beauchamp Foundation and Dalian Atkinson Legacy Trust as our official charity partners.
[/p][p]As part of this partnership, 5 pence from every sale of NUTMEG! will be donated to each charity to support their endeavors.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Named in honour of former Oxford United player Joey Beauchamp, The Joey Beauchamp Foundation aims to address the pressing need for mental health support and awareness within the Oxfordshire community via collaboration and community engagement. 
[/p][p]“On behalf of the trustees, we’re delighted to be partnering with Secret Mode on NUTMEG!. Joey brought joy to so many through football, and this collaboration captures that same spirit — using the game he loved to inspire conversations around mental health and wellbeing.”  says Stuart Crook, the Director of the Joey Beauchamp Foundation.
[/p][p]“This collaboration reflects everything The Joey Beauchamp Foundation was created to do: celebrate Joey’s legacy, strengthen mental health support through sport, and bring people together through the game he loved.”[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The Dalian Atkinson Legacy Fund, established by the family of the former Aston Villa, Ipswich Town, and Sheffield Wednesday player, is dedicated to celebrating Dalian’s lifelong passion for sports and its positive impact on our community. The aim of the fund is to inspire young people to actively participate in sports, fostering their growth and well-being.[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]“NUTMEG! is a game close to my heart, and I am very pleased that it can also be a force for good,” says James Schall, Chief Publishing Officer at Secret Mode.[/p][p][/p][p]“The Joey Beauchamp Foundation and the Dalian Atkinson Legacy Fund are fantastic charities doing brilliant work in their communities, and we’re thrilled to be supporting both organisations with every sale of our game.”[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Want to be In The Know? Wishlist NUTMEG!, join our Discord, and follow us over on X and TikTok to stay up to date with all the latest news.[/p][p]
[/p]

[p]Like football itself, NUTMEG! truly is a game of two halves. There are two ways to play out a season - either one game at a time in Hardcore Mode, or going all out on one key match every month and delegating the rest to your assistant manager in Broadcast Mode.[/p][p]
[/p][p]You’ll start in the Fourth Division, unlocking teams season by season until you reach the big time in Division One. In this dossier, we’ll lay out the match-to-match flow where you’ll make the decisions, as well as the differences between the two modes.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][h3]Broadcast Mode[/h3][h2][/h2][p]Regardless of which mode you pick, each season of NUTMEG! features a 50-game season over the span of 10 months, split into 46 regular games and four friendlies.[/p][p]
[/p][p]At the start of each season, you’ll get a season-long challenge - such as having over 50,000 total attendance for the campaign - and an initial Perk, like an immediate cash injection. In addition, you’ll also have a series of Tasks to complete during the season that will reward you with more Boost Cards.

[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p]NUTMEG’s Broadcast mode gets you to focus on just 10 games in each season, and by doing so creates a casual game mode in which a season can be completed in around 90 minutes. You'll pick just one game to play each month, allowing you to impact the game’s outcome via the card-based match engine. If you win, you’ll get an additional bonus: either doubling your gate receipts at home, or doubling how much fan sentiment you gain on an away win. The rest of the fixtures will be delegated, with the result determined based on your chosen formation, intensity, and squad’s ability. Your best starting XI is selected automatically for these fixtures.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Another perk that you can unlock down the line, Pett, will allow you to choose choose to play two ‘grudge matches’ each season. These matches will be an extra broadcasted match, allowing you to once again play your hand - literally. Whether there is a local rivalry you want to ensure victory over, or a particular team that you want to crush, these two matches can be picked at any time (and do not have to be the same team!)[/p][p]
[/p][p]After every month, you’ll receive a report on any injuries, suspensions, and scouting reports alongside a pack of Boost Cards for each week - with the cards themselves determined by the training programme you set up the month before. This is a great time to take stock and prepare for the following set of fixtures. However, certain parts of your job, such as transfers, securing sponsorships, and organising stadium developments, can be done at any time during the month. Some smaller development work, such as new buildings, can be completed in a month while larger upgrades to the stadium itself will occur after a full season.[/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][h3]Hardcore Mode[/h3][p][/p][p]Hardcore Mode acts very similarly to Broadcast Mode with 50 games over 10 months. Challenges, Perks, and Tasks will also be prevalent, and the ultimate goal is still to win trophies. However, unlike Broadcast Mode, you are given the option to either play each game using the card match engine or delegate it. [/p][p]
[/p][p]After each week, you’ll get the report on your squad’s health, alongside a pack of Boost Cards.[/p][p]
[/p][p]This mode gives you more control over which games to play, but can lead to significantly longer seasons if you decide to play every match using the card match engine. Stamina also becomes more of a factor in Hardcore Mode - both for you as a gaffer and your players. [/p][p]
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Whether you want a more relaxed season mixed with playing and delegating, or want to get stuck in and fight tooth and nail for every point, NUTMEG! has a game mode for you. Both Broadcast Mode and Hardcore Mode give exciting and balanced options for you to rise to the top of the English football pyramid in the 1980s and 1990s. How you get there is up to you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Want to be In The Know? Wishlist NUTMEG!, join our Discord, and follow us over on X and TikTok to stay up to date with all the latest news.[/p][p]
[/p]