The 2010/2011 season in football management games could turn out to be one of the more interesting - at least in terms of the battle between Eidos/Beautiful Game's newly 3D'd Championship Manager 2010 vs SEGA/Sports Interactive's newly-GUI'd Football Manager 2010. They kick off with the 'Pre-Order Tactic'.

For its part, Sports Interactive (the company that actually created the Championship Manager brand) has announced its pre-order deal on Steam:

- You get a free copy of SEGA's Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast car-racing game and... "Already own Outrun? Pre-purchase Football Manager 2010 and give your extra copy of Outrun to a friend" for that added 'incentive'.

- You pay $29.99 (UK pricing isn't up, we're guessing, £29.99) to get the game and unlock it on October 30th.

See what Eidos is doing with Champ Man 2010 over here.