No Joy in Mudville for Xbox Owners

Feature Article

Submitted on: 12/08/2014 by Robert Kollars

With SCEA releasing MLB The Show 15 information -- and a bat-flipping cover athlete -- over the weekend, Xbox owners are finding themselves asking themselves the age old question once again.

What about us?

It has been nearly two years since Xbox 360 owners enjoyed the excitement of a new simulation baseball game. Those who support the new Xbox One have yet to experience Mudville, unless they caved for the less-than-spectacular. To be blunt: the nation’s second-most popular sport, "America's Pastime," has no real home for Xbox players.

While Sony console owners get to enjoy one of the best sports simulations going in MLB The Show, Xbox owners are relegated to play the older, recycled versions of MLB 2K, MLB Bobblehead Pros, Little League World Series, or the newly released and revisioned RBI Baseball 14 – which if you forgot or didn’t know, doesn’t even keep track of seasonal stats or have a full roster set. That’s not to say that the previously mentioned games weren’t fun in their time, but for the Xbox fan that’s looking for truly updated sim experience on the diamond, none of the options will suffice.

The list suitors who may play a part in the future of baseball on the Xbox is seemingly a rather small group at this point. It’s not inconceivable that MLB 2K could make a return, and it was very interesting to see a job opening listed a couple of months ago for this company to work on a AAA sports title, with vast knowledge of the game of baseball being a plus. Another strong candidate would be the obvious return of MVP Baseball by EA Sports. This title would not be an Xbox Exclusive, but at this point I am sure Microsoft fans would not care. At this time, though, the powers-that-be at EA have stated that they have no immediate plans to return to the diamond.

If we are throwing names out there, I would vote for Konami to make a return to the diamond. The problem with this idea is that Konami lost big on the release of Bobbleheads Pro and we are not sure how excited they would be to take another crack at it.

What is clear at this point is that Xbox owners will most likely head into the 2015 season again without a current baseball sim to call their own. Sure, it’s easy to say “just buy a PS4,” but for some this is not simply an option. Is it a constitutional right that Xbox owners have access to a new baseball sim? Of course not, but when you purchase a new video game system for $400, it should at least be an option. Let’s hope that option reappears on the Xbox sooner rather than later.

Member Comments

# 1 nemesis04 @ 12/08/14 01:39 PM

If baseball was important to an individual they knew which direction they had to go in as a gamer. I don't have any sympathy for xbox one owners.

# 2 Eyeman79 @ 12/08/14 02:09 PM

Let's not forget that Super Mega Baseball is a PS only. I am beginning to regret my XB1 purchase, With what seems like fewer sports games every year, to exclude an entire sport, is a big deal. Since I'm not much of a racing or fighting fan I guess that means my next sports game purchase will be next August. Sad !

# 3 Ghost Of The Year @ 12/08/14 02:15 PM

Damn first world problems.

# 4 GeauxTigers @ 12/08/14 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemesis04


	If baseball was important to an individual they knew which direction that had to go in as a gamer. I don't have any sympathy for xbox one owners.

I would agree ... I was an Xbox 360 owner and loved that system ... but over time came to miss having a baseball option and so for next gen console I made the switch to PS4 and have been happy ... MLB the Show is my favorite game and still playing it primarily this winter while Madden, FIFA and NHL sit on the shelf next to my PS4.

# 5 bcruise @ 12/08/14 09:43 PM

Yeah I really don't understand why MS haven't done anything. Haven't they been holding onto the High Heat license forever?

It makes SCEA's deal with MLB look like the same thing as EA's when that couldn't be further from the truth.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

# 6 Redsfan1977 @ 12/08/14 11:09 PM

I was playing major league 2k7 on my 360 and was majorly disappointed so I traded it in for a PS3 and a copy of the show 07 and I haven't looked back

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

# 7 philliesfan136 @ 12/09/14 12:21 AM

I had MLB2K since around 2K8, enjoyed those and went in depth with rosters and franchises, but it just pales in comparison to the Show. I have a 360 but I had to get a Vita to play MLBTS. Hoping to someday see it in PS4 graphics.

That said, there's a decent group of MLB Power Pros fans that were not satisfied with Bobblehead on Xbox, just wasn't as fun or had as many modes as the MLBPP series. We'd love to see Konami update the rosters, at least. Too fun of a game to not be re-explored.

# 8 CujoMatty @ 12/09/14 08:51 AM

Companies aren't really interested in playing major catch up to the Show. 2k proved that just because your the only game on a console, doesn't mean it will sell. That's why Konami makes sense to me. I haven't played it but I've heard their Japanese baseball game is great and plays fairly realistic. Forget what it's called.

# 9 boomhauertjs @ 12/09/14 09:16 AM

If they added full rosters and season stat tracking, RBI would at least be acceptable. To not have those at its $20 price point was ridiculous. Probably another year of playing modded MVP 05 on my PC.

# 10 hollandstam @ 12/09/14 10:29 AM

The Bigs 3 for Xbox

# 11 chris68pj @ 12/09/14 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shady Mike


	I think Baseball is on every system it needs to be on right now. When Microsoft starts producing a console powerful enough to handle games like the show obviously they will be there. You don't see me in a ford dealership complaining that my Focus doesn't drive like a 3 series.

No need to sound like you know nothing of the current gen systems. I'm as big of a Sony fanboy as anyone but have an XB1 for the exclusives and it is plenty powerful to handle a game like The Show. The Show doesn't even push the PS4 to its limits and won't for several years.

# 12 mcmax3000 @ 12/09/14 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcruise


	Yeah I really don't understand why MS haven't done anything. Haven't they been holding onto the High Heat license forever? It makes SCEA's deal with MLB look like the same thing as EA's when that couldn't be further from the truth. Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

Microsoft probably hasn't done anything, because there's not really any motivation to do anything. I don't get the impression that baseball games are that big in terms of sellers, and outside of a community like this, it's certainly not going to be a system seller.

Plus, getting something anywhere near the quality of what Sony's baseball game has become would probably take a significant time, and financial investment, one that's not likely to produce results that make it a good business decision anytime soon, if ever.

# 13 Redsfan1977 @ 12/09/14 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cujomatty


	Companies aren't really interested in playing major catch up to the Show. 2k proved that just because your the only game on a console, doesn't mean it will sell. That's why Konami makes sense to me. I haven't played it but I've heard their Japanese baseball game is great and plays fairly realistic. Forget what it's called.

Pro Yaku Spirits is a real good game. Take kijima's fox engine and a MLB license would look insanely real. Konami could bring back bottom of the 9th.

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# 14 Money99 @ 12/09/14 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemesis04


	If baseball was important to an individual they knew which direction they had to go in as a gamer. I don't have any sympathy for xbox one owners.

But what about people that don't like the only other option out there, while preferring MS consoles to Sony's?

# 15 thaSLAB @ 12/09/14 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daflyboys


	You would think that M$ could buy out PYS.

PYS will continue to be exclusive to PlayStation as well. Japanese baseball game for the Japanese console.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	But what about people that don't like the only other option out there, while preferring MS consoles to Sony's?

There's always Pro Yakyuu Spirits... oh wait.

htcONE [M8] | Tapatalk Pro

# 16 nemesis04 @ 12/09/14 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Money99


	But what about people that don't like the only other option out there, while preferring MS consoles to Sony's?

Then you go without a baseball option until someone decides to make one.

# 17 mkharsh33 @ 12/10/14 12:22 AM

Yeah, we all can afford to continue to buy EVERY latest gaming console on the market... I hate this argument. I applaud those who have a stack of cash and can buy the latest console, phone, smart tv, etc... It's just not feasible for everyone. If you're happy with your gaming system and the options it provides you, why dis on those who can't afford to purchase another system all for the sake of a baseball game?...

# 18 mlbtheshowfan7 @ 12/13/14 03:15 PM

MLB The Show was one of the main reasons I switched from Xbox 360 to PS4.

# 19 CubFan23 @ 12/14/14 09:27 AM

The Show is the only reason I chose PS4 over XB1. While Madden is making improvements the show has been a top notch sports game for years and only gets better every year. Ramone Russell and the SCEA team are awesome when it comes to community and actually listening to what the consumers would like in the game.

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