MLB 2K Series is Likely Dead

[debauchlord]

Anyone thinking that anyone else is going to be making a MLB game does not understand the industry. MLB has two licenses to sell. The third-party exclusivity license is the most advantageous. This license does not cover first-party games (as why Sony can make the Show. In theory, MS can make their own game, too). The first-party license also only covers the current MLB (anyone not on the previous year's 40-man is not in the game). The problem is that MLB wants NFL money for the exclusivity, which is not going to happen. If no other games get made, blame baseball. I doubt even EA wants to spring for another exclusive contract. On that note, it would be extremely beneficial of 2K to perhaps "backbreaker up" the game and release it with full minors and made up teams, and make the game 100% customizable. From sounds to full stadiums. They already have the code, so deleting some specifics, maybe adding an "NBA Jam-like" arcade mode and releasing it shouldn't cost them too much if anything.

[duhitsrandy]

i used to play triple play/mvp until 2k got the exclusivity deal which kinda upset me, but over the years ive grown to like 2k baseball. idk if that is because its the best i had to play (no ps3) or because i really enjoyed the game, but 2013 should be really interesting if ea decides to pick up where mvp 05 left off

[jyoung]

The last great SEGA baseball game was World Series '98 on the Saturn.

I never got into the 2K series, starting with the first game on the Dreamcast, which was so bad it wouldn't even let you control the fielders.

[tonadom]

Quote: Originally Posted by debauchlord

Anyone thinking that anyone else is going to be making a MLB game does not understand the industry. MLB has two licenses to sell. The third-party exclusivity license is the most advantageous. This license does not cover first-party games (as why Sony can make the Show. In theory, MS can make their own game, too). The first-party license also only covers the current MLB (anyone not on the previous year's 40-man is not in the game). The problem is that MLB wants NFL money for the exclusivity, which is not going to happen. If no other games get made, blame baseball. I doubt even EA wants to spring for another exclusive contract. On that note, it would be extremely beneficial of 2K to perhaps "backbreaker up" the game and release it with full minors and made up teams, and make the game 100% customizable. From sounds to full stadiums. They already have the code, so deleting some specifics, maybe adding an "NBA Jam-like" arcade mode and releasing it shouldn't cost them too much if anything.

They have mediocre code - not the fully custom solid foundation you're talking about. If they couldn't do a fully licensed MLB game well, I'm not banking on them doing anything baseball related well.

[mcmax3000]

Quote: Originally Posted by debauchlord

Anyone thinking that anyone else is going to be making a MLB game does not understand the industry. MLB has two licenses to sell. The third-party exclusivity license is the most advantageous. This license does not cover first-party games (as why Sony can make the Show. In theory, MS can make their own game, too). The first-party license also only covers the current MLB (anyone not on the previous year's 40-man is not in the game). The problem is that MLB wants NFL money for the exclusivity, which is not going to happen. If no other games get made, blame baseball.

So, basically, you're saying that unless MLB can get the same contract they had with 2K, they're just going to opt for no contract at all?

I highly doubt that.

Sure, MLB is going to shop around to other publishers and try to get the deal that they want, but the likelihood of that happening is near zero. When they find that out, they're likely going to start negotiating a more reasonable deal.

I think the chances are pretty good that there will be no baseball game on the 360 next year (even if a publisher other than 2K were to sign a deal today, they probably won't be able to get a game ready by next March, plus we don't know when specifically the 2K deal ends... Might not be until later in the year), but to think that MLB is never going to license their product again because they won't get the deal they want is insane.

[SeaNNyT]

Good riddance. This series has been dead for me since mlb 2k5.

[Ltrain44]

I loved 2K11 and I love this years version even more. Such a shame because this game was getting better

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by debauchlord

Anyone thinking that anyone else is going to be making a MLB game does not understand the industry. MLB has two licenses to sell. The third-party exclusivity license is the most advantageous. This license does not cover first-party games (as why Sony can make the Show. In theory, MS can make their own game, too). The first-party license also only covers the current MLB (anyone not on the previous year's 40-man is not in the game). The problem is that MLB wants NFL money for the exclusivity, which is not going to happen. If no other games get made, blame baseball. I doubt even EA wants to spring for another exclusive contract.

There was nothing advantageous about the third-party exclusivity license (unless you mean advantageous to MLB). As soon as EA announced their exclusivity deal with the NFL, MLB immediately wanted in on the action. 2K were partly pissed at EA, partly terrified that if EA got the exclusive rights to MLB, the rest of the dominoes would eventually fall and 2K Sports would cease to exist. So they overbid on the MLB license. People at EA were amazed that 2K would offer so much to MLB without snagging total exclusivity. No way anybody was making money out of that deal. EA had the option of matching 2K's offer but declined.

Ironically, the deal 2K signed with MLB was so onerous, it had no chance to succeed. 2K was contractually obligated to put out a certain amount of titles per year. The 2K series desperately needed to take a year off and rebuild, but they couldn't because in addition to forsaking one iteration's worth of sales, they would've had to pay a massive eight-figure penalty to MLB, which would've threatened Take Two itself. So they bit the bullet and did the best they could.