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MLB 2K9 News Post

2K Sports Signs National League Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum of San Francisco Giants® as Cover Athlete for Major League Baseball® 2K9

MLB® strikeout leader brings the heat to the virtual baseball diamond next season

New York, NY – November 11, 2008 – 2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that National League Cy Young Award winner, Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants, will be featured as the cover athlete and spokesman for next year's highly anticipated baseball video game, Major League Baseball® 2K9. Lincecum led Major League Baseball with 265 strikeouts during the 2008 season and set a new team record in the process. He has quickly become a fan favorite and established himself as one of the most thrilling young pitchers to watch in baseball today.“Winning the Cy Young Award is truly an amazing honor, and now having the opportunity to be on the cover of Major League Baseball 2K9 is another dream come true and an absolutely surreal experience,” said Tim Lincecum, MLB All-Star pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. “Whenever I’m hanging out at home or traveling on the road, you can find me playing video games, and I’m definitely the best gamer in the clubhouse by far. I’m incredibly stoked that 2K Sports picked me to represent Major League Baseball 2K9, and I look forward to lending my baseball knowledge to the development process.”

While attending the University of Washington, Lincecum won the coveted Golden Spikes Award which is given to the nation’s top college baseball player. He was drafted 10th overall by the San Francisco Giants in 2006. Known to fans as “The Franchise” and “The Freak”, Lincecum was named to the National League All-Star team this past season while putting up astonishing numbers and leading the Majors™ with a remarkable 265 strikeouts. Lincecum also led the National League in other key pitching categories including win percentage (18-5, .783), opponent’s batting average (.221), and strikeouts per nine innings (10.51), along with ranking second in earned run average (2.62). For all of his historic accomplishments, Lincecum won the Players’ Choice Award as the National League Outstanding Pitcher this season, along with the National League Pitcher of the Year Award from Sporting News. Both awards were voted on by his peers. More significantly, Lincecum today was named the National League Cy Young Award winner, given annually to the top pitcher in both the American League and the National League, and voted on by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

"Tim is a special player and has the best stuff in baseball. We couldn’t have selected a more naturally talented and exciting player to represent Major League Baseball 2K9 next season, and given that he’s an avid gamer, it will be a lot of fun working together," said Greg Thomas, senior vice president of sports development for 2K. "Visual Concepts has taken over the development of our Major League Baseball title, and we look forward to continuing to provide fans with the most authentic and high quality gameplay experience that we bring to all of our sports titles."

Major League Baseball 2K9 is being developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, and is not yet rated by the ESRB. Major League Baseball 2K9 will be available in early 2009 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Wii™ home video game system from Nintendo. For more information, please visit www.2ksports.com.

Game: Major League Baseball 2K9Reader Score: 6/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 38 - View All
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Member Comments
# 1 ITSFAVRENOTFARVE @ 11/11/08 02:53 PM
I like the choice but I think they could have chosen a much better picture.
 
# 2 thornie @ 11/11/08 03:09 PM
That was fast, sheesh. Looks great, let the wait begin.
 
# 3 Stroehms @ 11/11/08 03:25 PM
Sounds good. Hopefully they release info regularly like they didn't last year. lol.
 
# 4 BigBlue @ 11/11/08 03:28 PM
I'm hoping that the choice of a pitcher on the cover means that they improved / tweaked the pitching contols (no more meatballs, etc).

BigBlue
 
# 5 Murph @ 11/11/08 04:35 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigBlue
I'm hoping that the choice of a pitcher on the cover means that they improved / tweaked the pitching contols (no more meatballs, etc).

BigBlue
Amen! That was such a gamekiller for me last year. I simply sucked at trying to pitch.
 
# 6 ithrowds @ 11/11/08 04:42 PM
Great choice, please do release a bobblehead for preorderers again.
 
# 7 myghty @ 11/11/08 04:45 PM
A Giants pitcher? I'm not getting this game..... j/k
 
# 8 kenkraly2004 @ 11/11/08 04:50 PM
Great choice for the cover MLB 2K9 Tim Lincecum. He was one of the best pitchers in the NL this past year and his change up is nasty. 2KSports made the right choice for the MLB 2K9 Cover.
 
# 9 jbishop1702 @ 11/11/08 05:04 PM
We can bet that SFGiantsPBA is a happy man.
 
# 10 catfish9-5 @ 11/11/08 05:50 PM
Does anyone have a good slider set for this game?

Has a patch been announced?

What is the timeline on your final roster set?

All this will be here before we know it.
 
# 11 mwjr @ 11/11/08 06:38 PM
Hopefully they'll soon announce that the game will not stink this season.
 
# 12 Tomba @ 11/11/08 06:44 PM
If they can match the level of NBA 2k9 I'm sold. I am happy that brick man is gone as well. lets hope this series can become something again!
 
# 13 Stroehms @ 11/11/08 06:54 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomba
If they can match the level of NBA 2k9 I'm sold. I am happy that brick man is gone as well. lets hope this series can become something again!
Hell if they can match the level of NBA 2k7 I'm sold.
 
# 14 Shakedowncapo @ 11/11/08 07:08 PM
Hmmm...no talking about what they're concentrating on for this year? Usually do that with cover releases.
 
# 15 Artman22 @ 11/11/08 10:03 PM
The fact that VC is developing this game gives me some hope that this will be a better game. I cant wait to see how this turns out.
 
# 16 BoDontThinkSo @ 11/12/08 01:33 AM
Being as big a baseball fan I am, I have to buy this game. I believe that it is not possible to make a baseball game as crappy as 2k8 was again, so I have a positive attitude towards the game this time around. I think that last year 2k tried too hard, I thought 2k7 was pretty good basis, but they definetely took a step back last year. Lets go 2k im counting on you.
 
# 17 Stroehms @ 11/12/08 02:21 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by kcxiv
Not for the initial press release. I am sure more info will be coming. I will ask and try to get info on when we can expect screenshots and more info.
Who are you asking bud?
 
# 18 Stroehms @ 11/12/08 03:01 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by dave374
The good news is you won't have to shrink him for the cover, he'll fit life size.
Hey, I'm the same size as him. Jerk
 
# 19 Stroehms @ 11/12/08 04:08 AM
People say I look like him too. Weird, huh? Only if I had his talent. lol
 
# 20 HitDoctor @ 11/12/08 12:15 PM
the Show fo' sho'!!! (translation for the un-hip "the Show for sure")
 

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