MLB 2K11 News Post

Roy Halladay is the MLB 2K11 coverboy: Is There a Meaning?

09:55 PM - November 15, 2010 by RaychelSnr

Baseball fans are no doubt trying to figure out if Roy Halladay being on the cover of MLB 2K11 means anything -- anything at all in regards to this year's game.

While EA oftentimes goes with a thematic coverboy of some kind (remember Ray Lewis and the year of the defense in Madden 2005?), 2K hasn't totally gone with the thematic cover boy route -- in fact it's pretty rare for them to do just that.

So is there any hidden message in 2K Sports selection of Halladay as the coverman?

Perhaps 2K is just honoring what was the year in which the pitcher saw a huge resurgence back to prominence. For the last 20 years plus, we've had a game dominated by the fascination with the long ball. Things changed somewhat in 2010, and I think if anything 2K might be going that route of following the fans and their newfound fascination with pitchers.

It's good marketing after all.

However, the release contained no hints and with 2K already having a recently overhauled pitching system, I doubt they overhaul it again. So look for the coverman to be more symbolic rather than being a hint of things to come this year from MLB 2K11.

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Member Comments

# 1 EnigmaNemesis @ 11/15/10 11:25 PM

I would not read too much into it. Considering that Lincecum was on the cover of last years as well.

How many times can you overhaul a system? Just stick with one and refine it.

So I agree, I do not expect an overhaul. I think it was just this year is the year of the pitcher, and they obviously picked the most popular one in the media.

It would be a theme(pattern) if they threw Nolan Ryan on there or Cy Young (ala Jordan on NBA).

# 2 johnnyg713 @ 11/16/10 06:22 PM

I wish they went back to 2k8s style of pitching. Ya it was harder but once you got the hang of it was definitely the best way to pitch imo and you had to get the timing down with each pitcher depending on their wind up. It definitely changed things up when i was using different pitchers. I played with the redsox and I loved using becket because he was really good and it was easy to pitch with him and hit sweet spots but I hated pitching with dice-k because his windup was wayyyyyy too long. Reminds me a lot nba 2ks free throw system and how each playes shot and timing is different.

# 3 rudyjuly2 @ 11/24/10 07:53 AM

Pitching would have been so much better if they had a slider to adjust for accuracy. I love the mechanics of the analog stick but it just got too easy to hit your spots making the pitching very unrealistic for me. Just add an accuracy slider and it would be infinitely better.

# 4 BlackBetty15 @ 11/24/10 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rudyjuly2


	Pitching would have been so much better if they had a slider to adjust for accuracy. I love the mechanics of the analog stick but it just got too easy to hit your spots making the pitching very unrealistic for me. Just add an accuracy slider and it would be infinitely better.

Honestly..this AND the fact that breaking balls need a bit more bite to them. THe show does a good job with this. The curveballs actually make your knees buckle. I love that aspect where facing a mid 90's fastball, then I get stroked for a nasty uncle charlie. The show does this pretty good and I hope 2K can nab that aspect of pitching. Also one bad thing that is screwing up the gameplay and sim stats is that there are waaaay to many ratings categories for players. I think there are 3 or 4 pages of ratings? Tendency ratings should be done away with as it conflicts with the actual pitch ratings. For batters contact/power/vision are the basics while pitchers should be stamina/pitch types(speed, break, accuracy)/agression.

# 5 CMH @ 11/27/10 09:10 AM

Sorry, I disagree, BlackBetty. The more tendencies, the more players play like themselves. That's something that needs to stay or the game just becomes too generic.

# 6 RyanLaFalce @ 11/27/10 02:22 PM

If this game is like MLB 2k7, I will deffinetly buy it. 2k8-2k10 have been disasters. I hope this game will be like NBA 2k11. Just in baseball form.

# 7 Jamin23 @ 11/27/10 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssryry22


	If this game is like MLB 2k7, I will deffinetly buy it. 2k8-2k10 have been disasters. I hope this game will be like NBA 2k11. Just in baseball form.

Don't expect the game to be at the level 2k11 is at although it should be by now. MLB has gone through so many developers through the year where as NBA has been with the same developers and were able to build on the game every year. It's going to take some time for MLB to get at the level both game play wise and graphically that NBA is at.

# 8 Milkbone @ 11/30/10 10:23 AM

2k10 was a really good game. a big improvement from years past. dont change too much only improve more if they make more changes this will come close to the show.

# 9 SoxFan01605 @ 11/30/10 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMH


	Sorry, I disagree, BlackBetty. The more tendencies, the more players play like themselves. That's something that needs to stay or the game just becomes too generic.

Exactly. The amount of stats tracked, ratings, tendencies and general information breakdown is actually one of the strong points for 2K...no need to dumb that down. Just clean it up and make the ratings they have work better and interact with each other more fluidly.

# 10 RoyalBoyle78 @ 12/01/10 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnigmaNemesis


	I would not read too much into it. Considering that Lincecum was on the cover of last years as well. How many times can you overhaul a system? Just stick with one and refine it. So I agree, I do not expect an overhaul. I think it was just this year is the year of the pitcher, and they obviously picked the most popular one in the media. It would be a theme(pattern) if they threw Nolan Ryan on there or Cy Young (ala Jordan on NBA).

Lincecum was on the cover 2 years ago..

I'm a little more confident knowing the NBA team is working on MLB series, this gives me great hope. If they can put the effort into the game like they did to NBA 2k, it will be great.

# 11 EnigmaNemesis @ 12/01/10 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FootballForever


	Lincecum was on the cover 2 years ago.. I'm a little more confident knowing the NBA team is working on MLB series, this gives me great hope. If they can put the effort into the game like they did to NBA 2k, it will be great.

2 Years ago, my bad.

It can also be a double edges sword. Basketball and baseball are two different games.

# 12 CMH @ 12/01/10 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnigmaNemesis


	2 Years ago, my bad. It can also be a double edges sword. Basketball and baseball are two different games.

Yes, this is a good point. A team could do a great job with one sport but struggle with another. EA Sports just went through something similar. I'd hate to see VC go through the same.

# 13 EnigmaNemesis @ 12/02/10 01:27 AM

Agreed. Competition is a great thing. Especially for us gamers.

# 14 jeffy777 @ 12/02/10 01:47 AM

VC has already done a lot for this series in a short time. Seems pretty likely that will continue.

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Roy Halladay is the MLB 2K11 coverboy: Is There a Meaning?