MLB 2K13 News Post

MLB 2K13 Announced with Cover Athlete David Price, Arrives March 5th

08:12 AM - January 9, 2013 by PVarck31

In a shocking development, baseball is coming to the Xbox 360 in 2013 after all. 2K Sports has just announced MLB 2K13 will arrive on March 5th, 2013 for 360 and PS3. Kotaku's Owen Good picked up on the story earlier this morning. Check out the official press release below.

Official Press Release

2K Sports Announces Major League Baseball 2K13 and Return of the Perfect Game Challenge

Cy Young Award Winner and Tampa Bay Rays` ace David Price named cover athlete

2K Sports today announced that the Company has reached an agreement with Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, and Major League Baseball Advanced Media to release Major League Baseball 2K13, the next iteration of the popular MLB 2K franchise. MLB 2K13 will be available on March 5, 2013,for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation3 computer entertainment system.

"We`d like to thank our league partners for their support in helping us reach an agreement to bring back MLB 2K," said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. "We know fans are extremely passionate about the MLB 2K series and the Perfect Game Challenge."

David Price, ace pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, has been selected as the cover athlete for MLB 2K13. Price was recently named the American League Cy Young Award winner after posting a 20-5 record and league-best 2.56 ERA. Price edged out MLB 2K12 cover athlete Justin Verlander for the honors, and is the third consecutive reigning Cy Young Award winner to grace the cover of an MLB 2K game.

"It`s a dream come true to appear on the cover of MLB 2K13," concluded Price, who helped lead the Rays to their fourth 90-win season in the last five years. "I`m looking forward to working with the 2K Sports team again, and welcoming another skilled gamer into `The Perfect Club.`"

The Perfect Game Challenge*, 2K Sports` groundbreaking $1 million competition, will also be returning for a fourth consecutive year and introduce a new contest format with exciting ways to win. Since 2010, 2K Sports has awarded $3 million in prize money to players exhibiting the highest caliber of skill in throwing a perfect game in MLB 2K. Last year`s Perfect Game Challenge achieved record participation numbers, with nearly 1 million attempts made and more than 1,000 perfect games registered. The contest was won by 21-year-old Christopher Gilmore, who prevailed in an eight-person tournament at the MLB FanCave in New York City. Complete details of this year`s contest will be announced at a later date.

Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, MLB2K13 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available on March 5, 2013 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system.

For more information on 2K Sports, visit www.2KSports.com.

For more information on MLB 2K13, visit http://www.facebook.com/MLB2K.

Source - There Will Be Baseball on the Xbox 360; Major League Baseball 2K13 Returns (Kotaku)

Major League Baseball 2K13 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: Major League Baseball 2K13Reader Score: 7/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 14 - View All

Major League Baseball 2K13 Videos

Member Comments

# 41 pistolpete @ 01/09/13 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mt Oread


	FTFY Sounds like you'll be better off in The Show forums.

I don't have a PS3 and I am one of the biggest 2k baseball honks around here. Tell me how you get deep into franchises without simming (the biggest instance of the game playing for you there is).

# 42 Cardot @ 01/09/13 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pistolpete


	I don't have a PS3 and I am one of the biggest 2k baseball honks around here. Tell me how you get deep into franchises without simming (the biggest instance of the game playing for you there is).

I agree, generated pitch counts would be a nice addition. And doesn't seem like the toughest thing to do.

Using the "Hurry Up Baseball" option for some games helps speed things up. And I like the 52 game season...but I understand there are some drawbacks to both of those solutions.

# 43 pietasterp @ 01/09/13 02:07 PM

Good for 360 owners, but realistically, there's almost no way this is anything but a roster update (as numerous others here have said). There is no way a company would have spent any time, money, or resources developing a game they weren't even sure they would have a license for, especially in the current economic environment and with 2k under leaner management. Frankly, even the most profligate of companies in the best of times would never allow development on a game they didn't have a license to, even if they fully expected to renew it (which was clearly not the case here).

MLB was faced with no presence on the top game console in the U.S., something they must have viewed as detrimental to their brand, and probably came back to 2k and made them a deal they couldn't refuse. It must have been favorable, because 2k was telling anyone that would listen for 3 years they were dropping the MLB license like an 8AM elective. 2k must have found themselves in a no-lose position, did some quick back-of-the-envelope calculations, and figured they could move a certain minimal threshold for profitability number of units with essentially zero additional investment, and signed-off. Call David Price, cue media announcement, update rosters, ship in March by opening day.

I used to really like the MLB2k series, and while I still think it's serviceable, I'll reserve my excitement for when 2k has a football-related announcement to make...

# 44 Behindshadows @ 01/09/13 02:14 PM

There better be a PC version......

Also graphics better be overhauled to surpass the competition, and back up to par with 2k7.

Need realistic faces HD so forth, no more of that cartoon look with them pastel colors.....

Bring it 2ksports you got my money...

# 45 mkharsh33 @ 01/09/13 02:15 PM

Love all the unfounded speculation here... Guys, lets at least wait to kick the crap out of this game until it arrives. We truly don't know what the dev team has done to this game, but I hate this "I'm gonna buy The Show" stuff just because everyone THOUGHT 2K gave up on this game, which clearly they have NOT...

# 46 nbman @ 01/09/13 02:23 PM

Good news. This deal was probably in the works since past fall prior to the previous licence expiry date. I'm expecting more than a simple roster update but we'll see.

# 47 woz411 @ 01/09/13 02:25 PM

Eric Fisher ‏@EricFisherSBJ 2K Sports/MLB renewal is for this year only - one yr pact to serve as bridge to next console cycle

Eric Fisher ‏@EricFisherSBJ
MLB did not want to sit out the yr on Xbox 360, went w incumbent party while larger options sorted out

# 48 DJ @ 01/09/13 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radja


	i am holding off on repurchasing 12 and i will buy this game. this is good news.

Same here.

I'm very surprised by this news, for sure. I do think it is a positive for the sports-gaming industry, though, as competition is always a good thing. Hopefully now that 2K doesn't have the exclusive license hanging over its head, it can funnel some of those monies towards game development.

# 49 sly0981 @ 01/09/13 02:48 PM

good news. i will probably get it

# 50 IowaAJ @ 01/09/13 02:50 PM

Looks like 2 baseball games for me this year.

# 51 Money99 @ 01/09/13 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkharsh33


	Love all the unfounded speculation here... Guys, lets at least wait to kick the crap out of this game until it arrives. We truly don't know what the dev team has done to this game, but I hate this "I'm gonna buy The Show" stuff just because everyone THOUGHT 2K gave up on this game, which clearly they have NOT...

Beat me to it.
Amazing how many insider's we have on these boards. I didn't realize that half the members here work for 2K.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SportsGamingBlake


	Im so mad i spent $150 on a damn ps3 a few months ago cuz i thought it wasn't coming back... guess ill be getting 2 baseball games this year tho...

I hear you. I did the same. It was more because we needed a 2nd BR player and my kids basically took over my Xbox. But it was also because I thought I would be buying The Show 13.
But after playing MLB 12 for a few days, I realized I was going to play 2K12 for another year.
Now I'm considering making the PS3 their main console and I take back my beloved 360.

This year looks to be a great one for me:
State of Decay
New GoW game and now
MLB2K13!!!

# 52 pietasterp @ 01/09/13 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkharsh33


	Love all the unfounded speculation here... Guys, lets at least wait to kick the crap out of this game until it arrives. We truly don't know what the dev team has done to this game, but I hate this "I'm gonna buy The Show" stuff just because everyone THOUGHT 2K gave up on this game, which clearly they have NOT...

You're right that's it's all speculation, but I would say there is at least reasonable circumstantial evidence that full-bore development on the game has not been ongoing and that at a minimum, it would be surprising if there were major upgrades to the game with it being a 1-year licensing agreement made at a relatively late date for the last year of a console cycle on a product Take Two has openly stated they are not enthusiastic about spending more money on. I agree that we should wait for the final product to say anything definitively about the game, but I don't think it's at all unreasonable to put 2 and 2 together and at a minimum, significantly temper expectations on what to expect...I mean, let's say it was EA announcing in August an NBA Live release this year: would you really expect that game to be awesome?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ


	Same here. I'm very surprised by this news, for sure. I do think it is a positive for the sports-gaming industry, though, as competition is always a good thing. Hopefully now that 2K doesn't have the exclusive license hanging over its head, it can funnel some of those monies towards game development.

I wouldn't hold my breath...cost savings won't be re-allocated to game development. The MLB license has been estimated to be a $30-mil per annum drag on TT's bottom line. All that will happen is they'll stop writing down the losses from MLB license valuation in fiscal 2014.

# 53 PVarck31 @ 01/09/13 03:10 PM

I'm sure it will at least be a little more than a simple roster update. But people need to realize this was probably something that wasn't a sure thing for the developers. I doubt 2k would have VC working on the game without knowing for sure the game would be released. So we have to cut them some slack this year.

And good for MLB wanting to make a deal with 2k. Glad they were smart enough to realize not having a game on the dominant console would be a mistake. I am sure MLB intends to extend this deal into the next-gen as well.

So whether you are a fan of this game or not, this is great for sports gaming. In a genre that's dying, a game came back from the dead. ZOMBIE MLB 2K13!

And please leave the Show out of the thread. Thanks

# 54 RoyalBoyle78 @ 01/09/13 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woz411


	Eric Fisher ‏@EricFisherSBJ 2K Sports/MLB renewal is for this year only - one yr pact to serve as bridge to next console cycle Eric Fisher ‏@EricFisherSBJ MLB did not want to sit out the yr on Xbox 360, went w incumbent party while larger options sorted out

maybe it could be more then one year if the game turns out worthy.

# 55 Kccitystar @ 01/09/13 03:18 PM

While I'm aware VC is developing this game again, what's stopping 2K from contracting Konami to develop an MLB version of Pro Baseball Spirits? Haven't they done this before with MLB Power Pros?

# 56 Baseballking888 @ 01/09/13 03:23 PM

Nice! This is great news!

# 57 bmgst8 @ 01/09/13 03:50 PM

it looks like the game will be the regular price of $60... just saw this on the store section of 2k's website

https://store.2k.com/Product.aspx?pS...-10425-49258-7

# 58 tvman @ 01/09/13 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmgst8


	it looks like the game will be the regular price of $60... just saw this on the store section of 2k's website https://store.2k.com/Product.aspx?pS...-10425-49258-7

Is 2K nuts,

at that price count me out on a first day purchase.

# 59 HustlinOwl @ 01/09/13 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iRepIndiana


	Those are fightin' words. I hope they make a push for the Xbox users and give them a playable game. Like the show has given ps3 users.

have been asking this for years, single season franchise is pointless

# 60 nemesis04 @ 01/09/13 04:11 PM

Here is another article from Kotaku:

http://kotaku.com/5974561/what-can-w...-much-probably

Good to hear there will be baseball on the 360. A little surprised on the price if indeed it is a minimal upgrade! We got better value when they packaged NBA 2k with this game last year.

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