MLB 2K12 News Post

MLB 2K Series is Likely Dead

03:38 PM - May 22, 2012 by woz411

In an earlier article from Pastapadre today, he mentioned the MLB 2K series was left out of the Take Two lineup listing, not long after that Kotaku all but confirmed the death of the MLB 2K series.

Quote:


	Kotaku asked Take-Two Interactive if it could confirm the end of the series, and it released this statement: "Our legacy Major League Baseball agreement will sunset in fiscal 2013," a Take-Two spokesman said, meaning in the coming 12 calendar months. "MLB 2K12 is our last offering under that agreement. At this time, we have no further comment."

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Member Comments

# 81 bigfnjoe96 @ 05/24/12 08:34 AM

Can't say I didn't see this-1 coming. As been said, it's a sad day for gamers anytime choices become smaller & smaller in a genre. Dr. Jones said it best Take-2 basically killed 2KSPORTS when they decided to go all in on the MLB License.

Thanks for some great times 2K.. I know I'll miss ya........

# 82 Money99 @ 05/24/12 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaNNyT


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

How many games have you played with 2K12? Just curious.

I still don't get all the hate. Having only one choice is death to consumers. Just look at EA hockey or Madden. No competition equals complacency.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcmax3000


	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.

I hope you're right. Unless MLB has a very inflated ego, there's no way they can look at the total baseball sales and think they're 3rd-party exclusive rights are worth what 2K paid for them.
It makes more sense for the league to have multiple games out there to help spread the love for the MLB product.

# 83 DaveDQ @ 05/24/12 03:07 PM

There are many factors as to why the game is being canceled. One is that baseball isn't quite thriving in the gaming community. That's where I felt Take 2 made a bad decision to nail down the 3rd party exclusive. Even the sacred cow (the show) doesn't hang around in sales for long.

So now 2K Sports is basically down to the NBA. Or are they?!?...............

# 84 horrormaster @ 05/25/12 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonadom


	Won't the choice be bigger after this since the 2K MLB exclusive deal is over now ? I think what this tells us is 2K Sports was never very thrilled about making a MLB video game anyway. If they were, wouldn't they continue to make one after this deal ?

Not necessarily. PC gamers are pretty much screwed and will be in the same spot they are for an NFL game, waiting 4+ years for another one. Another 3rd-party exclusive license could be made so again there would be only 2 games, one of which will never be on the 360, Wii, or PC.

# 85 DaveDQ @ 05/25/12 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonadom


	Won't the choice be bigger after this since the 2K MLB exclusive deal is over now ? I think what this tells us is 2K Sports was never very thrilled about making a MLB video game anyway. If they were, wouldn't they continue to make one after this deal ?

They weren't making a steady profit from the game...even after they tried to lure people in with 1 million dollars. I'm sure there were several on that dev team that enjoyed making the game. It's more about them not being able to sustain the franchise financially than it is a lacking of excitement for the game.

# 86 videlsports @ 05/25/12 01:09 PM

I'm not a video game Baseball fan, but this is Sad, I hope they can add Hockey, College hoops are sell out to Activision, any thing is better than belly up

# 87 LowerWolf @ 05/25/12 02:19 PM

Loved the old World Series Baseball games on the Genesis (which was the foundation for 2K), but never could get into MLB 2K. Had one for the 360 and hated it so much, I jumped ship to the PS3 for The Show.

That said, I really hope EA or somebody steps up to the plate with a new game. Competition is a good thing.

# 88 BustinLoose @ 05/26/12 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveDQ


	There are many factors as to why the game is being canceled. One is that baseball isn't quite thriving in the gaming community. That's where I felt Take 2 made a bad decision to nail down the 3rd party exclusive. Even the sacred cow (the show) doesn't hang around in sales for long. So now 2K Sports is basically down to the NBA. Or are they?!?...............

They did a great job with NBA2K12, (voted sports game of the year) that's why I can't figure out why they couldn't put the same effort into MLB2K12.

# 89 ExtraWhistle @ 05/26/12 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BustinLoose


	They did a great job with NBA2K12, (voted sports game of the year) that's why I can't figure out why they couldn't put the same effort into MLB2K12.

Because basketball makes them a lot more money than a good baseball game would.

# 90 EAGLESFAN10 @ 05/26/12 07:43 PM

See 2k doesnt always make great games lol but I still got some enjoyment out the game

EA probably seen this coming and probably started a lil something with a baseball game we just dont know just an opinion tho dont go jumpin all my back

# 91 miniviking10 @ 05/27/12 11:58 PM

I DO NOT FEEL SORRY ONE BIT. These guys put out a TERRIBLE baseball game year after year, going back to the PS2 days. I really do not understand how a company could mess it up that bad. The games were glitchy, had horrible graphics, and controls. Do not feel sad one bit and I hope this means EA will step up and make their own baseball game next year.

# 92 DaveDQ @ 05/28/12 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plache


	Kush killed this series years ago...2k would have been better off renaming the franchise with 2k10, name recognition goes a long way towards a purchase. Especially, with the disastrous games Kush games put out.

Kush was responsible for the bulk of this game's issues. MLB 2K6 had that horrible freezing issue. It was their first showing on next-gen, they just snagged the exclusive 3rd party rights and their first next-gen showing was a messy one. Then they had Ben Brinkman come on board and many thought it would shine like MVP Baseball. We all know what happened there.

By the time this title was handed over to Visual Concepts, the PR damage was done. They already had MLB The Show mopping the floor with their title, and it was obvious that they were desperate when the whole 1 million dollar giveaway rolled in.

So there you have 2K Sports, under Take Two, grabbing the third party exclusive, only to have another title in The Show really exposing their game's short-comings. It's really very NFL2K/Madden similar, except this time 2K got the bad end of it.

# 93 Yeats @ 05/28/12 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveDQ


	So there you have 2K Sports, under Take Two, grabbing the third party exclusive, only to have another title in The Show really exposing their game's short-comings. It's really very NFL2K/Madden similar, except this time 2K got the bad end of it.

I'd say the comparison between WSBaseball and PESoccer is more apropos: game company with the sim cult-following is putting out the best game on the market; next-gen hits and the quality of their product nosedives so badly it allows EA's mediocre arcade offerings to become the industry "standard."

# 94 DaveDQ @ 05/28/12 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeats


	I'd say the comparison between WSBaseball and PESoccer is more apropos: game company with the sim cult-following is putting out the best game on the market; next-gen hits and the quality of their product nosedives so badly it allows EA's mediocre arcade offerings to become the industry "standard."

Pretty good comparison, but I don't think WS Baseball ever had a following like PES. Also, 2K nailed it this gen with their basketball game. For 2K though, their two titles are NBA and NFL. Obviously the NFL thing is out of their hands so the frustration for many is how do you excel with the NBA and drop the ball with the MLB.

# 95 sheredia @ 06/09/12 08:31 PM

what are the chances of 2k extending the servers and updating the rosters for next year so we can still play a major league baseball game on xbox 360?....

# 96 SpOrTsDuDeJ123 @ 06/09/12 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheredia


	what are the chances of 2k extending the servers and updating the rosters for next year so we can still play a major league baseball game on xbox 360?....

Those chances I would think are very unlikely.

# 97 Yankspwn27 @ 07/18/12 11:35 AM

Guys Mvp Baseballs coming back for 2013!!!!!

# 98 redsrule @ 07/18/12 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yankspwn27


	Guys Mvp Baseballs coming back for 2013!!!!!

............................................

# 99 kylefoley94 @ 07/19/12 09:35 AM

There may be some hope for a baseball game in 2013 for 360. I just looked it up and according to EA Sports, "In March 2011, ESPN reported that EA would bring the series back as a console game after the exclusive licensing deal expires in 2012.[12] Also in March 2011, EA Sports released an MLB-licensed game for Facebook called World Series Superstars, which simulates team management." I know that MVP Baseball may not have been the best baseball game, but the last game made was in 2007, so with 6 years of technology between the newest possible game and the last one made, so maybe there's hope for us baseball gamers after 2K is dead

# 100 Pared @ 07/19/12 09:48 AM

I can tell you this - many of the developers are still in Vancouver. Some have moved on but some big hitters like Trey Smith are still there.

I'm sure they would LOVE to get back in the "swing" of things with MVP Baseball.

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