It has been almost a year since NFL 2K Playmakers, Take-Two Interactive’s first dive into the sport since the purchase of Visual Concepts in 2005, had its support cut after a disappointing run. And well, if a new interview by Chairman Strauss Zelnick is anything to go by, the mobile life-service title might have been the franchise’s last dance.
In an interview with Game File’s Stephen Totilo, the CEO talked about many topics, ranging from the elephant in the room (aka GTA VI) to the current status of BioShock and NBA 2K. When addressing their NFL plans, Zelnick then revealed that, although the effort was put into it, “Some of the stuff we tried to do didn’t work out creatively.” He, however, did not close the door to a future partnership with the league, saying that the company would be open-minded if an opportunity presents itself.
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The interview also shed light on the dormant MLB 2K franchise, specifically on how unlikely its return seems. In the CEO’s words regarding their experience with MLB products, ”It’s no secret there [that] we lost a great deal of money with them. And I don’t like losing money.” Take-Two has yet to take a swing at the baseball market since the divisive release of MLB 2K13 in early 2013.
You can check out more about the franchise, as well as a breakdown of why it failed to reach the same heights seen by Sony’s MLB The Show, in our rise and fall of 2K’s MLB series piece. Those still looking for an alternative baseball title might also be happy to know that Professional Baseball Spirits is finally getting a west main release with eBaseball: Pro Spirit 2026. You can check out more here.
There’s a certain irony in all of this. For years, fans begged for competition in the football and baseball spaces, hoping another publisher could finally challenge Madden and MLB The Show. But after multiple failed attempts and massive financial losses, it now feels increasingly unlikely that anybody besides EA Sports and Sony will seriously enter those markets anytime soon.
Published: May 7, 2026 12:19 pm