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Perennial All-Star And American League Most Valuable Player Candidate
Adrian Gonzalez Announced as Cover Athlete For MLB® 12 The Show™,
Exclusively on The PlayStation®3 (PS3™) And PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) Systems

Boston Red Sox Slugger Ready to Swing for the Fences
in the Latest Installment of the Highest-Rated Sports Game Franchise

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Nov. 9, 2011 -- Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA) announced today the North American release of MLB® 12 The Show™, the latest installment of the number-one selling and rated Major League Baseball® (MLB®) video game franchise. Gracing the cover of The Show in 2012 will be Boston Red Sox All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. A candidate for this year's America League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, Gonzalez is a four-time All-Star (2008-2011), three-time Gold Glove winner (2008, 2009, 2011), and 2011 Silver Slugger Award winner.

Available for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) and PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) systems, MLB 12 The Show is due to arrive in stores on March 6, 2012, just in time for MLB Spring Training. The Show has been and continues to be the market leading and highest ranked officially licensed baseball title of this console generation (according to MetaCritic.com) and the number-one rated sports video game over the past four years (according to GameRankings.com), delivering true-to-life gameplay, authentic franchise and season modes, and incredible detail not found in any other sports game. MLB 12 The Show builds on what has been delivered in previous franchise releases, adding compelling features that bring unparalleled innovation and polish to the sports genre.

"I feel very humbled to be chosen for the cover of MLB 12 The Show," said Gonzalez, who recently won his third Gold Glove Award. "I think most sports fans would agree it's a dream come true to be immortalized as the cover athlete for a video game so I jumped at the chance to work with a leading franchise like The Show—it's truly a great honor."

"With a standout 2011 season in his first year with the Boston Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez has cemented himself as one of the best all-around players in baseball," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President, Product Marketing, SCEA. "Similarly, The Show has been the market leader and the highest rated, best-selling baseball video game franchise of all time. Therefore, Adrian was an easy choice and a perfect fit to represent the next installment of our critically acclaimed series, MLB 12 The Show."

The first overall pick by the Florida Marlins in the 2000 MLB Draft, Adrian Gonzalez has steadily become one of the top players in all of baseball, both on the field and at the plate. In 2010 while playing for the San Diego Padres, he was named team MVP for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall. In 2011, Gonzalez was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster deal and enjoyed one of his best professional seasons, which included his 1,000 career hit, fourth consecutive All-Star selection, third Gold Glove, first Silver Slugger Award, and a top five finish in batting average (.338) and RBI (117) in all of baseball.

MLB 12 The Show is the first baseball video game cover for Gonzalez who joins an elite cast of cover athletes and spokespersons to represent The Show, including Minnesota Twins catcher and 2009 American League (AL) MVP Joe Mauer, Red Sox second baseman and 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, and New York Mets third baseman David Wright. As the latest representative of SCEA's baseball series and ambassador for MLB 12 The Show, Gonzalez's duties will include participation in the game's motion capture process, artificial intelligence (A.I.) consultation, integration into all facets of the marketing campaign, and spokesperson for the franchise.

As Gonzalez continues to establish himself as one of the most talented players in the game today, MLB 12 The Show continues to build upon an already stellar reputation for immersion and unparalleled delivery of the baseball experience. With various new key features and enhancements to the critically acclaimed series, MLB 12 The Show is poised to continue the franchise's reign as the premier MLB licensed game on any platform. Specifically for PS Vita, MLB 12 The Show will utilize all of the core gameplay features found in the PS3 version providing a big league experience that players can take with them on road, anytime, anywhere. All new features for MLB 12 The Show will be unveiled and detailed throughout the course of the campaign, prior to the game's launch on March 6, 2012.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating for MLB 12 The Show is "RP" for "Rating Pending." For more information about the ESRB visit http://www.esrb.org. For more information about the MLB 12 The Show, visit http://theshownation.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/mlbtheshow.

Game: MLB 12 The ShowReader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS Vita / PS3Votes for game: 55 - View All
MLB 12 The Show Videos
Member Comments
# 21 Bobhead @ 11/09/11 08:46 PM
I wanna see Kolbe or Russell on the cover.
 
# 22 DodgerFanatic2K3 @ 11/09/11 08:51 PM
Who cares who's on the cover !!!

It's what's in the game that matters
 
# 23 Bellsprout @ 11/09/11 10:00 PM
If I didn't get Braun this year, I'm never getting a Brewer on the cover.

Between this and Hillis taking out Rodgers, I hate covers this year.
 
# 24 TracerBullet @ 11/09/11 10:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dayman
If I didn't get Braun this year, I'm never getting a Brewer on the cover.

Between this and Hillis taking out Rodgers, I hate covers this year.
Next year will be Prince Fielder..... in non-Brewers attire.
 
# 25 Bellsprout @ 11/09/11 10:09 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TracerBullet
Next year will be Prince Fielder..... in non-Brewers attire.
 
# 26 Cubfan @ 11/09/11 10:39 PM
Congrats to Adrian Gonzalez. Doesnt matter to me who is on the cover.
 
# 27 WahooFan @ 11/10/11 12:06 AM
Frak. So much for having Asdrubal Cabrera (or any other Cleveland Indian) on the cover next year.
 
# 28 kenkraly2004 @ 11/10/11 12:27 AM
Great choice for cover athlete for MLB 12 The Show A-Gone is one of my favorite MLB players and I'm glad he is on the cover of MLB 12 The Show.
 
# 29 TartanElk @ 11/10/11 12:45 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott
Yeah A-Gon was horrible this year..... .338 avg, 27 HR, 117 RBI, .410 OBP. Let me guess, you'd like a Yankee? It's also novel to base a game on the cover athlete.
Miguel Cabrera blew Adrian away. If a hitter had to be on the cover, it should've been him. Cabrera destroyed the league, especially over the last month and a half. Add in the fact his DUI was supposed to "ruin" his season and it makes his year look even better.
 
# 30 econoodle @ 11/10/11 01:04 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott
When was the last time a superstar was on a cover though?

Sure Brees was on Madden, but no Brady, Manning, A-Rod, Hamilton, Megatron, AP, LeBron, Durant, Dirk...
well, the hoops games always have a superstar.
shaq, Mj, durant, garnett, kobe, paul, howard and on and on.


and bp4, good point.
i am sure they they started calling people to replace Mauer in May! lol

tho its not required of them to decide the cover guy mid-summer. If thats what they did.


i still dont like the choice at all.

but it is easy to predict the next few years covers tho.

13: Morneau
14: Ellsbury
15: Mauer
16: Darnell McDonald



Also, now i see they might not have went with Pujols because of his Free Agent status.

Still think there are 10 better coverboy choices to be made in the name of smart marketing.
But across the board that hasn't always been Sony's strong point.

I think the team that plays in the world series should have a player on the cover. Unless a non Ws player had a crazy year.
I loved what EA did for Madden 10
Polamalu and Fitz. A player from each of the super bowl teams.

Also, is this the first time a cover athletes team didnt make the playoffs? lol
I aint doing that research, but off the top of my head, i don't think its happened in the baseball games.
 
# 31 truintellectplaya @ 11/10/11 04:55 AM
Lies, and skewing of statistics they are not the #1 rated sports game 4 years in a row.
 
# 32 BSUFAN @ 11/10/11 07:59 AM
Personally I don't care one way or another who is on the cover. However we could photo shop our own favorite player for the cover and call it good.
 
# 33 noseeumcreek @ 11/10/11 08:09 AM
Miguel Cabrera obviously had a better hitting year than Adrian Gonzalez and is likely the standout hitter going in the American League now, but since the Silver Slugger award couldn't understand that this year, I don't think it's important whether a video game looking for marketing potential did either. A few teams have national appeal so when you can't get a name recognizable star, probably go there. Bias to highlight players on certain teams make sense.
 
# 34 dasfette @ 11/10/11 08:25 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by BSUFAN
Personally I don't care one way or another who is on the cover. However we could photo shop our own favorite player for the cover and call it good.
That's it! I've had it!

I'm Photoshopping Adam Everett as we speak! ;-)
 
# 35 RoyalBoyle78 @ 11/10/11 09:49 AM
I mean really, its just a cover and for some guys to say they wont buy it or now just rent because of the cover, get real...


The guy put up *Regular Season .338 27 117*

Whats wrong with that.


Now a screen shot would have been nice.
 
# 36 HustlinOwl @ 11/10/11 10:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by truintellectplaya
Lies, and skewing of statistics they are not the #1 rated sports game 4 years in a row.
#1 in my book
 
# 37 magoo1967 @ 11/10/11 10:42 AM
Ortiz in '06, Pedroia in '09, Gonzalez in '12, WTF?!? How much are the Red Sox paying SCEA anyway? Whatever, I normally wouldn't care who's on the cover but there's no way that anything with the Red Sox on it will ever be in my home. This cover will go in the garbage on day 1 along with the shrink rap.
 
# 38 bscbears99 @ 11/10/11 11:42 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by magoo1967
Ortiz in '06, Pedroia in '09, Gonzalez in '12, WTF?!? How much are the Red Sox paying SCEA anyway? Whatever, I normally wouldn't care who's on the cover but there's no way that anything with the Red Sox on it will ever be in my home. This cover will go in the garbage on day 1 along with the shrink rap.
you'll show them
 
# 39 econoodle @ 11/10/11 11:54 AM
Pre order bonus announced:

5 dollars off any order of $25 or more at KFC.
You have to lock in your pre order with at least 3 weeks left before the release or you won't get it.



but seriously folks, how about a nice collectible pre-order this year?
 
# 40 antilowpe @ 11/10/11 12:13 PM
Still no pitcher ?

12 A-Gon
11 Mauer
10 Mauer
09 Pedroia
08 Howard
07 Wright
06 Big Papi

The past two years have seen the pitchers becoming more & more dominant and with the season Verlander (and Kershaw and Halladay...) had, a pitcher deserved the cover.

And if I have to make a choice, I put Kemp on the cover.
His last season was amazing. Which player was the last to be such close to the 40-40 club before Kemp ? Vladdy ?
 


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