MLB 2K12 News Post

MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

05:46 AM - February 28, 2012 by Steve_OS

The MLB 2K12 demo is available now. Play a few games and post your impressions here.

Read the full press release below.

2K Sports Announces Major League Baseball 2K12 Demo
Now Available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PlayStation Network

Features Texas Rangers against St. Louis Cardinals in
rematch of 2011 World Series

New York, NY – February 28, 2012 – 2K Sports today announced that a free demo of Major League Baseball® 2K12 is now available on the Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

The demo allows players to relive 2011’s thrilling, back-and-forth World Series and play three innings as the Texas Rangers or St. Louis Cardinals. In addition, it showcases many of MLB 2K12’s improved features, including the dynamic tendencies system that adjusts pitcher and batter ratings as the game unfolds; a revamped throwing system; and a new hit distribution system with more varied and realistic hit types.

This year’s edition of MLB 2K will allow players to experience the authenticity and excitement of a real baseball game, and also a chance to win $1,000,000. The Perfect Game Challenge returns for the third consecutive year with MLB 2K12, and is bigger than ever. The new format will utilize a dynamic leaderboard that ranks the top eight perfect games thrown. At the end of the competition, the top eight competitors will face each other in a live $1 million tournament.

MLB 2K12 is rated E for everyone by the ESRB and will be available March 6, 2012 for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3, Wii™ system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Nintendo DS™ and Windows PC.

Major League Baseball 2K12 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: Major League Baseball 2K12 Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 12 - View All

Major League Baseball 2K12 Videos

Member Comments

# 101 Beetlebum @ 02/29/12 10:44 AM

After years of playing The Show, I gave this demo a try and I was really impressed.
The game feels realistic, pitching animations are awesome and even though the graphics are not impressive at all I will probably buy it.

Now, in The Show I've always used broadcast camera even when batting, does anyone who had MLB 2k11 know if the batting camera is customizable and if it's possible to use the broadcast camera for both pitching and batting?

Thanks!

# 102 tmac55 @ 02/29/12 11:03 AM

I have enjoyed the demo. To me, this definitely represents a polished and tweaked 2K11. I can appreciate the changes since I did enjoy last year's version.

Unfortunately this is just a small sample of the product, so I am wary of this success with the demo translating into the full version.

This title has promise to be a solid baseball game for us 360 gamers. Yes it still has its small quirks but i have to give 2K credit where it is due so far. Glad to see they didn't mail it in on the last year of the licence.

# 103 beecravey7 @ 02/29/12 11:49 AM

For those trying to cancel a fielder's throw, R1 should do the trick on the ps3 and probably that other system as well which would be RB i think. Does anyone know if the new system that makes pitches more effective and less effective based on how much you throw them can be turned off in case it is not implemented well or turns out to be a bad aspect of the game? Also I did notice some of the infield throws looked like a throw out of a windup which they threw perfectly straight over the top and took awhile to get rid of the ball. Overall a fun game.

# 104 tvman @ 02/29/12 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp121272


	I don't care for the overuse of a pitch thing. If a pitch is working, I see no reason a pitcher should suffer just because he's getting guys out. And, I don't see where giving up a hit should affect the rating of that pitch. Pitchers do not throw perfect games all the time and hits will be given up, and that does not mean the pitch quality is going downhill. Location is key and missing your location one time does not mean that same pitch loses efficiency unless we are supposed to pitch perfect games all the time.

I like the thought process behind implementing this kind of a system it's just that devs always overdo it. Same as with the pitcher confidence thing and that basically goes for all games.

# 105 anchorsteamer @ 02/29/12 12:08 PM

Played two brief games and my initial impressions are good--stronger than the 2k11 demo and, by most accounts, it should be a tighter game overall. I hope some of the strange camera angles are ironed out in the final product (after picking off a runner at second, the camera panned immediately to third base for no reason). Shadow jaggies still bother me and some awkward/rushed animations cut into the immersion experience, but I thought the stadium looked sharp and graphics overall improved. 2K made it a must buy for me by pairing it with NBA for $10 more, so I'll be playing MLB 2k12 after laying off 2k11.

# 106 pistolpete @ 02/29/12 12:15 PM

I would like to note the soft liners are gone. I am going to give this title a try on the PC this year.

# 107 bluengold34_OS @ 02/29/12 12:22 PM

Man, the more I play this demo...the more I like it. It just has a "fun" feeling to it. Can't wait to see what the finished product will be like.

Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

# 108 cnelly4 @ 02/29/12 12:28 PM

Really unimpressed with this demo. The players look like cartoons and all their bodies seem the same. I downloaded it to hear all the hype about the commentary only to find that there is none. Lucky for me, I have a PS3.

# 109 Neitmrh15 @ 02/29/12 12:42 PM

Anyone else have a problem with bunting still? My catcher goes for the ball and I can barely throw out the damn pitcher. The catcher just takes soooo long to react to the throw and sometimes I'll be running towards the ball with the catcher and it goes far enough that the pitcher takes over and I end up making him run backwards.

Also was not impressed that the opposing catcher actually turned a bunt until a double play because he had no trouble at all throwing the ball immediately.

Oberall the game feels like last years which is good, but I'm worried that the final product isn't going to fix many of the issues, and will probably introduce some new ones.

# 110 speedtrucker @ 02/29/12 01:08 PM

1st off, I haven't played a baseball game since MVP NCAA'06 on xbox but I have played the previous MLB2k demos.

things that stood out to me as odd or lacking.
-the road greys looked cartoonish, especially Holland on the mound and shadowed.
-the CPU fielding-to-throwing animation at times looked herky-jerky, had a runner on 2nd and had a defensive hit between 2nd and 1st, Kinsler was going to get to 3rd with ease but the 2nd baseman came up from his dive pumped to 3rd and then tossed to 1st but Andrus beat it out. also had a RF field the liner, pause and then go into set throw to 2nd but it didn't feel right. didn't happen all the time but sometimes it looked strange.
-shadows were jaggy, most notable on shadows cast by the bill of a players cap or helmet.
-sometimes fielders/pitchers don't cover the right bases. had a wildpitch with a runner on third, the ball actually bounced quickly back so I fielded it with catcher and had a perfectly green throw to home but for some reason my pitcher had started to run to 1st while my 1st baseman was attempting to cover home. so my catcher throws 10 feet up the line to my 1st baseman while the runner slides into home...

things that I think I just need to get used to.
-the user fielding felt very fast and didn't give me much time to react. I had a popfly to left that it felt like David Murphy was getting his first step in molasses. the ball ended up landing 3 feet in front me me.
-the throw meter doesn't feel as fluid as the pitching meter, I expected to have a "ramp up" feel like when pitching but most times it felt like starting and stopping a stopwatch. had 3 throwing errors and only 1 was on a diving play/quick throw. not to compare but MVP'06 had a "ramp up" feel to its throwing meter.

the demo showed me more promise than any of the previous demos I've played, I'm keeping my pre-order alive and hope that the final build is a bit more fluid and with added 2k commentary it keeps me entertained.

also the presentation looked pretty dang good as did the stadium and backdrop, despite it being a place that brings back such heartache from last season...

# 111 DirtyJerz32 @ 02/29/12 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluengold34_OS


	Man, the more I play this demo...the more I like it. It just has a "fun" feeling to it. Can't wait to see what the finished product will be like. Sent from my SGH-i917 using Board Express

This is all the matter to me. With baseball games if I'm not having fun, I'm not playing it.

# 112 BoTiger @ 02/29/12 02:01 PM

I'm glad I played the demo because if this game is an improvement over last year's, I'd hate to see that game. I'll stick to "The Show".

# 113 tvman @ 02/29/12 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoTiger


	I'm glad I played the demo because if this game is an improvement over last year's, I'd hate to see that game. I'll stick to "The Show".

Well bully for you.

# 114 thaSLAB @ 02/29/12 02:12 PM

My overall impression: a decent, fun, pick-up-and-play game

That said, I still don't find it to be my cup of tea. There are things that this series does well, and others not so well. From the demo, I can see some improvement from last year as it should be, but for the most part a lot of the things that turned me off to the series are still there.

Pluses

+ Commentary, of course. That's speaking from the series aspect, not the demo(s) that they always manage to omit their strongest suit from.

+ Stat tracking. They almost hit you over the head with them at times (which isn't a bad thing.)

+ Stadium accuracy (as it relates to physical details) - graphically, they are hit or miss.

+ I actually like the baserunning controls

Minuses

- The overall hurky-jerky animation transitions, funny looking running/diving animations, and zombie stares. Definitely gives you notice that you are playing a video game. Graphics themselves are not horrible, that is just the art style they went with.

- The game doesn't seem to know what speed to play at... meaning, sometimes animations are way too fast (the return throw from the catcher), other times its like a slosh pit (fielding in the outfield.)

- The fielding camera sometimes causes you to almost field "blindly". As if it can't keep up with the ball when put into play.

- The AI seems to struggle with basic baseball motions. I saw some wonky things like outfielders running towards 3rd base for no apparent reason, after a fly ball. The AI pauses on routine plays in the infield.

- The pitch usage concept is definitely overdone, IMO. Maybe it's just the implementation, but the punishments or bonuses don't seem to have a rhyme or reason, other than to get you to mix it up. Problem is (and I LMAO as I type this) "sometimes mixing it up, means going to the exact same pitch in the exact same location." - if its an effective pitch, you shouldn't be penalized just because you threw it twice in a row.

Anyway, my negatives are getting too long, which is why I say it's not my cup of tea, but by no means is it the worst thing ever.

# 115 jeagles5 @ 02/29/12 02:18 PM

Has anyone played both Demos from PS3 & Xbox360 to compare?

# 116 dolemint @ 02/29/12 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tvman


	I like the thought process behind implementing this kind of a system it's just that devs always overdo it. Same as with the pitcher confidence thing and that basically goes for all games.

Agreed about the pitcher confidence being overdone (at least in past years, probably this one too though).

I think the new system of mixing up the pitches is in place partly because of the perfect game challenge. I read that the winner tended to spam a particular pitch in a certain location, so this appears to be their response to that abuse. It didn't feel overdone in the demo, but then again it's only 3 innings. It felt truer to real life which is a good thing.

One thing that might cause concern down the line is the upgrading/downgrading of pitches. Seemed like any kind of hit will lower a pitch's rating but the only way to increase it is to pitch a strikeout with it. By the 7th inning your pitches could be sorta crappy if your guy's not a strikeout pitcher, even if he's having a pretty good game.

# 117 Cavicchi @ 02/29/12 02:52 PM

I said my piece earlier about that penalty business for using pitches, and I just don't think it belongs in any baseball game.

Overall, I don't see that much difference from 2K11, except the infield plays look more reasonable and not all those soft liners. Now, for me, and this is just me, auto fielding is what kills 2K11. If they improved it, then I could see getting the game, even though I am already committed to buying The Show.

The demo showed reasonable auto fielding in the few games I played, but that could change in the final version or when playing franchise mode.

I was surprised Yu Darvish was not on the Rangers. Maybe he'll be in the final version. Anyway, 3 innings is way too short to really get to know a game. You can't use pitch hitters and can't use your bullpen. I know about the commentary, so that wasn't necessary for me, it's great!

What I would have liked to see is after hitting a HR, the next batter up giving him a high five or something, as opposed to not even seeing the next batter. Hitting a homer seemed kind of cut and dry.

If they are going to penalize us for using a pitch too often or if it gets hit, then I want to see how that affects the CPU pitchers as well.

# 118 tvman @ 02/29/12 03:57 PM

I let the demo play out and just watched, Feliz vs Westbrook.

Game played out pretty well, there were a few pinch running subs etc. everything seemed fine. It gets into the 8th inning and Feiz is still pitching, comes up to bat makes an out then the next inning Lowe is in to pitch

It appears as though they haven't fixed that.

# 119 liberaluser @ 02/29/12 03:58 PM

Doesn't the game already penalize you for getting pitches hit against the batter (the red numbers next to pitch type)? The color coded alerts that make pitches completely worthless could, in the long run, ruin the pitching game that 2k is so praised about.

# 120 orion523 @ 02/29/12 03:58 PM

I think it's great, I especially love the batter/pitcher battles which really seem to have depth, drawing you in to every at bat. I could care less if the jersey's don't wrinkle realistically enough, gameplay is what matters and this game has that area nailed.

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