Hate to admit it, but 2K needs to get out of the baseball video game market - BigBlue's Blog

BigBlue's Blog

Hate to admit it, but 2K needs to get out of the baseball video game market

Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:01 PM.

There, I said it. I was one of those optimistic 2K fans holding out hope for an improved 2K12 experience. The only things I wanted improved from last year's game were: fixed check swings, and smoother transitions between animations. Better face mappings were a bonus for me.

What did we get instead? The double switch zombie glitch. The Carlos Zambrano dump on the mound after serving up a homer. Terrible base running AI. Ugly upright, head up base running animations. Unresponsive baserunning controls. Outfielders running in quicksand. Infielders reacting late to grounders. Awkward animation transitions. Foul ball slowdowns.

Seriously, 2k? And then we have to wait until May for a patch? Man, this is just brutal. What in this green earth possessed you guys to mess around so much with the base running dept? All that to add rounding the bases? It just doesn't seem worth it now. Should've just left it alone.

Please just do us all a favor 2k, patch the darn thing and then disappear from the market the way you did with the NFL, NHL, and college game. I'm not falling into your trap anymore.

A customer and a fan no more.

BigBlue

Comments

# 1 mike24forever @ Mar 13

There is a solution. Buy a PS3 and The Show.

# 2 hahjrb @ Mar 14

"came straight from the gods"

Best quote possible for The Show!

# 3 BigBlue @ Mar 14

Thanks for the responses, guys. I really don't want to buy another console just to play the Show. All of my buds are Xboxers. I used to play the show on PS2 and I loved it then. But I'm at a point where I just can't make the case to buy another piece of hardware. It's too bad that the Show is an exclusive title. I'm not holding out too much hope for EA either given their track record with Madden. I guess I just have to accept the fact that it is what it is.

I see the NBA game heading down the same path. NBA2K11 was an amazing game. 2K12 changed too many things and failed to add the ability to play with classic teams online. 2K12 removed the ability to play online unranked games with custom sliders and fouls. That was the last straw for me.

All I'm asking for from 2K is to patch this baseball game properly without breaking something else (like check swings) and then fade away like we all expect them to. I do miss the good old days when there were competing companies.

BigBlue

# 4 tril @ Mar 14

dude you are way off base!!!!, especially with the NBA comment.
wanting a sports gaming company like 2k to disappear, is really stretching it, dont you think.
2k has had some great innovations for the sports gaming market. The analog controls are supereb, so much so that The Show had no choice but to implement this. This year The SHow has gotten the analog stick correct. but last year it was very awkward.
2ks pitching mechanics, and now with the fielding with the execution of the throw meter, are all solid

pulse pitching and the fluctuating pitcher ratings are both great and equivalent features.

and lets not forget about commentary and presentation.

aside from a few quirky bugs found in 2k12, and the graphics. 2k12 is actualy a quality baseball game. its not the SHOW but its still a solid title.
for the record The SHOW also has a bunch of quirky bugs also. like catchers not going for foul pop ups that are directly beside them. thats the one bug that really gets on my nerves. check the SHOW bug page and youll see they have some issues also.

# 5 BigBlue @ Mar 14

tril,

You're absolutely right. I am off base about the NBA stuff. I'm curious to see what they do this year as nba2k12 didn't build upon what they had last year. They decided to revamp the game and left stuff off. I hate playing 10 min quarters online against my friends using 'SIM' and not seeing fouls until 2 min left in the first quarter. I want to customize my online games. I want to play with classic teams online. And they took away the team-up option from what I remember.

Back to baseball. I love the pitching mechanism. I love the hitting. Why'd they change the baserunning? It was fine last year. All just so that they could have the runners round the bases more naturally? It was a terrible decision and one I hope is corrected with the patch. I really don't want 2K to disappear. We need competing companies. It's just that I'm not going to allow myself to run out and buy their games on release day anymore.

BigBlue

# 6 jyoung @ Mar 14

If you don't want to get a PS3, try MLB Bobblehead Pros for the 360.

It's only $10 and it plays a great game of baseball.

# 7 jersez @ Mar 15

I'm not a big baseball fan but I brought the show and I'm amazed at how realistic a sports game can be. wow but I disagree with 2k being out of the baseball business, simply because of competitiveness. I think competition makes the games better. Forcing the devs to be innovative and bring a new level of realism.

# 8 bobtrain @ Mar 15

We just need two games on each console each year. If EA and 2k went to bat (no pun) each year in all sports games, we'd see inovation, because everyone steals ideals and tries to implement them better. Look at Steve Jobs and his Awesome Phone. He didn't invent the phone, he made it awesome. We need an Awesome Game, or a Steve Jobs in the sports gaming community.

# 9 BlackRome @ Mar 15

The show still sucks online. You and your buds won't be playing it online. Keep your money.

# 10 acarrero @ Mar 15

I like 2k12. Best in series in a while.

# 11 Eski33 @ Mar 16

I think MVP 2005 for XBox is backward compatible. Madden aside, EAs MVP series was outstanding and with development time could rival The Show.

I love The Show but I yearn for the return of MVP to have options.

# 12 PackerBacker123 @ Mar 17

OK, everyone here has made great points..but I wouldn't think anyone would buy a ps3 for one game, or buy bobble heads PRO for a simulation. I also think that MVP 2005's graphics are so behind that it is difficult to play. I also liked the apple reference bobtrain.

# 13 22cedric @ Mar 17

Hopefully MVP Baseball can make a comeback in the future.

# 14 tril @ Mar 19

PackerBAcker,
I initially bought a PS3 just for MLB THE SHOW, CH2k8, and NBA 2k8 since then my library has expanded. but I played those 2 games for a while before buying more games. I played the NBA series on PC back in 09 and have been on a pc since then. same thing for the MLB 2k series.