SackAttack
02-02-2005, 12:36 AM
As with the MLBPA deal, the MLBP/MLBAM licensing deals set Take-Two up as "third party exclusive publishers," with exclusive rights to use MLBP properties (team names, logos, etc), and MLB Advanced Media content, which is a little more nebulous. This also means Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft may publish baseball titles, if they so choose, but among third parties, Take-Two is it. EA won't be able to 'co-brand' their game with Microsoft, for instance, to circumvent the licensing restrictions. The deals are apparently for either 7 or 8 years in duration (the MLBPA deal was 5 years, if I recall rightly).
The licenses also apparently include exclusive PC rights, so I suspect we're going to see Take-Two publishing Major League Baseball 2k6 on PC, where Sega would never have done so.
Perhaps most encouraging, Take-Two apparently intends to include "manager-style games" among their myriad baseball offerings (including baseball titles for the PSP and DS, hooray).
And, finally, Take-Two plans to release games year-round, rather than just in the spring. Could be an interesting move, particularly their plans to target the holidays. Not sure how well that will work out with football and basketball in full swing, but we'll find out, I suppose.
My biggest question in all of this is, with the third-party rights secured, is Take-Two going to take on Nintendo's recently-announced baseball game, or just focus on PS2, Xbox, DS, PSP, PC, and the next-gen consoles?
The licenses also apparently include exclusive PC rights, so I suspect we're going to see Take-Two publishing Major League Baseball 2k6 on PC, where Sega would never have done so.
Perhaps most encouraging, Take-Two apparently intends to include "manager-style games" among their myriad baseball offerings (including baseball titles for the PSP and DS, hooray).
And, finally, Take-Two plans to release games year-round, rather than just in the spring. Could be an interesting move, particularly their plans to target the holidays. Not sure how well that will work out with football and basketball in full swing, but we'll find out, I suppose.
My biggest question in all of this is, with the third-party rights secured, is Take-Two going to take on Nintendo's recently-announced baseball game, or just focus on PS2, Xbox, DS, PSP, PC, and the next-gen consoles?