Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

[rockchisler]

Kush Games is now defunct..

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3167973

[DickDalewood]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

Thank GOD.

[miamimarlins1]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

There has to be a lot more to this story, like who's to blame for this crappy game, Brinkman or 2K. I wonder if he was forced out or resigned. Very interesting story

[Blzer]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

I don't expect them to bounce back in a year's time, but I expect a much better game for 2K9.

I wonder if they'll go along with any plans Brinkman originally had for the third year installment.

[sportsdude]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

Thank GOD.

lol. I still enjoy 2k8, but this was QFT. Every good 2k baseball game has been made by VC so hopefully we'll be enjoying something sweet next year.

[Peter_OS]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

Let's hope they start from the ground up with the baseball game.

[jim416]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

But more interesting to us, and dooming to the prospect of MLB 2K9 being a gem, is the LinkedIn page of Ben Brinkman, the man behind the last two games in the MLB 2K series (and the series' supposed savior). The page states that Brinkman is now working for Activision. We've since confirmed that Brinkman has left 2K, and we are looking for more info on what he'll be working on going forward.

Won't be Brinkman I guess. I hope this game straightens itself out next year.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

There has to be a lot more to this story, like who's to blame for this crappy game, Brinkman or 2K. I wonder if he was forced out or resigned. Very interesting story

Brinkman essentially resigned after 2K LA closed its doors at the end of March. Development of the franchise was moving to Visual Concepts and he did not feel like relocating his family. Let's not make a story here out of a simple decision to chose family over career (which is wise, in my opinion).

As for the development of 2K9, only time will tell which direction Visual Concepts will take. I see three options.

1. Visual Concepts can take the existing engine, smooth out the frame rate, etc.
2. Build a new baseball title from scratch.
3. Localize a product like Pro Yakyu Spirits.

I think one is most likely, three the least. I would also like to know where Blue Castle is in all of this. It developed The Bigs, and did play a roll in 2K8. Visual Concepts could hand off development to them.

Heck, now that I think about it... Blue Castle is NOT working on a new version of The Bigs. Everyone was wondering why. It could have begun work on 2K9 before 2K8 even finished.

[brendanrfoley]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

I am beginning to believe MLB 2K9 is being developed by Blue Castle Games.

I found this from Blue Castle's website and job listings...

Blue Castle has already developed and shipped The BIGS (published by 2K Sports in June 2007) on PS3, 360, PS2, PSP and Wii. We are well underway on three new projects - an unannounced Action title and two Sports titles.

[jbishop1702]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

Good find... it'll be interesting to see.

I must say that I was pretty disappointed with what 2K did with 2K8. Don't get me wrong, there were so great things in the product, but the end result from 2K7-2K8 seemed a lot like 2 steps forward, 1 step back.

[SFGiantsPBA]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

Whatever they do I hope they realize that Total Control is a must have even the MVP College series was starting to go that route and I do believe it is what separates it from other games.

MLB 2K8 without Total Control would have been a crap game!

[PSU_DW2]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

Whoever is leading this title should play a few games of Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 and see what a real simulation game of baseball looks like. Ben Brinkman made some decisions during development of MLB 2K7 that frankly, were not fair to gamers.

Whoever is leading this game should make sure that programmers actually fix bugs rather than just taking out features so that the bugs don't appear anymore.

[Tomba]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

ohh brinkman resigned?

[Money99]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

There has to be a lot more to this story, like who's to blame for this crappy game, Brinkman or 2K. I wonder if he was forced out or resigned. Very interesting story

My guess is that Brinkman was tired of trying to fix a leaky ship.
The code in the MLB series is older than the Dreamcast.

He's probably glad to be gone.

Whoever is leading this title should play a few games of Pro Yakyuu Spirits 5 and see what a real simulation game of baseball looks like. Ben Brinkman made some decisions during development of MLB 2K7 that frankly, were not fair to gamers.

Whoever is leading this game should make sure that programmers actually fix bugs rather than just taking out features so that the bugs don't appear anymore.

The game really needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.
And please, please VC! Get rid of that dumb jersey 'blowing in the wind' engine. It's like Hurricane Andrew is attending every game.

[StriderNo9]

Re: Visual Concepts will make MLB 09 and NHL 09

Should I bring back my "redo" thread now? I mean come on, thats exactly what it was, a leaky old ship from 1999. This needs a brand new redo, take 2 years if you need but dont give us the same code, brand new engine. VC is good. I have faith.