When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

[DaveDQ]

If you consider the quality of product that 2K Sports has given the consumer in the past year, do you really trust that MLB 2K10 will be something of substantial value? I want it to be. I don't own a PS3, etc. etc. So, 2K baseball is it for me, making my only hope to be in 2K Sports.

But to be honest, I highly doubt a game like 2K10 will be anything but average. Take for example their bread and butter, NBA 2K. The online portion of that game is below average and has seen little support. You may say, "I don't care about online." Okay, consider then the initial release of NBA 2K. With the hitches and issues the game came shipped with, you would think it was their first showing in this generation of consoles.

Whether it be because they aren't adaquately staffed, or that they are too busy putting energy into other below-average products (Front Office Manager), I simply don't see 2K Sports doing much at all with MLB 2K.

It's a shame too.

[Jamin23]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

2k has the potential to make a good game if they wanted too, but they have to put the time and effort into making it. The only reason I give hope every year is because this is the only game that I have a choice of if I want to play a baseball game. Last year I went without a baseball game and it was not easy, so I hope this year they at least gave an effort to make a game that is playable.

[baa7]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

If you consider the quality of product that 2K Sports has given the consumer in the past year, do you really trust that MLB 2K10 will be something of substantial value?

I highly doubt a game like 2K10 will be anything but average.

That's my position as well. And it's been that way for me since the 2K5 series of games. 2K hasn't released a complete, quality hockey or baseball game since then. I don't get my hopes up anymore.

That said, some aspects of both MLB 2K9 and NHL 2K9 were exceptional and beyond anything that SCEA and EA currently have in their games. I'm interested to see if 2K can finally build on their success, or if they once again take one step forward and two back.

[PVarck31]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

The pressure is on VC now. Take Two has even come out publicly and threw MLB 2K under the bus. There are also rumblings that MLB is not happy with the game. Its sink or swim time for MLB 2K. Let hope this lights a fire under them.

[spankdatazz22]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

But to be honest, I highly doubt a game like 2K10 will be anything but average. Take for example their bread and butter, NBA 2K. The online portion of that game is below average and has seen little support. You may say, "I don't care about online." Okay, consider then the initial release of NBA 2K. With the hitches and issues the game came shipped with, you would think it was their first showing in this generation of consoles.

I can't speak to NBA2K10's performance online but I think you casually disregard everything they tried to incorporate w/that game. It's arguably the most feature-rich sports title to date given NBA Today, My Player, one of the top franchise modes available in Association, and Blacktop mode. Most of which is online-enabled. I'd argue they perhaps are trying to do too much, given some people refuse to see the forest through the trees. There's a tremendous amount of content in that game for a sports title, yet you're focusing on one aspect and seem to be inferring that the title itself should be considered mediocre or that 2K "doesn't care" because of that.

In regards to MLB2k10, last year's game was Visual Concept's first crack since taking over development. It'd be nice to see people give them the same amount of time most seem willing to give Tiburon in their effort to get Madden straight, but my guess is they won't - even though that situation is even more restrictive than this one. I think MLB2K10 will be a solid title given Visual Concept's track record. I think the game has a decent/good foundation with what they're doing in terms of right-stick pitching/hitting/throwing, and I think what they started with real-time presentation and interruptible commentary were innovative and can be built on - things I've read many people would like to see in The Show. I don't think 2K10 will be as refined as The Show 10 will be, and probably won't be as refined as The Show '09. But I do think 2K is showing promise/innovation in key areas, and they deserve the chance to make the game good. At least as much chance as people are willing to give other sports titles.

[myghty]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

Here is to hoping that this will be the 3rd year of their 3 year plan which was set up 5 years ago...

[Artman22]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

To me NBA 2k10 is the best baseketball game out, and I like the game a lot so with that said. I think the only game that has failed so far is NHL 2k10. With that said I don't have hope for MLB 2k10, but I don't doubt they can make a good game.

[DaveDQ]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

I can't speak to NBA2K10's performance online but I think you casually disregard everything they tried to incorporate w/that game. It's arguably the most feature-rich sports title to date given NBA Today, My Player, one of the top franchise modes available in Association, and Blacktop mode. Most of which is online-enabled. I'd argue they perhaps are trying to do too much, given some people refuse to see the forest through the trees. There's a tremendous amount of content in that game for a sports title, yet you're focusing on one aspect and seem to be inferring that the title itself should be considered mediocre or that 2K "doesn't care" because of that.

In regards to MLB2k10, last year's game was Visual Concept's first crack since taking over development. It'd be nice to see people give them the same amount of time most seem willing to give Tiburon in their effort to get Madden straight, but my guess is they won't - even though that situation is even more restrictive than this one. I think MLB2K10 will be a solid title given Visual Concept's track record. I think the game has a decent/good foundation with what they're doing in terms of right-stick pitching/hitting/throwing, and I think what they started with real-time presentation and interruptible commentary were innovative and can be built on - things I've read many people would like to see in The Show. I don't think 2K10 will be as refined as The Show 10 will be, and probably won't be as refined as The Show '09. But I do think 2K is showing promise/innovation in key areas, and they deserve the chance to make the game good. At least as much chance as people are willing to give other sports titles.

That's all nice but the bottom line is 2K Sports has not put out a quality baseball title since this current generation of consoles existed. We can keep making excuse for the title, but the reality is that all of their titles suffer from some type of malfunction.

Do other games? Sure. Everyone loves to talk about how great The Show is but they still can't deliver in the online portion of the game.

[Pared]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

That's all nice but the bottom line is 2K Sports has not put out a quality baseball title since this current generation of consoles existed. We can keep making excuse for the title, but the reality is that all of their titles suffer from some type of malfunction.

Do other games? Sure. Everyone loves to talk about how great The Show is but they still can't deliver in the online portion of the game.

And who developed 3 of the 4 titles released?

They were all published under "2k Sports" a division of Take Two Interactive... but who was the developer THEN and who is the developer now?

Anyone....? Key point here.

[nemesis04]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

And who developed 3 of the 4 titles released?

They were all published under "2k Sports" a division of Take Two Interactive... but who was the developer THEN and who is the developer now?

Anyone....? Key point here.

Kush- 3 times
VC- 1 time

[Pared]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

DING DING DING!

Coming through in the clutch!

Now imagine everything VC must do to get rid of all the crap Kush put into the game... Can you even think of how much stuff doesn't make sense when breaking down the game... and why things happen a certain way?

You have to find all the garbage, gut it, make sure you don't break anything, implement new things, hope they don't conflict... all while trying to make a genre-leading baseball game.

Quite the feat for them. Must be awfully difficult to do.

[DaveDQ]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

DING DING DING!

Coming through in the clutch!

Now imagine everything VC must do to get rid of all the crap Kush put into the game... Can you even think of how much stuff doesn't make sense when breaking down the game... and why things happen a certain way?

You have to find all the garbage, gut it, make sure you don't break anything, implement new things, hope they don't conflict... all while trying to make a genre-leading baseball game.

Quite the feat for them. Must be awfully difficult to do.

Who paid for the MLB exclusive 3rd party license? Take Two Interactive, and they should have considered the challenges ahead of them. Not to mention that agreeing to a third party exclusive is idiotic. You leave the door open for the 1st party to make your game inferior. They are actually fortunate that MS hasn't done anything with High Heat.

Take Two is responsible for the shortcomings of 2K Sports. I'm still very much aware of what VC was doing years before other developers were, and doing it rather well; however, given the performance of 2K Sports in this generation, I doubt 2K Baseball will prove to be anything but average.

[Pared]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

I don't disagree that Take Two's management of the entire situation hasn't been the most stellar.

With that said, what is the point of this post other than to say "I think this game will still suck" albeit in a well formed way?

[DaveDQ]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

With that said, what is the point of this post other than to say "I think this game will still suck" albeit in a well formed way?

I was doing some reading in anticipation of MLB 2K10 and thought it would be something interesting to talk about. I for one don't think the 2K Sports lineup has been something worth highlighting, but I don't think MLB 2K sucks. I just don't count on much of an improvement. So, I was just striking conversation about that.

[Artman22]

Re: When You Look At Their Other Titles, Why MLB 2K10?

DING DING DING!

Coming through in the clutch!

Now imagine everything VC must do to get rid of all the crap Kush put into the game... Can you even think of how much stuff doesn't make sense when breaking down the game... and why things happen a certain way?

You have to find all the garbage, gut it, make sure you don't break anything, implement new things, hope they don't conflict... all while trying to make a genre-leading baseball game.

Quite the feat for them. Must be awfully difficult to do.

I agree with this. Kush was a complete disaster, and I'm sure it took a lot of work to fix the mess they left behind..