MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

[econoodle]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

That's it in a nutshell for me. I know we are in times when information is so easily obtained, so the style in which 2K puts out info is odd to some, but there is a very unhealthy gaming culture these days that expects a great amount.

Gone are the days of me driving to the mall on release day and watching two TVs suspended from the ceiling in Babbages showing the most recent release. I can remember trying to persuade them to put different titles up there.

Damn, u just went really old school. lol

I remember the days

but yea, its 2k strategy.
But they have such bad will with people over the baseball franchise, plus it sells like junk, which makes me think they should rethink the marketing strategy for this game.
Its different for the NBA game which has the fans wrapped around their finger. They could release a trailer and people would buy it.

This game? they need to turn it up a notch and try something different, give the fans way more then they expect.

for the final month i would do something called, Once A Day, All The Way.
Thy could put out a piece of info every day all the way to release.
Could be as something small as focusing on announcing changes down to a feature in franchise.

[Doormat]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

...Less than 2 months 'till release date and all we have as "info" is Roy Holladay as the guy in the cover, a few screen shots, a little more better animations for fielding, and... another 1 million dollar reward.

[bigfnjoe96]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

This is how 2K Markets. It's been this way every year since the Next-Gen jump. Why are people acting surprised? That's why yesterday I posted

"It is what it Is"

I know people want info but I've also learned to be cautiously optimistic with the MLB Series. I've also learned to take anything Ronnie says with a grain of salt.

I'm also from the ol school that "No News is Good News"

[Zastrin]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

I have high hopes for this game, especially after the release of NBA 2K11, there should be no reason why this game wont be as good.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

Gross just Gross, I really try and stay optimistic with any baseball game, but this is very annoying. Its like its the first inning and 2K's starter just gave up a grand slam....
Not a good start.

I can understand the disappointment. But can you tell me how this affects the quality of the game you will play in March?

[YanksFan4Life]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

i betcha 2k11 is just 2k10 with new lighting and player models.....

[EnigmaNemesis]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

I wouldn't read too much into it. They do this with NBA too. For some reason, they just like to save all the real info for the last few weeks. As we've discussed several times before in other threads, it's a pretty lame marketing strategy, but it's just 2K's way.

Here's how Ronnie put it on twitter:



Yeah it sucks, but it's just how their marketing does it, no matter what the game is like.

Yes, but every year with the baseball game... And he says not give everything away? They are giving nothing away at all. While the competition has created head way.

I think it is more the fact that they know their sales are the 360, thus they have no push.

If The Show was on the 360 too, you bet your *** the information would have to come out.

They get away with it with Basketball as well, cause there again, is no competition.

They have done this with the jump to next gen (same time the exclusive deal they nabbed), because they are only on the 360, last gen they had to compete with everyone, so their competition forced their hand.

I find it ironic it all started with the exclusive deal, because when there was 5 baseball games on the market, they were not this sloth.

I am not saying it has to be the level of The Show, not at all... but at least something, seriously. Not tooting your horn from a $60 lottery ticket. Almost like you think that sells your game more, than what content you put in it. That is the impression most are getting judging by this thread.

This is the information era, not the 1980s-90s where it was not as prevalent. They need to adapt.

[jeffy777]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

This is how 2K Markets. It's been this way every year since the Next-Gen jump. Why are people acting surprised? That's why yesterday I posted

"It is what it Is"

Yup. This is nothing new. I dislike their marketing strategy as much as anyone, but we'll have plenty of info soon enough. Once Febuary rolls around, they'll be a steady stream of solid info, just like last year.

This is the information era, not the 1980s-90s where it was not as prevalent. They need to adapt.

I agree, but I doubt they ever will unless their marketing division gets a total facelift or something. But again, as long as the game is good, I can live with the poor marketing.

[DaveDQ]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

Yes, but every year with the baseball game... And he says not give everything away? They are giving nothing away at all. While the competition has created head way.

I think it is more the fact that they know their sales are the 360, thus they have no push.

If The Show was on the 360 too, you bet your *** the information would have to come out.

They get away with it with Basketball as well, cause there again, is no competition.

They have done this with the jump to next gen (same time the exclusive deal they nabbed), because they are only on the 360, last gen they had to compete with everyone, so their competition forced their hand.

I find it ironic it all started with the exclusive deal, because when there was 5 baseball games on the market, they were not this sloth.

I am not saying it has to be the level of The Show, not at all... but at least something, seriously. Not tooting your horn from a $60 lottery ticket. Almost like you think that sells your game more, than what content you put in it. That is the impression most are getting judging by this thread.

This is the information era, not the 1980s-90s where it was not as prevalent. They need to adapt.

I agree with what you are saying. 2K's MLB franchise has been a very messy experience on current gen consoles. MLB 2K6 had the terrible freezing problem. It was hit or miss, but I remember these forums being lit up because of it. 2K7 showed promise but was still lacking. then there was the Ben Brinkman situation, where he spoke of a multi-year process, and because he had success with the MVP franchise, people expected great things. It never happened with MLB 2K. Their game has improved since moving to VC, but those 3-4 years really hurt the franchise. Especially with the game across the street (the show) doing so well.

Now this year you have comments from Take 2 that the semi-exclusive deal was probably a negative. No one from PR/marketing cleaned that up, and I have seen several times here on the boards where people make comments about 2K coasting with this game and not really caring. That's not what they meant but that's the image they created. Even though they have the 3rd party exclusive, this game is an uphill battle for them. It just doesn't have a theme of quality.

[BlackBetty15]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

Great insight there, guys.

I can't help but feel they are hiding something. Or trying to. Like they have a disaster on their hands and they keep delaying information.

And quit patting yourselves on the back for this $1 million nonsense. Except for the guy who won, nobody cares.

A 1 in 10,000,000 chance of winning of $1 million isn't going to make me want to buy some piece of junk game, if that's what this title turns out to be.

^^^^This

Rememebr how we were all hopeful after 2k7? The question of the year was that this game was great...did you guys fix the framerate. He kinda gave this feeling like he avoided the question and didnt say anything about it. We when the game shipped we found out why. The graphics were so bad I thought it was a mid cycle game, the framrate was bad, I think you had to turn off the profile tracking system to get it to play, and the lighting in stadiums were broke...so much in fact when 2k9 came out that was a main feature!!!! Whatever...competition needs to be in the market for 2K. Its why I bought a PS3 honestly.

[EarlyBaba]

Let's talk about (and bring back) a good marketing gimmick to cover up a bad game.

[Philly Fanatic]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

I can understand the disappointment. But can you tell me how this affects the quality of the game you will play in March?

Are you serious ? They're already dodging info about the game. That's not a good sign about what they'll be releasing this year.

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

It is a sad state when customers clamor to be marketed to.

How many pages can we fill with complaints that we just aren't getting good enough commercials?

[EnigmaNemesis]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

It is a sad state when customers clamor to be marketed to.

How many pages can we fill with complaints that we just aren't getting good enough commercials?

Customers are not asking to be marketed to, they are asking for information on a game.



Do they want to sell a baseball game? Or do they want to sell a $60 lottery ticket? See the divide?

[spankdatazz22]

Re: MLB 2K11 Developer Insight #1 - Marketing Looks Back at MLB 2K10

Customers are not asking to be marketed to, they are asking for information on a game.



Do they want to sell a baseball game? Or do they want to sell a $60 lottery ticket? See the divide?

People here do love being marketed to - it happens year in and year out. Just last year with the basketball games (2K10), people were faulting 2K for not putting out information at the same clip the NBA Live folks were doing. There were some that laughably said the game might be delayed.

I can understand the frustration from some wanting info NOW, but a lot of it seems because The Show has begun releasing information. If the roles were reversed, would there be cause for concern with The Show? It's still relatively early. The game is still almost 2months away - I'd like to hear what the game has going for it but I don't think there's much of a difference if they released info today or a few weeks from now (a month or so prior to release).