NHL 2K11 Cover Athlete is Ryan Kesler

[Money99]

According to Globe Sports, Ryan Kesler has been named cover athlete for NHL 2K11.

"At the recent Olympics, he scored in the men's hockey final and emerged with a silver medal as part of an impressive young U.S. team. Since returning to the Vancouver Canucks, he has three goals in four games — with two of those goals coming in Detroit near where he grew up in Livonia.

And now the 25-year-old can celebrate being the cover athlete for the NHL 2K11 video game, following in the footsteps of Alexander Ovechkin, Rick Nash, Jason Spezza, Joe Thornton, Marty Turco, Martin St. Louis, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Drury and Brendan Shanahan.

Kesler calls it the “icing on the cake” after his Olympic experience.

“Everything just keeps getting better for me,” he told The Canadian Press. “I'm very excited."

[Flyermania]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

Or maybe they actually hired one.

I like the choice, but it's not a name/player casual fans are going to really recognize.

[Money99]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

Or maybe they actually hired one.

I like the choice, but it's not a name/player casual fans are going to really recognize.

I agree.
But I think it's a great sign though. Obviously someone in marketing got their head out of their butt and picked a player that is recognizable to the US and was a big face to the US Olympic team.
But bigger yet was they didn't wait until July to capitalize on something that occurred in February.
This to me is a huge sign that Take-Two actually gives a crap about it's hockey game.

In the end, maybe their strategy was to blow everyone away with a great, great Wii game so when they did return to the 360/PS3 more attention would be drawn to next-gen as well?
If that's the end game (and I hope it is), it could be a great marketing scheme.

[Sabresfan2630]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

Is there a way to vote for the guy we want on the cover?

[DrJones]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

You guys know that this game is essentially a Wii port of 2K10, right? My 2K sources tell me that their NHL series is unofficially dead.

EDIT: Shoulda looked at the forum, apparently that info was announced this week. I'll be REALLY surprised if there's a 2K12 in any shape or form, however.

[daflyboys]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

They picked the wrong Ryan.


Re: the Olympics


Dumb.

[Bellsprout]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

I badly want the cover picture to be of him diving for the puck to score that empty netter at the end of the first Canada game.

[Shadow71]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

Kesler = awesome

[Madman55]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

I badly want the cover picture to be of him diving for the puck to score that empty netter at the end of the first Canada game.

Possibly him receiving his silver medal?

[Bellsprout]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

Considering this is the best pic I could find of that goal, disregard my idea:

[Flyermania]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

Considering this is the best pic I could find of that goal, disregard my idea:

That certainly doesn't look like "Is Party Now"

[Money99]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

The one thing that confuses me is how Take-Two's CEO makes a point to say how popular the Wii version was in Canada and yet they choose Kesler for the cover?

Maybe it's because they know it'll sell in Canada regardless of who the coveryboy is and Kesler will draw more fans from the US?

[Bellsprout]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

The one thing that confuses me is how Take-Two's CEO makes a point to say how popular the Wii version was in Canada and yet they choose Kesler for the cover?

Maybe it's because they know it'll sell in Canada regardless of who the coveryboy is and Kesler will draw more fans from the US?

He appeals to both. Plays for Vancouver, played for the Americans.

It's actually pretty smart.

[DrJones]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

I live in Vancouver and am a Canucks fan, but Kesler is the most obscure player to ever be a coverboy for an NHL title. Having some experience with how these things operate, I'm guessing Kesler had a pre-existing deal with 2K from last year for mocap/marketing purposes, and it was tweaked. In other words, Ryan Miller would've cost more, and it's not worth it for less than a full release.

[Bellsprout]

Re: Ryan Kesler Cover boy for 2K11

EA will leap at the chance to get Ryan Miller.

Hell, they might already have an agreement with him, leading 2K to go to a second choice. (Or third. Parise was pretty noticeable to Joe Public during the Olympics)