MLB 2K12 News Post

MLB 2K12 Demo Available Now, Post Impressions Here

05:46 AM - February 28, 2012 by Steve_OS

The MLB 2K12 demo is available now. Play a few games and post your impressions here.

Read the full press release below.

2K Sports Announces Major League Baseball 2K12 Demo
Now Available on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and PlayStation Network

Features Texas Rangers against St. Louis Cardinals in
rematch of 2011 World Series

New York, NY – February 28, 2012 – 2K Sports today announced that a free demo of Major League Baseball® 2K12 is now available on the Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

The demo allows players to relive 2011’s thrilling, back-and-forth World Series and play three innings as the Texas Rangers or St. Louis Cardinals. In addition, it showcases many of MLB 2K12’s improved features, including the dynamic tendencies system that adjusts pitcher and batter ratings as the game unfolds; a revamped throwing system; and a new hit distribution system with more varied and realistic hit types.

This year’s edition of MLB 2K will allow players to experience the authenticity and excitement of a real baseball game, and also a chance to win $1,000,000. The Perfect Game Challenge returns for the third consecutive year with MLB 2K12, and is bigger than ever. The new format will utilize a dynamic leaderboard that ranks the top eight perfect games thrown. At the end of the competition, the top eight competitors will face each other in a live $1 million tournament.

MLB 2K12 is rated E for everyone by the ESRB and will be available March 6, 2012 for Xbox 360, PlayStation®3, Wii™ system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Nintendo DS™ and Windows PC.

Major League Baseball 2K12 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: Major League Baseball 2K12 Reader Score: 6.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 12 - View All

Major League Baseball 2K12 Videos

Member Comments

# 201 rocket21 @ 03/03/12 12:38 AM

I am just happy that it is finally running smoothly (or seems to be at least). I'm not a guy who has to have world-class graphics in every game I play. I just want the game to be fun and not lock up every three innings.

# 202 Hopeful Cubsfan @ 03/03/12 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedtrucker


	WOW! honestly I never knew that and it probably save my purchase... I had played probably 5 more 3-inning rounds since my original thoughts and was ready to revise my thoughts negatively and cancel my pre-order until I read the above. my settings were defaulted to Hard and it was taking the fun out of the game and beating me over the head with the throwing meter. I was furious that Beltre who is a golden glover didn't have more than a sliver of green on simple grounders. replaying the demo on "normal" made so much difference, this game is actually quite enjoyable and with sliders it will be a ton better. still the away Grey uniforms look too cartoonish compared to the home whites. I like that the CPU pitchers can feel "human" at times, not programmed to start missing the strikezone randomly but rather it felt like a combination of loss of composure and the ump squeezing them due to lack of control.

It's funny you say that, because I feel it is a lot better on 'Hard'. I threw a perfect game in 3 innings with Ogando, and it wasn't very challenging. On hard, the throw meter actually makes sense, because you HAVE to plant your feet in order to get a bigger green bar. If you are preloading every throw while on the move like it was easy to in 2k11, then this new system will kick your butt.

# 203 Cavicchi @ 03/03/12 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Profit89


	If auto base-running is on can you manually decide to steal ? And if auto fielding is on, does that include the throwing or can you manually throw the ball ?

You can temporarily turn off auto base running and manually try to steal. I believe the option for auto base running is under Controller options or Controller setup.

Yes, auto fielding includes throwing the ball. You can turn off auto fielding in the same place where auto base running option appears. You can turn these options on and off during the game.

# 204 BSUFAN @ 03/03/12 07:24 PM

I downloaded the demo to my PS3, nice intros and overlays , played one inning that was enough for me and I deleted it. Looks similar to 2K11, stadium looked good, faces seem better and not so good, Rangers uniforms are horriffic and look like they were pasted on a body, the bat looked too long and the over lays covered part of it up,the ump called foul balls almost before it happened, ball physics looks okay, still love the pitching, but this baseball is not me ever again, you can say what you want and try to convince yourselves it's fine, but IMO it's not very good.

# 205 MizzouRah @ 03/03/12 07:43 PM

I've been playing the demo a bunch today and I'm actually having quite a bit of fun.

# 206 bukktown @ 03/03/12 08:40 PM

It takes way to much time between pitches. I just about broke the A button on my 360 controller trying to skip through to the next pitch.

9 innings at this pace is going to be brutal.

# 207 TheNumber35 @ 03/03/12 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bukktown


	It takes way to much time between pitches. I just about broke the A button on my 360 controller trying to skip through to the next pitch. 9 innings at this pace is going to be brutal.

There will probably be a setting like in year's past where you can condense this all down. But I was doing the same thing with my A button lol

# 208 Kernel Pie @ 03/03/12 08:47 PM

Been playing this all weekend, and I was way too harsh on my initial thoughts. I posted a pretty scathing review a few pages back and wish I would have waited a couple of days. While I still hate the new baserunning animations when running to first and on steals, it doesn't take too much away from the game. I just hope they can patch it, but doubt it.

And while I don't like the post-play animations, either, I'll just play on hurry-up, so it's not a big deal. Even if the animations were stellar, I'd probably skip 'em anyway due to time constraints.

But the gameplay, to me, is really immersive and fun. The one thing that gets so overlooked in this game, is the post-hit cam. I swear this is one of the best features of any baseball game and it hardly ever gets mentioned. I forgot how awesome it is. Foul balls down the line where you can still see the batter watching it hook are really cool. I think they really got it right by leaving the camera back, rather than tracing the ball as in ever other game.

I love the new pitching details and the throw meter, also, and saw a lot of nice bobbles in the infield.

So anyway, I think this game is gonna be awesome for hurry-up baseball. It has some excellent controls, an awesome hit cam, a really deep pitching interface, and a great risk/reward throw meter. It's gameplay over graphics, period. Looking forward to Tuesday.

# 209 bukktown @ 03/03/12 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNumber35


	There will probably be a setting like in year's past where you can condense this all down. But I was doing the same thing with my A button lol

How quickly could you play 9 innings in past years?

I haven't played 2k baseball since 2k7 and the demos never gave us the full options menu so I really have no idea how the full retail versions play.

# 210 lnin0 @ 03/03/12 09:05 PM

You can play 9 innings in the demo. Pitched a one hitter 0-0 game into the 9th. Shadows moved across the field and eventually the lights came on but it wasn't completely dark yet. Holiday hit a walk off home run in the first at bat of the 9th.

You cannot sub although I did see the CPU do it. 80-90 pitches in Carpenter started to really struggle with his pitch placement. Did ok to get out of the 8th unscathed but used a lot of pitches. 9th was a different story and barely escaped with runners on 2nd and 3rd. I really like how the late game pitching feels. In 2K11 it seemed you would just turn from hot to cold too early in your pitch count and everything you threw was a meatball. Now it is much more gradual and more about loosing your location control.

# 211 MizzouRah @ 03/03/12 10:50 PM

Yeah, not being able to pinch hit and switch pitchers really puts you at a disadvantage over the CPU.

# 212 TheNumber35 @ 03/04/12 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bukktown


	How quickly could you play 9 innings in past years? I haven't played 2k baseball since 2k7 and the demos never gave us the full options menu so I really have no idea how the full retail versions play.

Ummm, if I had to estimate it...I would say anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on how the game is going and how much scoring there is.

# 213 speedtrucker @ 03/04/12 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hopeful Cubsfan


	It's funny you say that, because I feel it is a lot better on 'Hard'. I threw a perfect game in 3 innings with Ogando, and it wasn't very challenging. On hard, the throw meter actually makes sense, because you HAVE to plant your feet in order to get a bigger green bar. If you are preloading every throw while on the move like it was easy to in 2k11, then this new system will kick your butt.

I'll agree that Pitching feels just as smooth on hard as it does on medium but the fielding does not.

my reason for this is that pitching has a "ramp-up" while a fielded throw does not. you can feel the "ramp-up" and it changes for every pitcher based on motion and pitching from windup or from stretch.

however when loading and preloading a fielded throw you don't have a "ramp-up" to the throw, it is like trying to start & stop a stopwatch with changing sweet spots. so you cannot get a feel for throw, you just have to assume that "ok, I'm fielding the ball on the run so I'll probably have a small sweet spot even though it is Golden Glover Beltre sooo start/stop!"

if there was a ramp up where you could actually load your throw it would help even if you had smaller sweet spots for an errorless throw.

on hard I committed an average of 2 errors a game and they tended to be on routine grounders with a set throw but I missed the sliver of a sweet spot so the throw went sailing into the dugout... I'd lose the games 1-0 with maybe 1 or 2 hits against me but 2+ errors and no earned runs.

Beltre is a top 3 third baseman, he was extraordinary for the Rangers last year and there is no way that his sweet spot would be that small even while fielding a ball to either side of his body.

there was a game that I mentioned earlier that did have "ramp-up" fielded throws and it was easier to understand when you made a bad throw even on the hardest settings but I'm not comparing the two games.

# 214 AllJuicedUp @ 03/04/12 03:33 PM

on the plus side, the amount of throwing errors from missing the green on throws should be easily adjustable via sliders (assuming they work of course lol)

# 215 sydrogerdavid @ 03/04/12 09:59 PM

If only I could get 2K's Busch Stadium and Downtown St. Louis into the Show. Then I would be truly happy.

# 216 Culture Rot @ 03/05/12 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sydrogerdavid


	If only I could get 2K's Busch Stadium and Downtown St. Louis into the Show. Then I would be truly happy.

What does this mean?

# 217 mkharsh33 @ 03/05/12 09:56 AM

I've played the demo a LOT... My observations (this and $5 will get you a gallon of gas).

It's a tightened up version of 2K11, which is a good thing. Bat/ball physics are very, very good. Love the way the ball now "bounces" whether in the infield or how it rolls in the outfield grass. Little things are now showing up, such as looking a runner back to base before throwing. I like the new graphics that are added for letting you see your pitcher-to-batter zones. It's really everything we would want 2K11 to have become, with a nicer presentation.

But with that said, what we do not know are the IMPORTANT issues of 2K11 - the frame rate problem that was just terrible in later innings, especially for you NY Mets fans. We only get 3 innings, so we don't know what the later innings hold. I'm hoping the hitch in the throwing motions gets fixed before the retail version comes out, and that the idea of watching your pitcher climb up the mound (unable to bypass this animation) gets fixed - this will get REALLY old after many games. We have no idea what to expect with regard to franchise play - the disabled list glitch was an issue.

I wish I had more than 3 innings to play the demo... I am very hopeful, yet also skeptical. I am back playing 2K11 a lot - (mostly play now games). I'm asking myself it's REALLY worth the money to buy a tightened up version of this game. I think it is, but the things I don't know about this game kinda scare me.

I also get a bit bothered when I read a review of this game where the person providing it gives an observation(s) with only an hour or so of actually playing it, and diving in deeper to the various aspects of the game. So I feel like I am making a blind purchase at this point, so I may wait and see what you guys say before I spend the money.

# 218 Yeats @ 03/05/12 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkharsh33


	I am back playing 2K11 a lot - (mostly play now games). I'm asking myself it's REALLY worth the money to buy a tightened up version of this game. I think it is, but the things I don't know about this game kinda scare me.

Same here, just got 2K11 going the other day. It'll keep me going for a while, and I'll be sticking with it until well after the user reviews for 2K12 are in. Nothing to be scared about, just play it smart.

# 219 speedtrucker @ 03/05/12 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkharsh33


	I've played the demo a LOT... My observations (this and $5 will get you a gallon of gas). It's a tightened up version of 2K11, which is a good thing. Bat/ball physics are very, very good. Love the way the ball now "bounces" whether in the infield or how it rolls in the outfield grass. Little things are now showing up, such as looking a runner back to base before throwing. I like the new graphics that are added for letting you see your pitcher-to-batter zones. It's really everything we would want 2K11 to have become, with a nicer presentation. But with that said, what we do not know are the IMPORTANT issues of 2K11 - the frame rate problem that was just terrible in later innings, especially for you NY Mets fans. We only get 3 innings, so we don't know what the later innings hold. I'm hoping the hitch in the throwing motions gets fixed before the retail version comes out, and that the idea of watching your pitcher climb up the mound (unable to bypass this animation) gets fixed - this will get REALLY old after many games. We have no idea what to expect with regard to franchise play - the disabled list glitch was an issue. I wish I had more than 3 innings to play the demo... I am very hopeful, yet also skeptical. I am back playing 2K11 a lot - (mostly play now games). I'm asking myself it's REALLY worth the money to buy a tightened up version of this game. I think it is, but the things I don't know about this game kinda scare me. I also get a bit bothered when I read a review of this game where the person providing it gives an observation(s) with only an hour or so of actually playing it, and diving in deeper to the various aspects of the game. So I feel like I am making a blind purchase at this point, so I may wait and see what you guys say before I spend the money.

fyi you can get into later innings if you carry a tie.

I've played around 7-8 games that I've carried to the 8th and 1 that went the full 9. I didn't notice any framerate issues in these games but they did a nice job with the changing of light source as the game progressed. by the 5th/6th innings the shadows were almost up to the mound and by the 8th/9th the stadium lights were on because most of the field was covered in shadows.

# 220 tinpanalley @ 03/05/12 09:19 PM

Just wanted to say that I just played a scoreless pitcher's duel with the demo that went 12 innings and the lighting was absolutely phenomenal throughout. I'd say best lighting I've seen in a baseball game. The sunset light was best. The players' faces literally had that warm glow created by a setting sun and floodlights turning on that we're all familiar with from late afternoon games. By the 12th, the sky was dark and I might be crazy but I think lights were coming on in the buildings outside the stadium. The Move controls on The Show are gonna have to be phenomenal to make me play anything but 2K. Loved it last year, gonna love it again this year. In addition to these aesthetics, the gameplay was better over 12 innings. Can't wait.

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