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[speculawyer]

Good news if they plan to return to making NFL or NHL games. EA needs some competition there.

Seriously . . . I'd love to see 2K sports return to the NFL or NHL.

Both would be best but we'll likely get neither.

 

[Petrae]

So it isn't worth their effort to release MLB 2K15 with just a roster like 2k14?

That's what happened with MLB 2K13. Take-Two (2K) got a discounted extension on the MLB license. The game was not very good, few bought it, and TTWO decided that it was time to Old Yeller the series. Honestly, it's a mercy killing. MLB 2K has been disappointing since 2K10 and, if only minimal effort is being put into these games... it's not worthwhile for anyone.

 

[speculawyer]

That's what happened with MLB 2K13. Take-Two (2K) got a discounted extension on the MLB license. The game was not very good, few bought it, and TTWO decided that it was time to Old Yeller the series. Honestly, it's a mercy killing. MLB 2K has been disappointing since 2K10 and, if only minimal effort is being put into these games... it's not worthwhile for anyone.

Yeah, Kush started to drop the ball. So TTWO closed down Kush and moved MLB to Visual Concepts. But VC was unable to salvage the game.

The deal was a money-losing deal too so I think TTWO stopped putting any effort into after they unsuccessfully tried to renegotiate the deal with MLB a few years back. So they just phoned it in until the contract expired in 2012. 2013 was just a 1-year extension.


You know, fuck the MLB for pushing such harsh terms that neither EA nor TTWO is even interested in making a MLB game. I guess the MLB will get what they deserve this year . . . only a game on the Sony platforms.

 

[OldAsUrSock]

Sports title rundown:

NFL = EA
NHL = EA
MMA = EA
NBA = 2K, EA (EA's game is gone down the shitter).
MLB = Sony
F1 = Codemasters
Soccer = EA, Konami (Certain restrictions applied to Konami in terms of licensing).

Sounds like intervention is needed so that there isnt a monopoly.

 

[benjipwns]

So it isn't worth their effort to release MLB 2K15 with just a roster like 2k14?

No, they dumped the MLB license because it was costing them too much to just put out the games. The terms were structured in such a way that it was difficult to make money on the series.

EDIT: beaten by Petrae and speculawyer

Sounds like intervention is needed so that there isnt a monopoly.

It's not really a monopoly in that anyone can still make non-licensed sports titles. I mean, I guess you could argue that McDonald's has a monopoly on the McDonald's name and Big Mac's* and Grimace, etc. but that's not generally how the term is understood and going down that road is another can of worms.

*

Spoiler

Look... me and the McDonald's people got this little misunderstanding. See, they're McDonald's... I'm McDowell's. They got the Golden Arches, mine is the Golden Arcs. They got the Big Mac, I got the Big Mick. We both got two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions, but their buns have sesame seeds. My buns have no seeds.

 

[Petrae]

You know, fuck the MLB for pushing such harsh terms that neither EA nor TTWO is even interested in making a MLB game. I guess the MLB will get what they deserve this year . . . only a game on the Sony platforms.

Indeed. I'd extend that sentiment to other organizations as well. As someone who has enjoyed sports video games for 30+ years now, I prefer options and variation. Sure, I'll play The Show, but what about another BIGS, or Power Pros, or even revivals like Bottom of the 9th or RBI? I play Madden every year, but I miss NFL 2K, Blitz, and even the heyday of Sony's NFL GameDay series. I buy NHL every year, but I miss the other games, too.

Different games with the same licenses provide some variation. We had sims, arcade games, accessible games, and games for the hardcore fan. These days, our choices are a lot more limited-- and it's at least in part due to league/organization rules, stipulations, and high money expectations.

 

[miDnIghtEr20C]

Indeed. I'd extend that sentiment to other organizations as well. As someone who has enjoyed sports video games for 30+ years now, I prefer options and variation. Sure, I'll play The Show, but what about another BIGS, or Power Pros, or even revivals like Bottom of the 9th or RBI? I play Madden every year, but I miss NFL 2K, Blitz, and even the heyday of Sony's NFL GameDay series. I buy NHL every year, but I miss the other games, too.

Different games with the same licenses provide some variation. We had sims, arcade games, accessible games, and games for the hardcore fan. These days, our choices are a lot more limited-- and it's at least in part due to league/organization rules, stipulations, and high money expectations.

Hell. Give me some Baseball Stars. First Baseball game I can remember that let you climb the wall and rob home runs!

 

[benjipwns]

Rising development costs factor in too, which makes not having that license even tougher to deal with.

Taking just baseball games, look at all the titles that released for the PS1 in 1997 alone: 3D Baseball, VR Baseball '97, Bottom of the 9th '97, Triple Play 98, All-Star Baseball 1997 Featuring Frank Thomas, Grand Slam 97, MLB 98

 

[davepoobond]

so there's only NBA2K left for 2K sports?

kinda sad.

 

[Blearth]

I'm all for Competition.....but I'm just not looking forward to EA shills shitting on The Show.

I personally didn't like the MVP Series.. I did love the Triple Play series.

another one that I think some slept on was All Star Baseball 2003. That was one of the hardest, most realistic, feature rich baseball games out during its time.

actually it was ahead of it's time with all the things you could do.

I played the shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit out of All Star Baseball 2003.

Though I rented MVP 2004 and thought it was way better.

 

[NYCrooner]

One of the main reason most of my friend went PS4 is the show....2k can't compete

It the reason I bought a PSP and a PS3 last gen. Not sure it's enough to make me get a PS4 but I wouldn't be surprised if it did.

 

[Face it Tiger..]

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ give MVP '14 baseball pls Game Informer

 

[darkside31337]

so there's only NBA2K left for 2K sports?

kinda sad.

They got the WWE license last year so WWE 2K games every year as well (Yukes is still making them though for now at least).

Other than that yeah thats it.

 

[IAmRandom31]

MLB THE SHOW was so good the other developers stopped trying to compete lol

 

[TheDarkKnight774]

To open room for football. Right? RIGHT?

 

[kasane]

They got the WWE license last year so WWE 2K games every year as well (Yukes is still making them though for now at least).

Other than that yeah thats it.

Well WWE 2k i still shit so yeah

 

[Tripon]

What is it within the Sports video game genre that companies refuse to get better and instead quit making games.

You know the ONE THING YOU ARE TAUGHT NEVER TO DO IN SPORTS.

 

[Zapages]

Sports title rundown:

NFL = EA
NHL = EA
MMA = EA
NBA = 2K, EA (EA's game is gone down the shitter).
MLB = Sony
F1 = Codemasters
Soccer = EA, Konami (Certain restrictions applied to Konami in terms of licensing).

Add cricket:

Cricket = EA, Bigant (look for Don Bradman Cricket 2014, it's going to be awesome)

The MLB Show is awesome!

 

[FyreWulff]

I wonder if Nintendo will finally revive their franchise now. IIRC they stopped making them to placate third parties, but you'd think if the only third party that was making baseball has pulled out, they'd be "k, let's go"

Especially since they own a damn baseball team :V

edit: i'd lol if MS finally made use of their 3DO asset purchase and bring back High Heat

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

The EA MVP Baseball team left EA to start up Blue Castle Games in 2005. BCG then made The Bigs 1 and 2 for 2K. BCG was purchased by Capcom more than 3 years ago. Don't expect the original MVP team to ever make another baseball game together ever again.

I had some hopes EA would revive the MVP series and then you post this! =(


This is great news for Sony.

 

[Warm Machine]

I had some hopes EA would revive the MVP series and then you post this! =(


This is great news for Sony.

They still might but those people are long gone.

The thing is that few independent developers want to make a baseball game. It is pretty low on the dream project list. It takes a big company like EA to simply hire whoever and build an internal team to do it as it is unlikely to come from outside.

 

[Jazzy Network]

The Show is pretty much a perfect MLB simulation. Just add a few touches here or there every year and I'll buy it.

 

[FyreWulff]

They still might but those people are long gone.

The thing is that few independent developers want to make a baseball game. It is pretty low on the dream project list. It takes a big company like EA to simply hire whoever and build an internal team to do it as it is unlikely to come from outside.

We need developers to make sports games that are their own thing, not an attempt to emulate EA/2K's simulation titles.

One of the best recent examples of this was EA's Skate, actually. Instead of imitating Tony Hawk like many other companies.. they came out with their own thing. And it was great.

 

[Fatalah]

I posted in the wrong thread earlier. All I want to say is that every game console in history had an MLB game. How the XB1 doesn't have one, blows my mind.

Shame on everybody!

 

[Deadbeat]

Slight derail, but what was the best football game of this gen? People were saying it's a 2k NCAA game of some kind.

 

[speculawyer]

so there's only NBA2K left for 2K sports?

kinda sad.

.

 

[Tallshortman]

.

That's not sports.

Spoiler

Is wrasslegaf about to attack me?

 

[Fatalah]

Operation Sports posted a nice write-up weighing the possibility of MVP Baseball's return.

I didn't know EA's recent "MVP Online" used the old MVP engine from 2005. Pretty amazing.

 

[Elchele]

Maybe they're getting ready to make a football game? pls. FIFA sucks.

 

[RooMHM]

Sports licensing exclusivity is such bullshit...

 

[billeh]

Maybe they can make an NHL game. It's total bullshit NHL14 wasn't a Xbone/PS4 release title considering we probably won't have NHL15 until next .. September?

 

[charsace]

I remember playing the demo, was so bad.

The game was great. Still better in certain ways than what EA currently puts out year after year.

 

[pixlexic]

I say this in every sports thread I know, but I would really like to see a return of fantasy sports games like double dribble and bases loaded.

 

[Exile20]

Wow, so the playstation has the market on baseball games?

Actually that is pretty sad and unfortunate.

 

[charsace]

Hope they put more staff/money into the NBA2k servers.

2k funds their open world games so you are going to be stuck with Dreamcast stuff for a while.

I still think All Pro was sort of mismanaged and ahead of it's time. It bombed but it was also $60 and 2K put too much emphasis on getting a bunch of old timer players that nobody cared about. It should not have been a $60 retail product, but there wasn't much else back in 2008. I think a $20-30 downloadable title build around online leagues and customization could do well.

the Sports game market is cratered though. Looking at old magazines, it's crazy how nearly everycompany used to have their line of sports games. I guess it's just become too expensive now. Back then you could get away with just having the MLBPA license w/ generic teams for example. Now you have to have all of the licenses, plus pay for licensed music and commentary and spend money on having a professional tv style presentation.

I remember Quarterback Club for the PSX having real players, but no real teams. Data East before they went out of business was doing a college fb game that seemed to be way ahead of its time. To bad we never got a final version.

 

[Liquidsnake]

can anyone guess what game this is?

 

[iJudged]

Make a good soccer game 2k please, I am sick and tired of EAs fifa bs.

 

[funkystudent]

The team should co develop the next WWE game with Yukes and make a game so broken EA tries and publish it.

 

[KingJ2002]

there goes the dream of 2K sports having a full sports lineup this gen.

NBA2K
NFL2K
MLB2K
WWE2K
NHL2K

 

[See You Next Wednesday]

This is bad. Sure the games were inferior to the Show, but they always had some good ideas implemented in one way or another, like batting & pitching imho were breathes of fresh air compared to the Show.
No competition will cause Sony San Diego to become lazy & start churning out crap like with what Tiburon did with Madden.

 

[FunnyBunny]

can anyone guess what game this is?

It's High Heat, the greatest baseball game of its era.

Microsoft bought the license from 3DO and promptly did nothing with the code.

I'm still bitter about it.

 

[ProgramFighter]

I guess sort of off topic but since other sports have been mentioned in this thread as well, are there any plans for a next-gen boxing game? I have been playing Fight Night Champion since the XBL sale and would love to see what EA, 2K, or others can do with the sport on the PS4/XBone.

 

[Velcro Fly]

Best baseball game out there is still MVP.

EA got robbed out their one good sports franchise basically out of spite.

 

[Fox Mulder]

This is really depressing.

It is so sad to see so little competition left in sports. No competition in sports . . . how ironic.

on top of rising dev costs and yearly dev cycles, licensing just costs too much and has additional hassles for games that probably don't sell that well anymore. We lost NCAA basketball games a few years ago and will no longer get NCAA football games either.

It's funny to see how Nascar fell down to the same developer that made Big Mutha Truckers and Pimp My Ride though.

 

[admartian]

Moving franchises...Something the MLB wouldn't allow now-a-days. Great feature.



There's nothing to gear up for. EA and the NFLPA have each other in their hip pockets. Just read up on how the NFLPA helped EA lock up NFL legend players for significantly less money than what 2K were paying them for APF2k8.

Here's a good article --http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2008/09/lawsuit-nflpa-conspired-with-ea-to-cheat-retired-players/

Well I guess that rules out NFL.

But could they still do a Football game now that they're not making Baseball? I'd buy that in a heartbeat (as much as I'm enjoying Madden).