MLB 09 The Show Halfway to Spectator Mode
by 
Buried in the extended details on the MLB 09 The Show website are a couple mentions related to online play that were not made in the fact sheet. At first glance I thought they were describing the same thing that MLB 08 had in the Gamecast feature where you could watch ongoing games as they updated the situation (score, outs, match-ups, on-base, ect). However there are some new aspects for 09.
SportsConnect Live GameCast
Using SportsConnect technology, users can view the status of any game in progress in The Show. New for MLB 09, along with a 2D user interface representation, users can hear the play-by-play and color commentary of the announcers.
This looks to be another step towards a spectator mode. Really all that is missing now is the presentation of the game. You have the current situation and commentary which is enough to want to follow it, but at the same time it won’t have the same drama or excitement that would come with viewing the entire game live.
The online options also list “King of the Diamond” which sounds like it may be some sort of mini-game. I’ve always enjoyed having the ability to play something with a shorter time commitment so hopefully that is the what it is. When the OT drill for NCAA Football was online I used to play that a lot, its a shame they haven’t brought it back.
Hopefully the online performance has been improved this year as it was one of the few disappointing aspects of MLB 08. The Show series has been very inconsistent and at times unplayable online. That is the first thing that needs to be addressed, though the additions such as these are certainly welcome and will add value as long as performance been improved.
January 8, 2009 at 3:19 am
nice post
January 8, 2009 at 3:55 am
Where is the MLB 09 The Show website?
Any videos yet?
January 8, 2009 at 4:09 am
http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Games/MLB_09_Th...
no videos just screenshots
January 8, 2009 at 4:03 am
I am really interested to see what this game looks like in gameplay form. The pictures you have posted, I swear if the actual gameplay looks like that, this will be the best looking sports game to date. Pasta I know 2k is gearing up to release the MLB game by Blue Castle, but has anyone even heard anything on what MLB 2k9 is doing?
January 8, 2009 at 4:11 am
Nope, other then brief mention in an early article by Jon Robinson that they're simplifying the pitching. We'll probably hear some about the game this month but won't see it in action until February. They seem pretty behind right now, considering their idea of promoting Front Office Manager at this point is sending out a release talking about the cover art lol
January 8, 2009 at 4:20 am
I read you interview today, I have to agree with you on the point that 2k seems to be in way over their heads with that MLB contract. It does seem like a matter of time until EA gets back into it. I am guessing here, but 2k can only have 3 or 4 titles that turn major profits for them. GTA, NBA 2k, Bioshock?. Civ Rev was great, but probably not a huge money maker. Think there is anyway 2k backs out of the contract before it expires? Why did EA never try to make NCAA baseball on the 360. It was advertised on the scoreboard of NCAA football on the 360 in 07 I think, maybe 08.
January 8, 2009 at 4:30 am
First off, sorry I cant seem to type today. Second, what I mean to say was when you play NCAA Football 07 on the 360, if you ever glanced at the scoreboards in the stadium it advertised NCAA Baseball 07. I was hoping they would make a next gen version of it at the time. It would be interested to see how they could make the game evolve. I am sure it was not made cause of low sales of the ps2 version. Back in 2007 EA had the cash to burn to bring a game onto the next gen systems even though it was going to have low sales. But I was just curious if you pasta or any of the other readers remember that on NCAA football 07 on the 360.
January 8, 2009 at 4:41 am
College baseball doesn't have the potential to sell. They were basically just trying to capitalize on the MVP engine. There is no way they would consider doing a new version of it. College basketball doesn't sell well, baseball would only bring in a fraction of that even.
Yeah 2K is in dire straits right now. In the sports area, NBA 2K is the only title that isn't in the red. They wanted the license so they could keep some legitimacy in sports gaming by having baseball, but financially it is a major drag on them.
January 8, 2009 at 4:41 am
College baseball doesn't have the potential to sell. They were basically just trying to capitalize on having the MVP engine and squeeze whatever they could get out of it. There is no way they would consider doing a new version of it. College basketball doesn't sell well, baseball would only bring in a fraction of that even.
Yeah 2K is in dire straits right now. In the sports area, NBA 2K is the only title that isn't in the red. They wanted the license so they could keep some legitimacy in sports gaming by having baseball, but financially it is a major drag on them.
January 8, 2009 at 4:11 am
all I want is for Madden is to have spectater mode in august.
Peter moore get to it.
January 8, 2009 at 6:20 am
Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is spectator mode?
January 8, 2009 at 10:33 am
Spectator Mode is where you can "watch" other online games. This year, from what I am gathering from this article, you can now hear the actual play-by-play broadcast as if you are listening to the game on the radio (although it will be the announcers from the game doing the actual P-by-P of an actual online game)…
Seems kind of cool but I don't think I would listen to an entire game…If they added a visual mode where you could actual walk throughout the stadiums and sit in any seat to watch an online game, that is something I would definitely be interested in.
January 9, 2009 at 2:39 am
Yeah that definitely would be exciting. They'll have the 2D display of whats going on this year, but that is the next step.
January 8, 2009 at 6:39 am
Man, I just want to see what EA would've done with a next-gen baseball game. I am still satisfied right now with The Show but I've enjoyed all of their sports games on 360 so far (at least one of the years:06,07,08,09)and they definitely would've put out something nice to play. I just wish… When is that contract up anyway? 2013? Has anyone from EA said anything within the last couple years about the contract being up in a few years and to sit tight? Lol
January 8, 2009 at 2:55 am
Yeah 2013. There is a decent chance though something happens before then and EA gets back in. 2K being bought, MLB stripping the 3rd party license from 2K, 2K buying themselves out of it, ect.
January 8, 2009 at 10:31 am
That is unless EA takes another stab at purchasing 2K. Owning both the PS3 and the 360, it sucks that 360 owners get stuck with 2K. I am not pumped about this year's version since there has been little information released.
I figured that 2K would be pushing some information out to keep up with The Show since the game does compete on the PS3. People can say that 2K doesn't want to overshadow Front Office Manager but, to me, that is a cop out.
Games with little to no information with less than two months from release causes concern in regards to the potential quality….
January 9, 2009 at 4:18 am
Sorry for the dumb question, but does anyone know if there are any games out now with real spectator mode? Where you can actually watch the person playing their game online?
January 9, 2009 at 4:39 am
with all the new modes that EA has produced in the last couple of games such as Be a Pro in NHL and Fifa and Campus Legend in Football, do you think EA could have produced something so amazing that it could out duel Road to the Show. I mean NHL 09 Be a Pro has all the feautured eqiuiptment in the game just like in real life which is exciting because it makes it feel more real. And with all the evolution through high school and rising through the minor leagues and EA's knowledge, do you think that they could have produced a high quality game with plenty of modes (such as road to the show, franchise, etc.) that could basically beat any baseball game to date.