MLB 09 The Show: Attention to Details
by 
The latest Playstation Blog posting covers the attention to detail that makes up the experience in MLB 09 The Show. There is little doubt that this has been a strength for the series the past couple years but they’ve taken it to another level for 09. The improved lighting, jumbotrons, and crowds are especially impressive. You can check out the full blog posting here which includes a video showing off what is being discussed.
For this year’s version we wanted to make the game as accurate as possible and included in MLB 09 The Show are actual team mascots, new and improved stadium jumbotrons with game related movies, K boards, realistic crowds, and improved lighting and skies throughout the stadiums. All these enhancements add to the overall gaming experience to make MLB 09 The Show as real as it gets.
February 11, 2009 at 10:29 pm
This game just keeps getting better.
February 11, 2009 at 10:35 pm
That's my hometown… Go Cards!!! (Twice in one day…)
February 11, 2009 at 10:38 pm
just amazing… the madden franchise needs to take notes from this game!!! deff a first day purchase for me
February 11, 2009 at 11:35 pm
I TOO THOUGHT OF MADDEN AND SAID WELL THEY ARE THE OPPOSITE OF MADDEN
February 12, 2009 at 2:04 am
I just bring up madden because footballs my favorite sport and in the "next gen" era ive only bought 1 madden… EVERY sports franchise can learn from this years the show, I mean the only negative comment on this game is the wall color in citi field… details are key, just look at the praise the crowd attendance is getting when 2 bum squads go head to head opposed to 2 rivals or great teams going head to head… please EA and 2k learnnnnnnn from this!!!
February 11, 2009 at 10:40 pm
So much attention to detail, yet get an entire stadium wall color wrong (citi field). They got it right in FO Manager and in 2K9 — so there is really no excuse here.
February 11, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Enough about the freaking walls in Citi Field already. We all get it. If you go to the Mets official website and look at the 3d concept models of citi field they all portray the stadium with blue walls. Sony can't help it if they are provided with bum info. Also as of DECEMBER 08, the actual walls havent been covered yet so they are all white. Again you cant blame sony for bum info. However I don't understand why they cant fix this in a patch. That WOULD be inexcusable.
February 12, 2009 at 4:01 am
Here's a peek of the Citi Field walls http://www.stadiumpage.com/newmets/Citi_012709_9….
February 11, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Pasta: I have got to know this. When playing in Citi Field will they have the frequent Airline planes flying over the stadium enroute to LaGuardia Airport like it is in reality. That would be too cool if that is the case.
February 11, 2009 at 11:35 pm
The SHows philosphy seems to be the polar opposite of the EA Sports (particularly Madden) philosphy of sucker them in sucker them stretch this number spin this fact until they pop that game in, from there we see no attention to detail because it does not matter.
February 12, 2009 at 12:20 am
Yes! A game finally does it! Crowd attendance accuracy. 2 powerhouse teams, stadium is packed. 2 hack teams empty seats galore! Something I have preacheed for both NBA series' for a while. At least it finally gets addresses in a video game!
February 12, 2009 at 12:34 am
They had planes flying overhead in previous iterations, though it looked ridiculous. It was literally just a two dimensional sprite that occasionally slid across the skyline.
February 12, 2009 at 12:36 am
The hi-res working detailed scoreboards/jumbotrons are a thing of beauty. I noticed this right away in the demo. Plus all the other stadium pitcher stat boards. This was always at the back of my wishlist and never thought it would happen this soon and be so well done. Bravo Sony!
February 12, 2009 at 12:38 am
Now if we could just get Classic stadiums and Oldtime players…..and without having to jump through hoops to use them!
February 12, 2009 at 12:40 am
I would pay extra for Downloadable content for the Classic Stadiums and Oldtime players.
February 12, 2009 at 5:41 am
I think there are oldtimers in the free agent pool that you can place on teams, and even use them in franchise mode. Don't think there are classic stadiums, though.
February 12, 2009 at 12:53 am
Reminds me of why I love this game…and why I hate the 2k series. I was playing 2k8 at a friend's and got into a pickle with Jose Reyes. So we get in a run down and I send him back to first with plenty of time to spare. He slides in, dusts himself off and just stands there. Well, the problem is he slid back into an empty space where there was no base (about 10 feet up the line from the base). The 1b proceeded to run over and tag me out. It was so pathetic really.
February 12, 2009 at 1:16 am
Keeps getting better and better with the new video clips and information that comes out. The attention to detail is the stuff we dreamed about as kids. You have to wonder what they'll do for the 2010 version besides adding rainouts and rain delays. Maybe a 3D version (with the potential PS3 3D update possibly coming out this fall) and some real life minor league stadiums?
February 12, 2009 at 1:37 am
I KNOW!!!!
February 12, 2009 at 2:34 am
I never thought one game would make me go and buy a certain console, but I'm closer and closer to going and buying a PS3. I've had it with not being able to enjoy a baseball experience in a video game. 2K9 comes out soon and I've heard nothing about how the game is even going to be somewhat decent.
February 12, 2009 at 3:50 am
I would only recommend getting a PS3 if baseball is your favorite sport to play… I love my PS3 but I wouldnt buy it for the show, I like it for the other games also but MLB the show is going to be amaaaaaazing so if you like a true MLB experience then I'd pick up a PS3 lol
February 12, 2009 at 5:55 am
This is breathtaking..insane.
February 12, 2009 at 7:55 am
MLB The Show is the anti-Madden
February 12, 2009 at 7:56 am
MLB THE SHOW —– FUCK YEAH!!!
February 12, 2009 at 12:28 pm
in madden it doesnt matter about crowds i want good gameplay which it has they can improve on tht and graphics
February 12, 2009 at 5:28 pm
wow….why cant sports games be like this? especially MADDEN? these guys are doin everything in thier power to please the fans
February 12, 2009 at 8:19 pm
What was so bad about Madden. I think that Madden was very good this year. Football is probably the hardest game in the world to program since you have to account for 22 players on the field at one time, all having to respond to the action on the field.
IMHO I applaud Tiburon for being able to give us Madden each year and the few glitches that we do see now and again are totally forgivable in my book and in most cases are corrected right away.
I really don't understand most madden fans. They complain over the most trivial of details. I honestly think that madden fans are just conditioned to whine each year for the heck of it. Madden sales aren't dropping so I think its safe to say that people are, in reality, quite pleased with the product.
February 12, 2009 at 6:51 pm
NOW THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!!! Sony gets it. I was impressed with '08 that it had working out of town scoreboards with actual scores during season / franchise mode. Now the smaller LCD scoreboards are in this year with real-time stats??? That is absolutely awesome.
Baseball, more than any other sport, is unique in that each stadium has different dimensions and other factors that impact the game. Sony gets that the atmosphere is also unique and to emulate that is outstanding….
I love the NHL series but The Show is now fighting for top sports game of the year….
February 12, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I agree. Yes, it sucks that the walls are the wrong color. Change the hue on your TV and you can make them green….Outside of that, who cares…..
February 12, 2009 at 6:55 pm
The one thing that has been missing is classic teams and stadiums. Yes, 2K has them but they are the same teams and they don't allow the ability to edit…
I wish a game would just have World Series champs for 40 years….The '84 Tigers would be sweet to use…..
February 12, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Forgot to mention how sweet it is that they added the vineage at Wrigley for different times of the year…That is sweet
February 12, 2009 at 8:12 pm
To all us show fans let us go back to when MLB 07 dropped: Remember how the reviewers all complained about the graphics in MLB and how 2k7 was the better game because of there great graphics. Who's getting the last laugh now???????
Sony took a brilliant approach to starting a sports franchise. Make the gameplay solid and worry about the graphic details later, something 2k should have taken notice of. Now that Sony has a solid foundation with which to create from, each year we will be treated to great things. They don't have to waste precious development time trying to make the game play function and instead can dedicate that time to all the subtle nuances that makes baseball, baseball.
2k on the other hand is struggling just to get a working product on the market and one look at the screenshots of MLB2k9 demonstrates that they are spending so much time on getting the x's and o's right with the game that the other details such as graphics have gone out the window, a sad state of affairs for a franchise that is about to release its 4th iteration of the next gen era baseball game.
February 12, 2009 at 8:18 pm
I just got a PS3 for 343 shipped at Dell. Mainly for this game and Killzone. I was looking at a blu ray player anyway and figured for 100 bucks more it was worth it.
February 12, 2009 at 8:32 pm
You definitely won't be disappointed, Frank.
February 12, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Congrats Frank, and welcome to the winning team. Here are some other Must have games for your new system: 1) Metal Gear Solid 4 2) Uncharted: Drakes Fortune 3) Resistance Fall of Man 1 and 2 4) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 5) Ratchet and Clank .
February 12, 2009 at 10:33 pm
The winning team LMAO. Get a life.
February 12, 2009 at 11:15 pm
That wasn't the real Frank, that was an imposter.
This is the real Frank.
and I apologize for my imposter's arrogance.
February 12, 2009 at 11:35 pm
are there ball boys?
February 13, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Just awesome! I can't wait for this game!
February 17, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Pasta, isn't this a new video clip from the game? I haven't seen this one before. It includes some of the off-season acquisitions in their new uniforms (I.e. C.C. on the Yankees, Holliday on the A's, Renteria on the Giants, etc.).
http://www.us.playstation.com/PS3/Games/MLB_09_Th...