MLB 2K9 Blamed for Take Two Losses

by pastapadre
Posted December 3rd, 2009 at 2:14 pm

The MLB third party license may still have a few years left but it continues to be a drag on Take Two/2K Sports. MLB 2K9 was one of only two (the other being NCAA Football 10) major yearly sports titles that dropped in sales compared to the previous year. It was poorly received by both reviewers and gamers and that clearly affected sales after years of subpar offerings. It has become a second class citizen compared to the MLB: The Show franchise which outsells it despite only being available on the PS3. Now Take Two has come out and cited the performance of its MLB titles as a major reason why they have had a bad year and upcoming quarter.

MLB 2K9 was not the only MLB title released so some fault could be attributed to the others. MLB Front Office Manager was a complete failure but The BIGS 2 performed respectably. Regardless of how they sold the company was not relying on them to make up for losses elsewhere. The fact that Take Two is so openly putting the fault on what really matters to them with MLB 2K9 is telling. The question is whether they will commit more resources to make the game better or if they will just continue to try and cut their losses until the license expires.

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Came on Bobs Face

Hey, where the hell is that 2k asswipe fuck Bob at?

tonio84

do wat madden did what yu see in a actual baeball game put it on 2k10 and make the graphics better make them look more life like and not like a clay model

tonio84

bring back MVP and put it on all systems

Kenneth Kraly Jr

2KSports needs to make a better MLB game bottom line. If your going to put out a good baseball fans you need to listen to what the fans want and don't sell a bad game period.

Jason

until the 2k baseball series screams out that they have completely changed everything, i MIGHT download the demo. its getting to the point that the only thing i do is play baseball mogul (computer) or go back to the ole ps2 and play mvp 05. the good ole days.

agreed

Stop putting out such shitting baseball games them. Get competent developers in there, or just relinquish the license.

Wolf To The Brewers

I really don't see what was so bad about 2k9... I loved it from day one and played the shit out of it... With updated rosters and good sliders from guys over at operation sports made the game VERY enjoyable... Honestly i just don't see what you guys are talking about

Jake Joslin

It took them like a month to update the rosters. especially after the trade deadline i had to wait like 3 weeks for them????

SoupMama

No way I buy MLB2k10 this year. Only have a x360 but I will go without baseball after the last 2 titles let me down.

E-man

I agree w/ most gamers, this series is an embarrassment. If they would put out a decent baseball game, they would dominate the 360. I'd like to watch some of these 2K programmers and designers play their own game and hear their honest opinion of their piss-poor creation.

Tyrone

The MLB 2K series was so horrible that I spent $400 for a PS3.

Mark

Nice! Hopefully 2K gives up the license. Bring back MVP. The MLB 2K series has always been crap anyway.

Keith

Actually, Madden's gone down in sales too (just as it has for 5 straight years now), when you factor in PS2 sales.

EAhater

it is rare for 2k sports to make bad games,but they are stinking it up in a major way. This also shows exclusive and 3rd party deals suck. Just as EA has butchered some of the classic favorite sports games with their exclusive license(NCAA Football and Basketball,and Madden),2k is stinking up the place with MLB.

theanswers34

It rare for 2k to make bad games you can tell you only play there basketball games, and get your facts right ea doesn't have a exclusive license for basketball.

I hope 2k improves this game 2k7 was good but its gone down hill since then

bob

Learn to read proper english dude. NCAA Football and Basketball means NCAA Basketball.

darkheath

I liked 2k7.. and still play it to this day. It's the best baseball game I've played (and yes, that includes MVP 2005, and I don't have a PS3). But bad press and reviews kept me from even trying 2k8 and the demo turned me off from 2k9 (when I BUNTED a HR because no one would pick up the ball).

Anyway.. I'd just be happy if they went back to the 2k7 engine and built it from there.

okafor43

Play the show man, I was just like you till I tried out the show and I have been hooked since then. The show is not perfect but its far better than mlb 2k what ever year.

darkheath

I hope to get a PS3 sometime in the coming year. Though my priority right now is saving up for a decent-sized HDTV. I'm still playing in SD now.

Steve Cooper

was it just game play? I know I had a hard time with pitching.....

JohnZapp

they tried to make pitching easier last year but i had a rlly hard time throwing curves, sliders, and knuckles

Steve Cooper

what was so bad about 2k9?

pastapadre

It'd be easier to say what was good about it. The free flowing commentary was it. I've never played a game so plagued by glitches.

Hungryandrew

Try Madden 10 buddy!!

Mike

Who cares where's the Madden patch?

ben kent

The question is what they do to make this better. My guess is that they never over haul the series, and continue to make minor improvements until the license runs out. This series needs a lot more than makeup, and 2k doesn't know how to take it to another level. So I would expect more of the same for the next few years.obviously I'd love to see them right the ship, but it appears as if the series is heading toward nhl 2k quality

Sidewinder

If they can't fix it soon, I'm guessing they're just going to stop trying. They've been trying for 4 years now and it's only gotten worse.

bhurst99

The only way 2K can turn around its baseball franchise is by being transparent with the consumer. They need a huge media blitz, showing how they've improved the game for 2010 with videos ASAP. They need to address all the community's concerns and build up some momentum by the time this year's game releases. 2Ks target group -- baseball fans -- have been turned off completely by their disasterous 2009 titles.

If they just sit on information about this year's product they're going to pay a steep price come April when consumers fear about getting burned by a inferior product or one that is not going to be supported after release like Front Office Manager

okafor43

True but the reality is they are not gonna be transparent, instead they will just have us vote on some stupid cover like we are 5 years old and forget that the game its self is a complete joke!

Busty Buffet

Are they legally not allowed to drop the license and let EA or The Show get a game on the 360?

okafor43

I dont think sony makes games for microsoft

pastapadre

The MLB actually threatened to pull the license a few years back, and likely have been applying pressure since. If 2K could back out of it now without penalty they would.

okafor43

Pasta they havent applied enough pressure look at the travesty they put out last year.

JohnZapp

2k needs to drop out! i dont want to live a year with out playing a rlly good baseball game. EA we need you in this desperate time. I dont understand if ea made mvp baseball their sales maybe go higher than madden. theyd get more money and more profit to make the game better in the coming years. if 2k drops out soon i wouldnt expect ea to make a baseball game this season but ea would i think try to make an arcade game just to show consumers what mvp baseball would be all about

Hungryandrew

Their license prevents basically any non-console company from making a mlb baseball game. The show is made by sony, and its exclusive to ps3. Microsoft could make a mlb game, but chooses not to do so.

okafor43

This has to be the worst game of the decade as far as sports is concerned!!!

Juan Charlo

for the same price of 2k10 i can buy a gamecube and MVP baseball 2005. that is what i am going to do instead

allen

i dont care what they do. after 2k9 i will not consider 2k10

...

yeah 2k9 what such fucking crap

Troy

MLB 2K9 was total garbage and agree that they should have taken a hit! Complete let down for baseball fans!

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