Take Two Lands Exclusive MLB Deal 188
The deal reported last week on Slashdot has come to fruition: Take Two interactive and MLB have signed an exclusivity deal. Worthplaying has the news. "The innovative seven-year arrangement will dramatically limit the number of baseball video game manufacturers and ensure aggressive marketing and promotion of baseball video games, while promoting competition in the marketplace to drive innovation in baseball product development. Beginning in 2006, Take2 will have exclusive rights among third-party publishers to develop and market simulation, arcade and manager-style baseball video games..."
Maybe I am missing something... (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh wait, (not that I usually bash MS) but limiting choices to drive innovation is the new economy. Sorry... I forgot.
Todd
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2, Redundant)
PR (Score:5, Insightful)
In the wonderful world of "News" releases, up is down, SCO is a Linux company, our government is here to help us, and massive restrictions lead to innovation.
If you repeat a lie often enough, people forget the truth; eventually, the lie becomes Common Knowledge. Right now, the market seems rife with "Common Knowledge"-- like, the market will adjust itself because it's a "fair market", helping the rich get richer helps the poor get richer, and restrictions lead to freedom.
Ah, well. Such is life. As bad as it is, it still is pretty damned good. I mean, as long as you don't live in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, Uzbekistan...
Re:PR (Score:2)
Most people hate press releases because they are always without exception upbeat to absurd levels and completely devoid of information. The only people that like a press release are lazy journalist who spew it back like it is news. Uncoincidently, those news reports tend to have the same effec
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:3, Insightful)
The best case scenario would be a settlement to trade between the companies. So TakeTwo can use NFL player licenses and EA can use MLB licenses. It wouldn't surprise me if TakeTwo try to grab the NBA license too. This year's ESPN NBA2k5, especially online, was superior to the EA counterpart.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
Ooh look, now you too can emulate your favorite steroid-pumped baseball player! So realistic you'll believe you're really in a badly rendered stadium.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:3, Insightful)
now if a new baseball game wants to enter the market place they have to provide some game play that is fun and replayable.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
IANAIPL (I am not an IP lawyer) but doesn't this statement mean that nobody can make ANY type of baseball game? Not just ones with licensed characters, etc, but anythign having to do with baseball?
And on a different note, this is hardly innovative, and I find it amusing that they claim that when this was in direct response to EA grabbing the N
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm pretty sure it's just the players/teams/stadiums that are licensed here. I think EA should create a baseball game with all their licenced football players and teams. NFLB 2005 - The Off-Season.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
Man....I'd hate to be pitching when one of those guys charges the mound....
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
I'm not sure, but it could mean that nobody is allowed to use the major baseball franchises. Which means that you could probably get away with a baseball game featuring the "Slashcity Dotters", the "Beowulf Clusters" and the "Korea Old Men".
--Rob
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
Well, no... MLB may own the rights to the players likenesses, but they don't own the sport of baseball.
So I think the original statement was somewhat innacurate... they can't possibly ban the creation of all of those games, as long as they don't include the actual players in the games.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:3, Insightful)
Right. No one except Take-Two Interactive will be able to do that.
Bullshit. A more accurate assertion would
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
You clearly don't watch enough TV, or perhaps you have a TiVo and skip all the commercials. I think Anheuser Busch's marketing machine has driven lots of innovation, albeit mostly in the advertisements.
Joking aside, I think someone having a near monopoly on something does promote innovation. In order to break into a marketplace that features a near m
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe they're talking about just the few really big companies, but any time I hear the phrase 'Exclusive deal' I groan just a bit.
Competition also ensures that if you dont like one developer's take on a game (game play, controls, etc) you have other options. If Take2's version of MLB basically doesn't meet expectation, who else will we have to turn to for our MLB games?
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:3, Interesting)
No, it's competition that makes the company strive for first-to-market. Excellence is expensive and time consuming. Making an "excellent" product is a last resort for marketers when price, promotion, and hollow features don't win the market share they were looking for. That is, excellence is for people who *know* they won't make it to the market first, no matter what, but still want to compete.
Don't believe that excellence is lower on the li
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
I remember the days of Super Tecmo Bowl where there was no Bernie Kosar. The NFL didn't have rights to use his name, so instead, he was known as 'QB Browns'. Being able to play your favorite athlete is a powerful thing when it comes down to 'Which football game will I buy' when standing in the store looking at the shelves and shelves of games.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
And so who exactly fits this any longer? Take Two will pretty much be first and last to market. I do not remember the last Nintendo developed baseball game, MS's games division is defunct, and does EA count for Sony? I guess that leave Take Two as the first and last to market. Exclusivity sucks.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:5, Informative)
But even then, I think it's a stretch to claim that Take2 competing against Nintendo for the best MLB game on the gamecube is going to result in innovation...
Comment removed (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
Well I guess you'll find out for sure soon enough. [ign.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
Plus, from the wording of the Slashdot blurb, it sounds like they're claiming all games related to baseball. Which is preposterous, since they only have control of the use of the teams of the Major League. I hardly think they could sue a game, like, say, Base Wars.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
I think they're trying to say that the games will be so cool that people will stop watching (live) baseball games, and that the MLB will have to innovate (live) baseball to make it more attractive to fans to get them to attend (live) games.
I wonder if you're allowed to broadcast a video game? Might be more exciting than a live game.
Re:Maybe I am missing something... (Score:2)
Great (Score:2)
and in other news (Score:5, Funny)
Re:and in other news (Score:2)
Re:and in other news (Score:2)
The differnce being the social aspect. If you're playing MLB on your xbox, you're generally not hanging out with friends and drinking at the same time.
Re:and in other news (Score:2)
That depends on whether you're playing X-Box Live.
Re:and in other news (Score:2)
Re:and in other news (Score:2)
Re:and in other news (Score:2)
Re:and in other news (Score:2)
-Jesse
Wrong. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Wrong. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Wrong. (Score:3)
Huh? (Score:5, Funny)
Lawyer 1: Ok, I've got this great idea... we'll buy the rigths to Major League Baseball for a period of seven years!
Lawyer 2: Seven years?!!? I've heard of five year deals, even ten year deals... but SEVEN?! That's so far outside the box we'll have to label it as 'innovative' in our press release!
Lawyer 1: What can I say? I'm a visionary. No longer will we be tied to 5 year intervals on licenses... it will liberate the industry from the chains of oppression!
Re:Huh? (Score:2)
Especially when the NFL and EA already have an exclusive licensing agreement. Maybe the USPTO wrote the article.
...and in an unrelated story... (Score:2)
Re:...and in an unrelated story... (Score:2)
because (Score:5, Funny)
What next? SSSSSSX Tricky Baseball pro underground 2?
Mod up your bat, and do break dance moves while hitting home runs into crowd of oiled up lesbians.
Get extra points for inventive sliding moves...
lets face it, baseball sucks.
Does baseball even have cheerleaders? (sorry I know nothing about american sports, so feel free to mod me down!)
Re:because (Score:5, Funny)
You have a torrent for this game?
Re:because (Score:2)
Re:because (Score:2)
However, I would not call baseball an american sport since I can think of other countries that play it. Such as Canada, China, Cuba and Japan.
Re:because (Score:2)
Re:because (Score:2)
Yes, you've quite proven that already.
Damnit !! (Score:2)
--LordPixie
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re:because (Score:2)
Sometimes I wonder why Europeans think they can get away with lame jokes. I'd give you all my mod points if I had them.
Re:because (Score:2)
Once I'm done with my witch hunt against EA (Score:1)
Features Needed (Score:5, Funny)
I don't get it (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:I don't get it (Score:2)
College Teams (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:College Teams (Score:2)
Doesn't say anything about FPS! (Score:3, Funny)
BaseBall games (Score:4, Funny)
1. Aim pitch with line that goes up down. (HIT BUTTON)
2. Pick speed with line that goes up down. (HIT BUTTON)
3. Swing (HIT BUTTON)
4. Run towards ball on ground (HIT BUTTON -REPEAT)
5. Throw to base (HIT BUTTON)
6. See Stats (HIT BUTTON)
7. Next inning starts.
Re:BaseBall games (Score:2, Funny)
1. Aim
2. Shoot (HIT BUTTON)
Analog controls are essential (Score:2)
Any game you play with buttons sucks. That's why I never got a console, I don't want no fucking "joypads". Just try to play "Grand Prix Legends" without a force feedback wheel and you'll see what I mean.
Re:BaseBall games (Score:4, Funny)
Unfortunately, the concept of one-click gameplay has already been patented. That's why console system controllers have so many buttons these days, and why many PC games still use the keyboard.
baseball gaming = overrated (for me, anyway) (Score:3, Interesting)
Maybe if the stadium is in Liberty City and we have to run from the cops while running the bases it'll be a bit more entertaining... Who knows though.
Of course, maybe they'll surprise me and resurrect baseball gaming once again.
Damned Internet Explorer (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Damned Internet Explorer (Score:3, Funny)
Why Sega/T2 = EA (Score:4, Interesting)
As an interesting sidenote, the EA-NFL contract was completely exclusive. But here, it seems that first-party studios are not barred from making MLB games. I wonder if Microsoft put too much into buying the High Heat franchise to let that go?
What about 1st party publishing? (Score:2)
Re:Why Sega/T2 = EA (Score:2)
Re:Why Sega/T2 = EA (Score:2)
And don't be such a dick. It was a freakin' joke posted on slashdot...
Re:Why Sega/T2 = EA (Score:2)
But just as we can't be sure that T2 didn't outbid EA, we also don't know whether T2 "let" some competition in, whether this was the MLB's stipulation, or whether MS and Sony had some pull in the decision. My guess is that the purchase of the High Heat franchise by Microsoft meant they had some vested interest in an MLB game, whereas they had already canned their medicore NFL titl
business case? (Score:3, Interesting)
I don't think Take 2 alone could give MLB more money than, say, MS, EA, Vivendi, etc combined all doing their own licensed games.
Re:business case? (Score:2)
If only one person has that license they can set the monopoly, profit maximizing price. If they sell two licenses, the total profit will be duopoly profit, which is strictly less than monopoly profit. (this is assuming identical products, of course.)
Since there is more money to be had by limiting the number of licenses, the licensee is willing to pay much more to avoid co
Re:business case? (Score:2)
If you rent out a piece of property for seven years to ONE tenant instead of MANY different tenants. That one tenant will be much more likely to pay more money for that land and he'll be much more likely to build things on that land (especially if he knows he won't have to share those improvements with others).
That's the argument anyway. I don't how it will actuall
In other news (Score:4, Funny)
Diaster (Score:5, Interesting)
First it was EA with the NFL license. We know why they did it: the ESPN line of games was eating into their profits bigtime, and had exposed the fact that $20 for a barely updated annual game is more than enough to charge.
2003
Madden sales 5,000,000
ESPN sales 450,000
2004 (through Nov)
Madden sales 3,000,000
ESPN sales 2,000,000
Now Take 2 tries to counter EA by inking this deal.
This is a horrible trend and I don't see it being reversed unless consumers vote with their wallets.
Re:Diaster (Score:2)
How do you "vote with your wallet" when their is no competition to vote for? If you simply buy nothing, they will not hear your "vote", since most other people never buy their product either, so your "vote" will be lost in the noise.
How long until we start hearing the "massive piracy... soft console market... etc" justifications from EA and Take 2, I wonder?
Re:Diaster (Score:2)
Well, let's base this on those sales numbers. If you look, it's about 5-6 million copies (or so) for the two football games. Now, if next year, Madden+Take 2's football game (if there is one) only sells 2-3 million, perhaps a message will be sent? I'm not planning on buying Madden next year (I did buy ESPN 2k5, mostly because of the pricing).
Re:Diaster (Score:2)
Re:Diaster (Score:2)
Agreements are innovative now? (Score:2)
sjees
No, but I just patented innovation. (Score:2)
"innovative" my ass (Score:4, Insightful)
NHL exclusive deal (Score:5, Funny)
Here's how you did it. (Score:3, Funny)
Oh. I wondered who was buying, re-labelling, and re-selling those old "Tiger Woods 2002" game CD's. What better way to show what the players and owners did during the 2004-2005 season!
Re:NHL exclusive deal (Score:2, Funny)
Wait... (Score:2)
Spite... (Score:2)
Besides, if I liked sports (which I don't) I think I'd almost prefer a sports game based on fictitious self made teams, personally trained and built up through hours of gaming just so I could take my memory card over to my friend's house and watch our teams duke it out.
The more these games try to mimick the stats of the real teams, from likeness to abilities, the less personal each game player's team becomes.
It's
Base Wars (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Base Wars (Score:2)
The "build your team" aspect of it is really the reason for this, since you can customize your players names, as well as the equipment you buy for them.
That era also resulted in another great baseball game: Baseball Simulator 1.000 for the NES. (And Super Baseball Simulator 1.000 for the SNES) Similar to Base Wars, well except for the players aren't robots. And Ultra P
eh. Only two things to say. (Score:3, Funny)
2. Thank god for modchips.
Let's forget baseball, then (Score:2)
--Rob
Won't be too big an issue (Score:2)
The only thing that will be lost is the true sense of realism in non-licensed games, but to be honest, I don't always want realism in the games I play. Sometimes irreverence is more fun :) I'll watch baseball on TV if I want realism.
EA Still Wins (Score:2)
Meanwhile, outside America... (Score:2)
Re:I can't understand ... (Score:2)
Backyard baseball has nothing to worry about.
Re:Maybe This Is Good (Score:2)
However, most major league sports in this country have gotten completely out of control these days. With ridiculous salaries and a tolerance for just about any behaviour, all the major league sports I see are focusing less and less on the game and more on peoples perceptions of the players (which can they be marketed en masse.)
It seems as if sports figur
Player 007 (Score:2)
Can't get Barry Bonds? They'll make a player that looks vaguely like a black version of Pierce Brosnan and call him Jimmy Bonds, wearing number 007.