Take Two Signs Exclusive Deal With MLBPA-The Deal Is Done

[RedSoxFox7]

They do with NCAA Football / Basketball games. Why wouldn't they for baseball?

because NOBODY can release NCAA games with real names. licensing the use of a player's name would violate their NCAA eligibility. since nobody can use the names, nobody has a leg up in regards to licensing.

right now it seems like Take2 will have exclusive MLBPA rights, giving them a big leg up on EA.

hopefully the two companies will reach some sort of agreement to share MLB[PA] & NFL[PA] rights

[RedSoxFox7]

The deal states that Take Two is the only third party developer able to make mlb games. However Microsoft(if they choose) and sony's 989 studios still can make baseball games. Who knows maybe ea can develop mvp for microsoft. :wink:

that would be sweet, then we could most likely count on more PC releases.

although, i highly doubt that would happen.

[RedSoxFox7]

Sorry to inform you, but this deal already covers that. Take a look at this press release from the MLBPA from Jan 19 http://bigleaguers.yahoo.com/mlbpa/news?sl...bpa&type=pr

From the way that's written, it seems as though MLBPA could license rights to just names to a company, as they have done in the past, OR MLBAM could license everything about MLB to a company. it seems like there's a weird overlapping of powers there.

if that's the case, EA should run to MLBAM offices and try to strike a deal with them ASAP.

[baseballfans]

I know Barry Bonds not in the MLBPA so again the greedy / steroid user won't be in any baseball game.

Take2 will focus their attention to baseball now that they lost football. So in the end they will make a better baseball game and hopefully increase the competition against EA.

[five]

because NOBODY can release NCAA games with real names. licensing the use of a player's name would violate their NCAA eligibility. since nobody can use the names, nobody has a leg up in regards to licensing.

I realize that, but my point is those games sale even though they don't have names. As of now, that is all TakeTwo has gained, if they don't gain the logos and trademarks as well, I think that EA would probably still make MVP.

Modders have always made the rosters for NCAA and they would continue to do so for MVP.

On paper it may seem like a big victory for TakeTwo, but I think in reality they haven't gained that much ground on EA.

[CCH3900]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[jpup]

No More speculation. The issue is dead. Take-Two has exclusive 3rd party rights to the MLBPA. Here is the article from IGN. This means that the only people that can make games using actual major league players is Take-Two, Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo. I don't know how this will effect the PC game world. I would say that it will be addressed in the near future. No more, what if's. MVP Baseball is dead after 2005.

January 24, 2005 - It's not exactly news that Take Two is swinging back in the sports exclusive battle suddenly erupting in the past few months: last week we let you know about a sweet deal with the Major League Baseball Player's Association. Today, however, Take Two announced the agreement officially.

For seven years, Take Two Interactive has exclusive third-party rights to video games using the MLB brand. Unlike Electronic Arts' recent and controversial deal with the NFL, Take Two is leaving some room for competition: first-party developers (i.e., Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo) can still use the MLB goods. The contract officially begins in 2006.

"The baseball video game business has been underdeveloped for years," said John Olshan, the MLBPA's Category Director for Interactive Games. "The upcoming change in technology makes this the perfect time for us to implement our plan for growing the business, and we have no doubt that Take2's proven creativity and innovation, combined with their incredible distribution strength and powerful commitment to baseball, will add real excitement and depth to the video game marketplace. Baseball fans will be the big winners."

Take Two, of course, has of late been a publishing partner (along with SEGA) for Visual Concepts' ESPN sports titles. Electronic Arts recently announced it also nabbed the rights to the ESPN brand as another exclusive.

The geography of sports gaming is changing, and we'll be right here with more developments as they occur.

-- David Adams

The big joke is where it says that baseball fans will be the big winners. That is rediculous. The best case scenario for all of us would be Microsoft creating a PC baseball game. This is a sad day.

[krawhitham]

at least Take Two has purchased Visual Concepts World series 2k baseball games

but

who would be a 1st party for PC's. If EA released a cheap *** computer that is only for sale is some small shop in ohio. Does that make them 1st party

it is impossible to determine 1st party developers for PCs unless Microsoft is the only 1st party developer because the make the OS.

Microsoft and EA could partner up on the MVP series. EA makes the game and Microsoft publishes it for the PC and for the Xbox

would PC + Xbox = PS2 sales for MVP?

it would be a good thing for MS to be the only console with MVP

[krawhitham]

Does take-two own High Heat?

Take-Two helps Microsoft get out of sports game

Internal sports slate at Microsoft Game Studios is wiped clean as the Salt Lake City dev shop behind Links, Amped, and Top Spin is sold off.

The end of sports game development at Microsoft Game Studios is one that can now be viewed as having two last gasps. The first was the one felt when Microsoft laid off 76 employees attached to the NFL Fever, NHL Rivals, and Inside Drive teams in early August. The second came sometime within the last three months when the ink dried on a contract that saw Microsoft sell its Salt Lake City-based studio responsible for the Amped and Links sports franchises to Take-Two Interactive. The sale was revealed today during Take-Two's earnings call.

The studio also oversaw development of Top Spin by Paris-based studio Power and Magic Developments.

During today's call, Take-Two president Paul Eibeler confirmed that sometime during the August-September quarter, it purchased the Utah studio from Microsoft. He referred to the studio by its current name, Indie Built, and did not mention which of Take-Two's three subsidiaries--Rockstar Games, Gathering, or Global Star--would manage the studio.

Microsoft Game Studios Group PR manager Genevieve Waldman confirmed that the sale signified the end of internal sports-game development at Microsoft. However, she said the transaction has an upside for all parties, including Indie Built employees. "The reaction at Indie Built is positive," Waldman said. "They all became Take-Two employees."

As for the future direction on the studio, which numbered around 70 employees at the time of the sale, Waldman said, "We are well aware they may make games for other platforms [besides Xbox], but it was the right thing for us both." For Microsoft, Waldman said, that means "positioning the Xbox for success and profitability."

With Take-Two's sports lineup sporting a hole in the area of football, questions surrounding how Indie Built talent might contribute to the company's sports lineup remain unclear. However, Eibeler did clarify during the earnings call that sports would have a meaningful presence in the future publishing plans of the company.

When asked, a Take-Two representative declined to comment on games in development at the studio. However, since the company has approximately 100 products in the production pipeline, it can safely be assumed it's tapping all available studios, including Indie Built, to those ends.

[YankeexDev]

I hope ea has something up their sleaves

[hoserthehorrible]

No More speculation. The issue is dead. Take-Two has exclusive 3rd party rights to the MLBPA. Here is the article from IGN. This means that the only people that can make games using actual major league players is Take-Two, Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo. I don't know how this will effect the PC game world. I would say that it will be addressed in the near future. No more, what if's. MVP Baseball is dead after 2005.

January 24, 2005 - It's not exactly news that Take Two is swinging back in the sports exclusive battle suddenly erupting in the past few months: last week we let you know about a sweet deal with the Major League Baseball Player's Association. Today, however, Take Two announced the agreement officially.

For seven years, Take Two Interactive has exclusive third-party rights to video games using the MLB brand. Unlike Electronic Arts' recent and controversial deal with the NFL, Take Two is leaving some room for competition: first-party developers (i.e., Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo) can still use the MLB goods. The contract officially begins in 2006.

"The baseball video game business has been underdeveloped for years," said John Olshan, the MLBPA's Category Director for Interactive Games. "The upcoming change in technology makes this the perfect time for us to implement our plan for growing the business, and we have no doubt that Take2's proven creativity and innovation, combined with their incredible distribution strength and powerful commitment to baseball, will add real excitement and depth to the video game marketplace. Baseball fans will be the big winners."

Take Two, of course, has of late been a publishing partner (along with SEGA) for Visual Concepts' ESPN sports titles. Electronic Arts recently announced it also nabbed the rights to the ESPN brand as another exclusive.

The geography of sports gaming is changing, and we'll be right here with more developments as they occur.

-- David Adams

The big joke is where it says that baseball fans will be the big winners. That is rediculous. The best case scenario for all of us would be Microsoft creating a PC baseball game. This is a sad day.

Unfortunately not everything is crystal clear and there's still lots of unanswered questions.

Will Take Two produce a game for the PC? Will it be the next generation of High Heat? Will they stiff the PC user? Will EA cut a deal with someone else (a.k.a. Microsoft) and find a loophole through the 3rd party exclusivity? Will EA and Take Two cut deals with each other? Why would the MLBPA cut a deal with Take Two if Take Two isn't going to make a PC game? The MBLPA has cut a deal with Take Two but what about the MLB? They're different entities.

There's still plenty of unanswered questions and the speculation that goes with it.

[jpup]

2K Games

Take-Two announces new publishing label.

By Jon Robinson

January 25, 2005 - Fresh off deals with Major League Baseball and Sega, Take-Two Interactive Software announced today the formation of a new publishing label, 2K Games. The new label will publish both internally and externally developed console, PC, and handheld games, including sports titles like MLB 2K5 under the 2K Sports label.

Take-Two issued a press release today talking about the new brand, including the news that "numerous new products for the 2K Games label are expected to be announced in the coming months."

One of the most anticipated announcements is going to be what, if any, football products are being developed by Visual Concepts, the developer Take-Two recently purchased. After breaking through in the football category with their multi-million dollar hit, ESPN NFL 2K5, Visual Concepts has lost both the ESPN and NFL licenses to arch rival EA Sports. But Visual Concepts and Take-Two are not expected to go down without a fight as speculation about future products continues to grow, including rumors about every type of football game imaginable, from high school and NCAA to a football game without a license similar to the Winning Eleven soccer series.

"Consistent with our strategy to diversify Take-Two's product portfolio, the team at 2K Games is rapidly building a sweeping lineup of high-profile licensed and proprietary titles for console, PC and handheld platforms, leveraging the exceptional successes and capabilities at Take-Two," said Paul Eibeler, Take-Two's president. "From high-profile Hollywood licenses to PC-only titles to sports titles, 2K Games will be defined by exceptional games for all genres and platforms."

The press release also states that certain titles previously planned for release on Take-Two's Global Star label will now be released under the 2K Games label.

IGN will have more on this breaking story as additional news becomes available.

There is the answer to our PC questions. VC isn't EA, but it's better than nothing.

[YankeexDev]

I hate take two, hopefully ea pulls something off quick

[hoserthehorrible]

2K Games

Take-Two announces new publishing label.

By Jon Robinson

January 25, 2005 - Fresh off deals with Major League Baseball and Sega, Take-Two Interactive Software announced today the formation of a new publishing label, 2K Games. The new label will publish both internally and externally developed console, PC, and handheld games, including sports titles like MLB 2K5 under the 2K Sports label.

Take-Two issued a press release today talking about the new brand, including the news that "numerous new products for the 2K Games label are expected to be announced in the coming months."

One of the most anticipated announcements is going to be what, if any, football products are being developed by Visual Concepts, the developer Take-Two recently purchased. After breaking through in the football category with their multi-million dollar hit, ESPN NFL 2K5, Visual Concepts has lost both the ESPN and NFL licenses to arch rival EA Sports. But Visual Concepts and Take-Two are not expected to go down without a fight as speculation about future products continues to grow, including rumors about every type of football game imaginable, from high school and NCAA to a football game without a license similar to the Winning Eleven soccer series.

"Consistent with our strategy to diversify Take-Two's product portfolio, the team at 2K Games is rapidly building a sweeping lineup of high-profile licensed and proprietary titles for console, PC and handheld platforms, leveraging the exceptional successes and capabilities at Take-Two," said Paul Eibeler, Take-Two's president. "From high-profile Hollywood licenses to PC-only titles to sports titles, 2K Games will be defined by exceptional games for all genres and platforms."

The press release also states that certain titles previously planned for release on Take-Two's Global Star label will now be released under the 2K Games label.

IGN will have more on this breaking story as additional news becomes available.

There is the answer to our PC questions. VC isn't EA, but it's better than nothing.

It doesn't say whether their baseball title will be the next generation of High Heat code. It also doesn't say whether a PC baseball title will be released in 2005, 2006, 2007 or later.

It also doens't mention what they're going to do with the ESPN presentation style. WIth EA signing a deal with ESPN it certainly seems obvious that Take Two will have to team up with someone else for their presentation. Perhaps with Fox Sports? Perhaps they'll roll their own and hire their own "named" announcers like EA did? Who knows?

The fact that they "plan" on releasing a PC baseball game is good. When it comes out and how good it is are questions to be pondered for a while I suspect.

[YankeexDev]

I will not buy take twos pc version, im not going to turn on ea. EA is not just going to give up, they signed a espn contract and they arnt going to give the baseball series to take two. They spent too much time on it. There not giving up a game that they almost perfected. Il just sit back and see what EA does

[NYBaseballFan]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=57632

"A deal between MLB and Take Two wouldn't change EA's plans in the area, though, as EA doesn't use the MLB branding on its baseball title, MVP Baseball - but smaller rivals in the sector would certainly be squeezed out, such as Sony's MLB range, the latest iteration of which is due out in March."

Anyone know what that means?

[YankeexDev]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=57632

"A deal between MLB and Take Two wouldn't change EA's plans in the area, though, as EA doesn't use the MLB branding on its baseball title, MVP Baseball - but smaller rivals in the sector would certainly be squeezed out, such as Sony's MLB range, the latest iteration of which is due out in March."

Anyone know what that means?

thats 6 days old, but I dont know what that means, "mlb branding"

[pfunk880]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=57632

"A deal between MLB and Take Two wouldn't change EA's plans in the area, though, as EA doesn't use the MLB branding on its baseball title, MVP Baseball - but smaller rivals in the sector would certainly be squeezed out, such as Sony's MLB range, the latest iteration of which is due out in March."

Anyone know what that means?

They are way off-base.

[hoserthehorrible]

They are way off-base.

I agree, they're way off base. Take Two signed a deal with the MLBPA and not the MLB yet so that's not even the issue just yet. The issue is whether EA can use player names and likenesses in their game.

The MLB branding issue is something else and the writer of the article is wrong on that account as well because MVP2004 has the MLB logo right on the splash screen.

[ChrisS]

Gees well after next year I guess this will be mlb2k5mods.com

[D.M.Z.]

Not to beat a dead horse but i found this in an interview over at operation sports and i'm not sure if it has been discussed but i thought this was interesting:

"Take-Two plans to offer multiple titles based on traditional baseball simulation, arcade and manager-style games, including innovative and specially-timed releases throughout the baseball and holiday seasons. Take-Two's Visual Concepts and Kush Games development studios are creating the baseball titles under Take-Two's recently established 2K Sports publishing label."

more than one game release 8O

[jpup]

i believe someone already posted a link to that interview. It's still bad news, but let's think about that next year. :D

[obredaan]

In my unimportant opinion, EA is getting exactly what they deserve since they started this whole trend by taking the NFL license away from Visual Concepts who had delivered not only a better football game than Madden but they were selling for under 30$. EA lost a huge share of the NFL market this year which is why they made this deal with the NFL and even if they say the NFL came to them, I won't buy into that story because it just seems like the timing is too perfect. In the end its the fans that suffer and we won't be playing the games of our choice anymore. Whatever is released is what we must buy. It is sad for gamers to see this happening especially since High Heat vanished but I would not throw in the towel on Take Two. In fact I have more confidence in them than I do EA since EA's track record over the last few years has been less than stellar. How can we forget the dreaded lefty-bug or games like Battlefield which have too many bugs to even list. I guess in time we will see where this is all going but for now we have to hope EA delivers with 2005!