Major League Baseball 2K8
Encyclopedia
Major League Baseball 2K8 or in shorter terms, MLB 2K8, is a MLB
licensed baseball simulation video game developed by Kush Games
and published by 2K Sports
for the PlayStation 2
, PlayStation 3
, PlayStation Portable
, Wii
, and Xbox 360
. It was released on March 4, 2008. A demo was released on Xbox Live Marketplace
the next day on March 5 for Canada, United States and Asian markets.
podcast, revealed the following new features to debut in 2K8:
The official site also included these additional new and updated features:
shortstop
José Reyes was announced as the cover athlete on December 6, 2007, taking over for New York Yankees
counterpart Derek Jeter
.
and Joe Morgan
once again resume game announcing duties, while Steve Physioc and Jeanne Zelasko
continue reporting duties.
is once again not placed in the game due to his not being a part of the MLBPA licensing agreement, and once again is represented by left-fielder Joe Young. By this time, some people have thought that Randy Carter is representing Roger Clemens
on the free agents list.
The game is also notably missing some regular every day MLB players like Kevin Millar
and Brendan Donnelly
. This is due to the players' involvement in crossing picket lines as replacement players during the 1994 work stoppage, which prevents them from becoming members of the MLB Players Association. These players do, however, have aliases within the game. For example, Kevin Millar goes by the name Kyle Morgan as evidenced by their identical profiles including number, height, weight and attributes. Higher profile prospects like Jay Bruce
(replaced with James Bale) of the Reds, Evan Longoria
(replaced with Eric Lincoln) of the Rays, Colby Rasmus
(replaced with Clint Rents) of the Cardinals or Fernando Martínez
(replaced with Felipe Marrero) of the Mets are also under aliases in the game until they have major league experience while players like Geovany Soto
of the Cubs are in the game. These aliases use the same first initials of the player's first and last names, and mirror the players actual profiles and attributes as well. New rookies from the Japan Leagues, Kosuke Fukudome
of the Chicago Cubs
and Hiroki Kuroda
of the Los Angeles Dodgers
do not have their names in the game and are instead replaced with Kazuhito Fortunato and Hideo Kajita. Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kyle Drabek
, is replaced with the name Kirk Darby, although at the time, he was on the Philadelphia Phillies.
called Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars
, which extensively utilizes the DS touchscreen
, and features fantasy elements such as power ups and fantasy stadiums.
baseball game of the 2K Sports Major League Baseball series
, and the second lead developed by Ben Brinkman for Kush. In Brinkman's 1UP.com log, he revealed that MLB 2K8 represents the middle act of a planned three year development cycle for 2K's baseball series for next gen systems, with MLB 2K7
being the first stage. According to Brinkman, "At the same time we set out a three year plan for the MLB franchise so that once 2K7 ended we could get right to work on 2K8 and have a set of goals and features to accomplish." From an interview in an IGN article, "MLB 2K7 was the first step in a long process of reinventing the 2K Sports baseball brand and the MLB franchise. 2K7 was year one of that, and a lot of that was just getting back onto stable ground -- getting back with the people who play our game and putting something out there that they're happy with, they have a blast playing and that they can play for an extended period of time. I think we delivered upon that, especially given the short timeline with which we had to create that game."
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
licensed baseball simulation video game developed by Kush Games
Kush Games
Kush Games was a video game developer based out of Camarillo, California. They focused on non-violent, sports video games such as MLB Baseball 2K and NHL 2K...
and published by 2K Sports
2K Sports
2K Sports is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It comprises a single development studio, Visual Concepts, which was purchased from Sega in the year 2005. 2K Sports mainly develops and publishes American sports video games such as NBA 2K series...
for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. It was released on March 4, 2008. A demo was released on Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
the next day on March 5 for Canada, United States and Asian markets.
New features
Ben Brinkman, in a January 18, 2008 KOXMOfficial Xbox Magazine
Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch of the original Xbox. A preview issue was released for E3 2001, with another preview issue for November 2001. The magazine is bundled with a disc that includes game demos, preview videos and...
podcast, revealed the following new features to debut in 2K8:
- 90 playable real-life minor league baseballMinor league baseballMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
teams and players (restricted to players who have had major league experience), including 20 authentic minor league stadiums. - 2K Cards, unlockable trading cards.
- New pitching system in which the pitch type is determined by analog stick movement
- Swing Stick 2.0, a revamped analog batting system which allows an increased variety of batted balls (Baltimore ChopBaltimore ChopThe Baltimore Chop was a hitting technique used by batters during Major League Baseball's dead-ball era which was an important element of John McGraw's "Inside baseball." Popularized by and named after the original Baltimore Orioles, the batter would intentionally hit the ball downward to the hard...
s, bloops, dribblers, etc.). - New ball-throwing system which is also determined by analog stick movement.
- More realistic fielding tweaks, and a revamp of double playDouble playIn baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
animation and gameplay.
The official site also included these additional new and updated features:
- Downloadable minor league stadiums
- Revamped baserunning, with more intuitive controls and smarter baserunning AI
- Additional Signature Style animations
- Downloadable content (Xbox 360)
- The new features are not available on the PS2 version of the game.
- Some Wii version discs have a glitch in franchise mode. After the first year, the season is only 15 games. This only happens to a few discs, and can be fixed by creating another franchise each time you load the original franchise.
Cover athlete
New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
José Reyes was announced as the cover athlete on December 6, 2007, taking over for New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
counterpart Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
.
Announcers
For the 5th straight year, Announcers Jon MillerJon Miller
Jon Wallace Miller is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball. He is currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants. He was also a baseball announcer on ESPN until the network chose not to renew his contract following the...
and Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
once again resume game announcing duties, while Steve Physioc and Jeanne Zelasko
Jeanne Zelasko
Jeanne Zelasko is a journalist and sportscaster who took over as the pre-game host of Fox's MLB games in 2001 after the departure of Keith Olbermann until October 2008. She also covered pre-game for MLB 2K6, MLB 2K7, and MLB 2K8 alongside Steve Physioc...
continue reporting duties.
Downloadable content
- March 6, 2008: The first round of downloadable content was released on Xbox Live MarketplaceXbox Live MarketplaceThe Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
for free, which included The Minor League Stadium Pack, which featured Durham Bulls Athletic ParkDurham Bulls Athletic ParkDurham Bulls Athletic Park, frequently called the DBAP , is a ballpark in Durham, North Carolina that is home to the Durham Bulls, the AAA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. It is also home to the Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Central Eagles college baseball teams. The...
, Hadlock FieldHadlock FieldHadlock Field is a Minor League baseball stadium in Portland, Maine. It is primarily home to the Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League. It is also the home of the Portland Bulldogs and Deering Rams baseball teams. The stadium is named for Edson J...
and Legends FieldLegends FieldGeorge M. Steinbrenner Field , is a baseball stadium located in Tampa, Florida across Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium, home of the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The ballpark was built in 1996 and holds almost 11,000 people with an addition in right field built in...
(now called "George M. Steinbrenner Field"), a Majestic Cool Base Uniforms pack, which added one new uniform for each Major League team, and the Card Series 2 download which unlocked the next set of packs for use in the game's card battle mode.
Licensing issues
Barry BondsBarry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
is once again not placed in the game due to his not being a part of the MLBPA licensing agreement, and once again is represented by left-fielder Joe Young. By this time, some people have thought that Randy Carter is representing Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
on the free agents list.
The game is also notably missing some regular every day MLB players like Kevin Millar
Kevin Millar
Kevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...
and Brendan Donnelly
Brendan Donnelly
Brendan Kevin Donnelly is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He bats and throws right-handed.-Career:Donnelly was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 27th round of the 1992 amateur draft...
. This is due to the players' involvement in crossing picket lines as replacement players during the 1994 work stoppage, which prevents them from becoming members of the MLB Players Association. These players do, however, have aliases within the game. For example, Kevin Millar goes by the name Kyle Morgan as evidenced by their identical profiles including number, height, weight and attributes. Higher profile prospects like Jay Bruce
Jay Bruce
Jay Allen Bruce is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds. He was selected 12th overall in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft....
(replaced with James Bale) of the Reds, Evan Longoria
Evan Longoria
Evan Michael Longoria is a Major League Baseball third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays. Formerly, Longoria was a star infielder for the Long Beach State University baseball team, the Cape Cod League MVP, and the Big West Co-Player of the Year.He made his major league debut for the Rays in , and...
(replaced with Eric Lincoln) of the Rays, Colby Rasmus
Colby Rasmus
Colby Ryan Rasmus is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball.-Early years:...
(replaced with Clint Rents) of the Cardinals or Fernando Martínez
Fernando Martínez
Fernando Martínez may refer to:*Fernando Martínez , Major League Baseball player for the New York Mets*Fernando Martínez Heredia, Cuban politician*Fernando Martínez Perales , Spanish footballer...
(replaced with Felipe Marrero) of the Mets are also under aliases in the game until they have major league experience while players like Geovany Soto
Geovany Soto
Geovany Soto is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Chicago Cubs.-Professional career:...
of the Cubs are in the game. These aliases use the same first initials of the player's first and last names, and mirror the players actual profiles and attributes as well. New rookies from the Japan Leagues, Kosuke Fukudome
Kosuke Fukudome
is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder.Prior to arriving in the United States, Fukudome played nine seasons for the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League...
of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Hiroki Kuroda
Hiroki Kuroda
is a professional baseball player from Osaka, Japan who is currently a free agent. He is a starting pitcher, who most recently pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers .-Early days:...
of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
do not have their names in the game and are instead replaced with Kazuhito Fortunato and Hideo Kajita. Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kyle Drabek
Kyle Drabek
Kyle Jordan Drabek is an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays. He made his first major league start on September 15, 2010 against the Baltimore Orioles....
, is replaced with the name Kirk Darby, although at the time, he was on the Philadelphia Phillies.
DS spinoff
A more "baseball-lite" version of MLB 2K8 was released for the Nintendo DSNintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
called Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars
Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars
Major League Baseball 2K8 Fantasy All-Stars is the Nintendo DS spin-off of Major League Baseball 2K8 in the vein of MLB Power Pros, developed by Deep Fried Entertainment and published by 2K Sports...
, which extensively utilizes the DS touchscreen
Touchscreen
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus...
, and features fantasy elements such as power ups and fantasy stadiums.
Development and history
MLB 2K8 represents the third seventh generation consoleHistory of video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current generation , and includes consoles released since late by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony...
baseball game of the 2K Sports Major League Baseball series
2K Sports Major League Baseball series
2K Sports Major League Baseball series is a series of Major League Baseball video games, developed by Visual Concepts and Kush Games, and published by 2K Games. There have been nine games in the series: 2K4, 2K5, World Series 2K5, 2K6, 2K7, 2K8, 2K9, 2K10 and 2K11. All games were created for...
, and the second lead developed by Ben Brinkman for Kush. In Brinkman's 1UP.com log, he revealed that MLB 2K8 represents the middle act of a planned three year development cycle for 2K's baseball series for next gen systems, with MLB 2K7
Major League Baseball 2K7
Major League Baseball 2K7 is a Major League Baseball licensed baseball simulation video game developed by Kush Games and published by 2K Sports. Released on February 27, 2007, it is the only 2007 MLB licensed game available for the Xbox 360 and Xbox...
being the first stage. According to Brinkman, "At the same time we set out a three year plan for the MLB franchise so that once 2K7 ended we could get right to work on 2K8 and have a set of goals and features to accomplish." From an interview in an IGN article, "MLB 2K7 was the first step in a long process of reinventing the 2K Sports baseball brand and the MLB franchise. 2K7 was year one of that, and a lot of that was just getting back onto stable ground -- getting back with the people who play our game and putting something out there that they're happy with, they have a blast playing and that they can play for an extended period of time. I think we delivered upon that, especially given the short timeline with which we had to create that game."
Reception
Critical response to MLB 2K8 has been somewhat mixed. Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions have been cited as lacking fluidity and thus seem to lag. Critics have been quick to point out that the new Swing Stick is difficult to grasp and time. While the new pitching system has been touted as very realistic, it has also been criticized as being too difficult. The Batter's Eye has also not been functioning properly in many of the copies. IGN scored the Xbox 360 version 7.4, while the PS3 version received a score of 7.2. On the other end, Game Informer gave it an 8.5 on both the Xbox 360 and the PS3, while EGM gave it a B. The reaction to the Wii version has also been somewhat mediocre. While the pitching control has been highly praised, the graphics and overall gameplay have been criticized. The game tends to crash frequently and rained out games that contain at least 5 innings are often not considered to be completed. The Wii version was the only version that did not have online play and the critics criticized that as well.Soundtrack
The following songs appear in the soundtrack:| Band | Song |
|---|---|
| Battles | Atlas |
| Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, now based in Los Angeles. BRMC is known for their garage rock, blues, folk revival, neo-psychedelia sound. They are influenced by bands such as: The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Verve, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, T... |
Need Some Air |
| Blitzen Trapper Blitzen Trapper Blitzen Trapper is a Portland, Oregon-based experimental alternative country/folk band signed to Sub Pop Records. Formed in 2000, the band currently operates as a sextet, with Eric Earley , Erik Menteer , Brian Adrian Koch , Michael VanPelt , and Marty Marquis... |
Wild Mountain Nation |
| The Cars The Cars The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson... |
Moving in Stereo Moving in Stereo "Moving in Stereo" is a song originally recorded by the American rock band The Cars, featuring lead vocals by Benjamin Orr. It appeared on their self-titled debut album released in 1978... |
| The Cool Kids The Cool Kids The Cool Kids is an American hip hop group. Consisting of rappers Antoine "Sir Michael Rocks" Reed and Evan "Chuck Inglish" Ingersoll , the group is based in Chicago, Illinois and Detroit, Michigan... |
88 |
| The Cure The Cure The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member... |
Never Enough |
| Dinosaur Jr Dinosaur Jr Dinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, prior to legal issues that forced the group to change their name, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005... |
Almost Ready |
| The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What... |
The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat) |
| The Hold Steady The Hold Steady The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge... |
Stuck Between Stations |
| Jay Reatard Jay Reatard Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr. , better known by the stage name Jay Reatard, was an American musician from Memphis, Tennessee. Lindsey was signed to Matador Records... |
My Shadow |
| Kasabian | Reason Is Treason Reason Is Treason "Reason Is Treason" is the second limited release from British rock band Kasabian. As a limited release it was ineligible for chart entry.The 10" release was packaged with a Kasabian stencil secured with two elastic bands. The Promo CD was wrapped in brown paper with the Kasabian logo stencilled on... |
| LCD Soundsystem LCD Soundsystem LCD Soundsystem was a prominent American dance-punk band from New York City. It was fronted by American singer-songwriter and producer James Murphy, co-founder of record label DFA Records... |
Watch the Tapes |
| Modest Mouse Modest Mouse Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think... |
Dashboard Dashboard (song) "Dashboard" is a song by American indie rock band Modest Mouse and is the second track on their 2007 album We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. The song was released as the first single from that album and peaked at #5 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart. It debuted at #59 in the Billboard... |
| Peter Bjorn and John Peter Bjorn and John Peter Bjorn and John are a Swedish indie rock band, formed in Stockholm in 1999 and named after the first names of the band's members: Peter Morén , Björn Yttling and John Eriksson .They are best known for the 2006 single "Young Folks", which... |
The Chills |
| The Presidents of the United States of America The Presidents of the United States of America (band) The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,... |
Cleveland Rocks Cleveland Rocks "Cleveland Rocks" is a rock song by Ian Hunter from his 1979 album You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic. The song is seen as a de facto anthem in Cleveland, Ohio. The song was played every Friday at 6:00 PM on Cleveland radio station WMMS beginning in 1979 and is used as a victory song for the... |
| The Revolution Fox Experiment | Hyper Charlie |
| The Strokes The Strokes The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti .... |
Someday Someday (The Strokes song) "Someday" is a song by the indie rock band The Strokes, and the third single from Is This It. It peaked at #17 on the U.S. Alternative Songs chart and at #27 on the U.K... |