2k Sports Announces GM Game for 3 Platforms

Coming this winter (1.26.09 to be exact) is 2K Sports newest leap into the world of video gaming baseball; "Front Office Manager".

You create a GM in your own likeness and take over a franchise's entire day to day operations; scouting, signing, trading, and budget details. Here's a quick peak:

Tim Lincecum to Adorn Cover of MLB 2K9

2K Sports announced yesterday that NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum will appear on the cover of next year's version of the popular video game series, MLB 2K9.

In a press release obtained from MLB 2K9, project manager Mike Rhinehart said;

"We're pushing hard with our ability to capture the unique motions players have, whether it's a walkup or a delivery on the mound," Rhinehart said. "We mimic them to a point of being spot-on, and a good example is (Detroit left-hander) Dontrelle Willis. He has that unique delivery, and when he came down to our studios and saw how we had captured it, he flipped out."

MLB 2K8: IGN Releases XBox360 Achievements

IGN.com released a list of Gamerpoint Achievements that you can unlock while playing the latest installment of MLB 2K Sports video game for the Xbox 360:

MLB 2K8 Achievements
Achievement Name	Description	Pts
Control Artist	Throw a Total Control Pitch with superb execution.	5
Frozen Rope	Get a line drive base hit using Right Stick Hitting (Pro difficulty or higher).	5
Advanced Mind, Advanced Pleasure	Complete 10 games using advanced controls.	50
Fantasy Cards	Create a complete card team.	10
Buy A Pack	Use your duplicate cards to buy a new pack of cards.	20
Earn A Team	Unlock all the cards for a team in card series 1.	30
Earn 100 Cards	Unlock 100 different types of cards.	50
Quality Start	Have your starting pitcher give up 3 or fewer runs in 6+ innings of work (Pro difficulty or higher).	5
Hold!	Get credit for a hold (Pro difficulty or higher).	5
Save!	Get credit for a save (min 3 batters faced, Pro difficulty or higher).	5
Keep it Down	Complete a 9-inning game without giving up a home run (Pro difficulty or higher).	5
1-2-3	Retire all 3 batters faced in an inning (Pro difficulty or higher).	10
Strikeout The Side	Strikeout all 3 batters faced in an inning (Pro difficulty or higher).	50
A Day To Remember	Throw a no-hitter using any number of pitchers (minimum 9 innings, Pro difficulty or higher).	100
Skillz	Make a spectacular defensive play (Pro difficulty or higher).	5
Catch 'em Nappin	Successfully bunt for a hit (Pro difficulty or higher).	10
Red-Handed	Throw out a runner attempting to steal a base (Pro difficulty or higher).	10
He's Got a Gun!	Throw out a runner at homeplate from the outfield using Right Stick Throwing.	20
The Train's Comin' Through	Score a run after plowing over the catcher at homeplate (Pro difficulty or higher).	20
De-Railed	Successfully prevent a runner from plowing over your catcher and scoring (Pro difficulty or higher).	20
Triple Double	Turn 3 double plays in one game (Pro difficulty or higher).	20
Eagle Eye	Get a Base on Balls (Pro difficulty or higher).	10
Double Triple	Hit two triples in one game (Pro difficulty or higher).	30
Goliath	Hit 5 home runs in one game (Pro difficulty or higher).	20
Legendary	Win a 9-inning game on Legend difficulty.	50
What's Your Fantasy?	Complete at least 25 rounds of a fantasy draft in franchise mode.	5
Glove of Gold	In franchise, have a player win the Player's Choice Best Fielder award (min 20 games played).	10
Platinum Bat	In franchise, have a player win the Player's Choice Best Hitting award (min. 20 games played).	10
Star-Studded	In franchise, have 3 or more players make the All-Star Team (min 15 games played).	20
Makin' a Splash	In franchise, have a rookie earn the Rookie of the Year award (min 20 games played).	20
Contender	In franchise, have your team make the playoffs (min 20 games played).	20
Domination	Win at least 105 games in one season (min 20 games played)	30
Layer Cake	In franchise, win a game at each minor league level (A, AA, and AAA).	10
Brink of Stardom	In franchise, have a player win the Minor League Player of the Year award.	10
I'm a Winner!	Win a ranked match on Xbox LIVE.	10
Win 20 Online	Win 20 ranked matches on Xbox LIVE.	30
Card Master	Win a Card Battle match on Xbox LIVE.	50
Slugger	Win a Strikes Only match on Xbox LIVE.	20
League Participation	Play a game in a league or tournament on Xbox LIVE.	10
Cards Shmards	Top 'em: In a ranked match on Xbox LIVE, beat an opponent who has unlocked 'Earn 100 Cards'.	20
David vs. Goliath	Top 'em: In a ranked match on Xbox LIVE, beat an opponent who has unlocked 'Goliath'.	20
Another Level	Top 'em: In a ranked match on Xbox LIVE, beat an opponent who has unlocked 'Legendary'.	20
Live Wire	Top 'em: In a ranked match on Xbox LIVE, beat an opponent who has unlocked 'Win 20 Online'.	20
You're Not So Tough	Top 'em: In a ranked match on Xbox LIVE, beat an opponent who has unlocked 'A Day to Remember'.	50
What Makes YOU So Special?	Top 'em: In a ranked match on Xbox LIVE, beat an opponent who has unlocked a Top 'em achievement.	50

MLB 2K8 Trailer Released

2K Sports released their first trailer for the upcoming installment in the MLB 2K Sports Series. Take a peak:

MLB 2K8 Updates

We, like thousands of baseball fans who double as virtual General Managers, are anxiously awaiting the March 3rd release of 2K Sports 2008 Version of their baseball franchise. And, being good folks that deliver all aspects baseball news, we're glad to bring you some updates regarding its much anticipated release.
Here's the list of new features according to the 2K Sports Website, along with the occasional Red Stitches commentary:

Swing Stick 2.0 - Unparalleled ball-to-bat contact, unlimited variety of hit types and more realistic at bats with deeper Inside Edge™ integration.

Looking deeper into the site, there is an interview with the game's producer, Ben Brinkman. Brinkman explains that while they're excited about the Swing Stick 2.0 technology, gamers who are used to the old style of hitting can choose to remain playing with those custom settings.

More Signature Style™ - New and improved player walk-ups, batting stances, waggles, home run celebrations, step-ins and step-outs bring each player to life in true, 2K Sports fashion.

This feature is pretty amazing. We were able to see some video of the game in action, and we were blown away. Check out this clip of David Ortiz batting against Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang. Everything is nailed down in this series, from the wind blowing (and uniforms shaking because of the weather) to Ortiz stepping out of the box and spitting on his batting gloves.


Total Pitch Control - A revolutionary right analog stick pitching system where right stick motions and timing determine pitch type, speed and accuracy.

Again, there might be a handful of gamers out there that don't want to have to become acrobats or use telekinesis powers to throw a strike. Reverting to last years settings takes care of that problem.

Precision Throw Control - Unlimited throw types and trajectories using real-world physics and Inside Edge™ data bring realism and variety to every defensive play on the field.


All-New Baserunning - Intuitive and simplified baserunning controls featuring overhauled AI now play a key role in offensive strategy.

Baserunning better take a step up, Jose Reyes is their cover boy.

Full Minor Leagues - 90 Minor League teams available in both Franchise and Exhibition modes, with over 20 authentic Minor League Stadiums and additional authentic Minor League Stadiums post ship via digital download.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We're sick to death of having a Minor League System that is actually just a holding cell for players not on the 25 man roster.

2K Cards - Earn them, collect them, share them, and trade them. The most in-depth card trading system ever, taking the MLB 2K community to a new level.

Not exactly sure what's going on here.

2K Sports Online - Now with over 1 MILLION online gamers in the 2K community, go head-to-head against the best players on the planet.

Time to install a T1 line.

Best Booth in the Business - 2K Sports proudly brings back the duo Jon Miller and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan to the broadcast booth, delivering the deepest commentary available.

This is where we tend to shake our heads in disappointment with the folks at MLB 2K Sports. In our dream world, and this is almost borderline insanity, every team would have their own hometown announcer. Michael Kay for the Yankees, Jerry Remy for the Red Sox, and Will Ferrell doing his Harey Carey impersonation for the Cubs Fans.

MLB 2K8 Video Preview

Here's a recent video release of the upcoming 2K Sports release "MLB 2K8". David Ortiz goes down looking against Chien-Ming Wang.

Video can be downloaded at IGN.com.

MLB 2K8 Video Preview

Here's a recent video release of the upcoming 2K Sports release "MLB 2K8". This clip features a game between the Rockies and Diamondbacks.

Video can be downloaded at IGN.com.

MLB 2K8 Video Preview

Here's a recent video release of the upcoming 2K Sports release "MLB 2K8". Derek Jeter goes yard against Josh Beckett.

Video can be downloaded at IGN.com.

MLB 2K8 Video Released

Here's a recent video release of the upcoming 2K Sports release "MLB 2K8". Troy Tulowitzki homers against Brandon Webb:

Video can be downloaded at IGN.com.

2K Sports: MLB 2K8 Release Date Confirmed

2K Sports announced that the latest installment in their baseball video game franchise will be released March 3, 2008. Gamespot.com interviewed Ben Brinkman, 2k8's Producer. In the interview, Brinkman discusses some of the game's new features:

"Well, to start we added 90 minor-league teams to the game, including authentic uniforms, many authentic minor-league stadiums, and a few generic ones as well. Going hand-in-hand with that, we had to do a ton of work on the franchise mode, so you can expect a better and much more complete experience there.

We've also added many new unlockable "special" teams incorporating both current and legendary players. We've also got a pretty cool new approach to unlockables in general. We've implemented a new baseball-card system, in which you can earn players' cards by completing certain tasks. You can then sell duplicate cards for credits to buy new card packs, which consist of 10 cards and may include a stadium or special team. But by far the coolest part of the card system is the online card battles. When you have enough player cards to fulfill the requirements of a full team, you can then combine your cards to create a team and take head-to-head against other gamers' card teams online.

On the gameplay side, the big push was for realism. One area we knew we could improve from 2K7 was the hitting engine. Why am I able to hit an opposite-field home run on a pitch that jammed me off the handle of the bat? This shouldn't be. So first off, we completely gutted and rewrote the hitting engine, and the results are outstanding. Along with this, we tweaked the swing stick from 2K7 to increase your control and give it a better feel overall. This is dubbed "Swing Stick 2.0." The idea was to give batting more "oomph" when you swing. Baseball swings consist of two motions: back and forward. Basically we took the power swings from the swing stick and made them the default way to swing, minus the loft and power boost. We think it makes swings far more responsive, rewarding. and natural. Everything from going the other way with an outside pitch to checking your swing feels natural. My favorite is ripping that pitch in down the line. There is just something extremely satisfying about that!

We've also designed an entirely new and unique pitching interface which is unlike anything that's been done before. The main input comes from the right analog stick. The execution involves matching a gesture to throw the desired pitch. This enables a lot more granularity from the input than a digital face-button approach. We'll reveal more on this later. I know this might be met with mixed opinions on the message boards, but do us a favor and wait for the demo before you rush to judgment. We've spent a lot of time and iterations on this and, frankly, I will never pitch using buttons again. I really love it.

Finally, there is also a new right-stick throwing interface in the field. While you may have seen similar mechanics in the past, we've put a new spin on it which we believe is pretty innovative in its own right. The biggest goal was to give more control to the user and have the results be intuitive and realistic, and we're really happy with it.

Having said all that, we will still provide the option to choose between the pitching, batting, and throwing interfaces from previous years, but we believe once you've used the new ones, you won't want to go back."

Patiently Waiting: MLB 2K8

We here at 108 Red Stitches are scratching our heads in wonder; "Why no updates from 2K Sports on their latest video game title?"

December 8, 2007 was the last update to their site. Refreshing hundreds of times on their landing page, we only get "Image Coming Soon" and "Video Coming Soon" banners.
There's no sneak previews, no screen shots, no hints as to what's coming next. The only info on the game is what's posted in the press release section, announcing Jose Reyes as the next cover boy for the series.

So we thought we could make some predicitions to help you guys out. We know you're looking for MLB 2K8, the folks at FeedBurner are telling us so.

108 Red Stitches Predictions for MLB 2K8:

1. Improved Injury Reporting System: Now, along with missing five games due to a pulled hammy, players can be suspended for use of PEDs. (XBox Cheat Code for administering Flaxseed Oil is - Left Trigger, A, A, Right Trigger, Left Stick Click.)

2. Build Your Own Stadium: EA Sports managed to work that into their system before the series died, now 2KSports has acquired that knowledge. Design every last detail, including the height of your bullpen walls to keep guys like Karim Garcia from going after the fans.

3. Design A Player: Function is improved to include adding custom designed jewelry, grill plates, and add custom designed felonies.

4. Sell Google Adspace On Your Outfield Walls: Just enter your Adsense Account ID and Paypal info into the correct fields, and within minutes, Johnny Damon will be crashing into a Penile Enhancement Ad.

5. Real Time Player Interaction: Is your XBox system running slow or are your Wii Remote Batteries waining? Well, Jose Reyes is designed to run as fast (or slow) as your system prohibits. Want to make sure he runs out that ground ball? Make sure you use Lithium Batteries in your wireless controller!

6. Special Mini Games: Unlock hidden mini games such as BeJuiced or Pin the Tail on the Boras. See how much HGH you can inject into Barry Bonds (excuse me, John Dowd, because Bonds is too good for the Players Union) before he gets caught by that pesky Mitchell guy!

7. Create a Team Function: Draft hidden talent, farm Major League Super Stars, and then trade them away to cut costs, the Jeffrey Loria way!

8. New Bench Coach Mode: Watch the entire game from the bench. There's no real reason for you to be playing in this mode, because you only get to play for whatever team Joe Torre is coaching, and you only get to make one suggestion per game. It usually gets ignored.

9. Superstar Mode: Follow a player through his college life, the amateur draft, the minor leagues, his three weeks in the majors, and then retire and run a car dealership until Ken Burns contacts you to make a documentary on baseball.

10. User Generated Feature: Because We're All Out of Ideas. So 2KSports is letting you, the gamer, handle all of our important PR, development, and strategic decisions from now on. We're washing our hands of all this.

Hey it worked for Doritos.