MLB Power Pros Announced

[Evil Avatar]

The Japanese play Baseball??? 2K Sports sends along word that the popular sports franchise, MLB Power Pros, is heading to the USA.
2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. announced today a new and exciting Major League Baseball title – MLB Power Pros. Developed by Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., and based on the best selling “Power Pro” baseball series in Japan, MLB Power Pros will be published by 2K Sports in North America and will be available in Fall 2007.

MLB Power Pros delivers an original visual style to America’s favorite pastime. Every MLB player will be represented in the “Power Pro” character style - a miniature toy-like figurine model. Gamers will recognize their favorite baseball stars through comic usage of facial expressions, facial hair, and hair styles. Every MLB ballpark has been faithfully replicated with their respective famous landmarks, bringing astounding authenticity to every game. This visual combination is certain to delight baseball fans of all ages.

MLB Power Pros will be available on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Wii home video game system from Nintendo in Fall 2007.PS2 and Wii only???

[Karmakin]

Get used to it.

Games that don't need high end HD graphics you'll see on the PS2 and the Wii only. There's no proof that there's any market for non-high end graphics via retail for the 360 or the PS3.

Edit:Actually, just to take it a step further, there's no proof that there's any market for any sort of niche-market game at a retail level on either the 360 or the PS3. The poor sales of Viva Pinata and Enchanted Arms are good evidence against this.

[Dakar]

Great usage of the license.

Compare to EA who got the NFL license and the best thing they can do besides the mediocre Madden games is NFL Head Coach. Which at best was a poor game.

[mkelehan]

PS2 and Wii only???
Powerful Pro Baseball is a very Japanese franchise, and the 360 and PS3 have yet to gain much ground over there. I'm not surprised at all. Although, there WAS a Powerpro 360 game, if I remember correctly...

[Blade]

"The Japanese play baseball?!"

It's bigger there than it is here.

[F3nyx]

"The Japanese play baseball?!"

It's bigger there than it is here.Yup. I thought the Japanese love for baseball was widely known, but I guess not.

[Sacer]

I am Irish and even I know the Japanese love baseball

[pirateTITAN]

The Japanese are insane about baseball, its like football in the States except worse. Or soccer in Europe. Or is that football...

[XiaNaphryz]

Success Mode = Baseball RPG goodness, YES! :D :D :D :D :D :D

I hope the "My Life" mode will also be in this one. It's another RPG type mode that's less story-oriented and more sim-like, you bring a rookie into the big leagues and play through a career worrying about contract negotiations, TV contracts, social life (can get married and have kids - you do extra well on family birthdays!), buying a house and car, what kind of training you want to do (going out and drinking with the boys too much can have a negative effect), etc etc.

The number of stats the Konami baseball games keep track of is insane:

There's a ton more, stuff like "how well your batter does with 2 strikes" and specific stuff like that.

The game's as Sim-y or Arcade-y as you want it to be depending on the options you set.

This game is so deep, it's ridiculous how much the western baseball developer teams are behind in terms of features.

Even standard season mode is rife with options, such as how you want to setup your practices:

When's the last time you've seen "Situational Lefty" as a valid bullpen option?

I've been a big fan of this series importing various game over the last several years, awesome awesome news. :D :D :D :D

[Evil Avatar]

"The Japanese play baseball?!"

It's bigger there than it is here.

<foghorn leghorn voice>

It's a joke, Son. A joke, I say. I keep a pitchin' em and you keep a missin' em.

</floghorn leghorn voice>

[sticky]

Retarded, instead of 2k publishing this BS maybe they could fix all the issues with MLB2K7 first.

[XiaNaphryz]

Uhhh, BS? This is one of the deepest sim baseball series out there.

[sticky]

Uhhh, BS? This is one of the deepest sim baseball series out there.

Every MLB player will be represented in the “Power Pro” character style - a miniature toy-like figurine model. Gamers will recognize their favorite baseball stars through comic usage of facial expressions, facial hair, and hair styles.

Sounds incredibly realistic and sim like, amazing, can't wait.

[XiaNaphryz]

If that was sarcasm, I'm sure you must know everything about the franchise from a press release as opposed to actually playing any of the games.