Take Two Lands Exclusive MLB Deal

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..."

Comments

Maybe I am missing something...

[Willie_the_Wimp]

Can someone explain to me how "dramatically limiting the number of baseball video game manufacturers" will "promote competition in the marketplace to drive innovation in baseball product development"? Maybe I was asleep that day in ECON 101.

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...

[musikit]

the premise of "promote competition in the marketplace to drive innovation in baseball product development" comes from the fact that no one will be able just to slap together a baseball game having your favorite player in it with some cool graphics and sell it for $50.

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...

[Sierpinski]

I'd have to agree. Its competition that makes the company strive for excellence. Especially when there are other good comparable (similar) products out there. If EA is prohibited, for example, from developing any more MLB games, then what will set the 'bar' for a good game? (Not that EA does it, but they are a major player in the sports genre.) As Willie said, limiting choices doesn't seem the best way to promote competition.

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...

[JFMulder]

Judging by Mario Tennis and Mario Golf, I'm pretty sure Mario Baseball would be a lot more fun than real baseball.

Re:Maybe I am missing something...

[phreakmonkey]

the premise of "promote competition in the marketplace to drive innovation in baseball product development" comes from the fact that no one will be able just to slap together a baseball game having your favorite player in it with some cool graphics and sell it for $50.

Right. No one except Take-Two Interactive will be able to do that.

now if a new baseball game wants to enter the market place they have to provide some game play that is fun and replayable.

Bullshit. A more accurate assertion would be:
Now if a new baseball game wants to enter the market place the development company has to be able to pay Take Two Interactive's exclusive publishing price.

So you have to have enough money to convince TT to publish you, or you have to develop a game and convince them that it will make a mint, and then sign the rights over. Either way, they make out.

This promotes innovation the same way that having to compete with Anheuser Busch's marketing machine in the beer industry promotes innovation- not at all.

It's just typical corporate marketing bullshit. What it does guarantee is that everything with MLB on it will be marketed by TT with a sh!tload of money. That hardly guarantees anything- except that we'll have to see commercials for it during every major televised sporting event.

{sigh}

Re:Maybe I am missing something...

[superpulpsicle]

Well, this is a good first step for TakeTwo to counter EA. While I like baseball games, I'd have to admit they are not nearly as $$$ as football games.

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.

Wrong.

[tekunokurato]

Bullshit. Anyone can make a baseball videogame. It's rights to the use of MLB trademarks, logos, and other intellectual properties that have been auctioned here.

I don't get it

[Mauvaisours]

exclusive rights among third-party publishers to develop and market simulation, arcade and manager-style baseball video games

Can you explain me how MLB can forgive to make baseball games ? I understand that they can prevent using MLB brands, team, players,... but that doesn't prevent from doing baseball games. It's the same for football (or soccer as you call it on the other side), and Pro Evolution Soccer proves you can make successful games without the official license.

PR

[Tony]

Imagine you are in public relations. Now imagine you tell nothing but lies. But I repeat myself.

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...

"innovative" my ass

[doormat]

Since when is limiting competition innovative? Its a shame there isnt a law against spewing such bullshit.