Sony should drop the MLB license and pull the game from Xbox

[Bryank75]

MLB is now a yearly fixture on Gamepass, thanks to MLB going behind Sony's back and making a deal with Microsoft.

Now San Diego Studio pushes out one of these great games each year for PlayStation owners to buy at 70 dollars, it feels insulting that Xbox gamepass users get the game for no added cost.

How could PlayStation have been outmaneuvered like this? How shortsighted was it to allow MLB to have the right to put the game on other platforms?

Recently EA have shown though that when a contract doesn't fit with your business, you can exit that agreement if your product is strong enough to stand on its own. I believe Sony's baseball game is a very high quality product and does not depend on a license to be successful.

It's time to pull the plug on this deal, it's time to show that Sony have the balls to do what needs to be done. When someone betrays your trust, action should be taken... it sends an important message about values.

Call it 'PlayStation Pro Baseball' or something along those lines.

 

[anonpuffs]

live look at jim ryan

 

[flaccidsnake]

It doesn't affect my life that The Show is on Xbox, and skipping the MLB license could doom the franchise. They should put it on Steam too.

 

[Zzero]

MLB doesn't just control the word "MLB", it also controls the team names and logos, uniforms and perhaps some of the stadiums (big asterisk there on that last one.) It doesn't control player names and likenesses, the MLBPA (baseball players union) has those. This is different from FIFA, which only owns the FIFA name and World Cup name and trophy. Historically those who controlled both the team and player liscenses won the sports wars and those who didn't lost.

I think they should have called MLB's bluff during negotiations and had rhe very talented SDS team do something else if MLB didn't back down, but its too late now. They also could have took their lady release and implemented a ladt second "fuck you" patch to officially support mass user download trading, which would have allowed dedicated users to unofficially release accurate yearly update packs.* Maybe next time.

*This used to be a thing on sports games with users sending a guy fifty bucks and a memory card to get custom updated Madden files back in the day, but through the magics of spite and the internet Sony could have made it so much easier.

 

[nongkris]

Yep they could easily rebrand MLB and survive, as there is really no alternative to it. But that would make to much business sense

 

[Nhomnhom]

Sony doesn't seem to care much about anything other than maximising short term profits.

 

[JAHGamer]

Sony doesn't seem to care much about anything other than maximising short term profits.

Sad truth, I don’t believe the story about “MLB went behind Sony’s back”.

It’s been exclusive for 20+ years until Jim/Hermen came along, it’s not a coincidence and I’d bet money that he negotiated the deal.

 

[Nhomnhom]

Sad truth, I don’t believe the story about “MLB went behind Sony’s back”.

It’s been exclusive for 20+ years until Jim/Hermen came along, it’s not a coincidence and I’d bet money that he negotiated the deal.

I could see it either way, MS probably went behind their back and Sony probably liked the end result.

 

[Zzero]

Sad truth, I don’t believe the story about “MLB went behind Sony’s back”.

It’s been exclusive for 20+ years until Jim/Hermen came along, it’s not a coincidence and I’d bet money that he negotiated the deal.

I disagree, there was MLB 2K and other competitors for most of that time, with Sony being allowed to make their own version as a platform owner. It was only in 2013 or so that The Show became so clearly superior that 2K gave up and gave their liscense back. After that time MLB tried making their own competitor, a revived Bases Loaded, but it was bad and failed. They eventually brow-beat Sony into making their game the realistic multiplat, not the other way around.

 

[Jim Ryan]

Hmmm

 

[JAHGamer]

I disagree, there was MLB 2K and other competitors for most of that time, with Sony being allowed to make their own version as a platform owner. It was only in 2013 or so that The Show became so clearly superior that 2K gave up and gave their liscense back. After that time MLB tried making their own competitor, a revived Bases Loaded, but it was bad and failed. They eventually brow-beat Sony into making their game the realistic multiplat, not the other way around.

Calling the Bases Loaded port an attempt at revival is asinine

 

[Loy310]

Nah, let sony get their money. The more money sie make the more they invest in PlayStation.
Getting a sports license and having it on lock for a decade is next to impossible, they in a good spot with MLB, they should milk that train until it runs dry.

 

[JAHGamer]

I could see it either way, MS probably went behind their back and Sony probably liked the end result.

Maybe you’re right and Sony is just horrible at negotiations, a bunch of former exclusives became multiplat at around the same time MLB went to Xbox (and even GamePass). Either way, the horrible leadership is responsible

 

[Kiryu - Freelance Yakuza]

How the fact that someone else is playing the game affect my personal life?

 

[KnittedKnight]

This one is a tricky one. I'm of the belief as many here that no development resources should be spent in supporting in any way shape or form the direct competitors platform regardless of short term profit. Will the game without a license be as successful exclusive wise? Hard to say.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

They could honestly just call it “The Show” and continue selling it

 

[Umar]

I think they should just allow San Diego studios to make something other than just sports games

 

[JAHGamer]

They could honestly just call it “The Show” and continue selling it

MLB owns the rights to all professional players names and likeness, a baseball game without pro baseball players wouldn't do well.

 

[ethomaz]

I said that years ago.

MLB wants the game on Xbox.
Well find another developer.

Easy.

But Sony signed the deal without gain anything... well it has it revenue from the 900-1500k copies of the game sold in US per year.

 

[ethomaz]

MLB owns the rights to all professional players names and likeness, a baseball game without pro baseball players wouldn't do well.

We will know that IF with new EA game.
For now there is only theories about that.