Anonymous Game PR Flack On The Ugly Truth About Games Press

Dan "Shoe" Hsu has been writing some excellent pieces on the Sore Thumbs blog about the "behind the scenes" life of a video game journalist. (Mentally quote the word journalist if you want to make yourself feel better! -Ed.) The former Electronic Gaming Monthly editor in chief has recently been very blunt about the touchier subjects in games writing — accusations of bribery, the ethics of junkets, etc. — but now, it's the PR side's turn.

An anonymous guest blogger from an unnamed "Big Publisher" explains the dirty details of games PR, from the "banning" of editors and media outlets, to the financial arrangements publishers make with magazines and web sites to exchange coverage for good reviews, exclusives for the best reviews.

2K Launch MLB Superstars On Wii

Wii owners looking for a baseball game with as little actual baseball as possible might be in luck with the upcoming release of MLB Superstars.

Rather than the boring old 'actual baseball' stance taken by so many baseball games, MLB Superstars is a series of mini games featuring Wii-ified versions of Major League players and teams.

The 'over half a dozen' (which I assume means 'seven') minigames include Baseball Pachinko, Baseball Golf and rhythm game Mascot Dance — featuring team mascots, er, dancing.

MLB Superstars will be out later this Fall from 2K games.

MLB Superstars Announced For Nintendo Wii [Yahoo! Games]

Check Out These Official Mario Super Slugger Baseball Cards

Wii baseball title Mario Super Sluggers hit stores yesterday, and my home along with this pack of official Mario Super Sluggers Collectable Baseball Cards. Pretty magnificent. Hit up the jump for a close up of the back of each card.

ESPN Bringing Major League Baseball to Xbox Live

Baseball..baseball.. that's the one that's like Rounders, but with more spitting, yes?

Whatever it is, ESPN has just won the rights to take its baseball 'content' and pump it out through new distribution channels. As well as the ESPN website and the obligatory voguish handhelds via the iTunes store, the sports network will also be bringing baseball footage to Xbox Live.

ESPN will be simulcasting Sunday/Monday/Wednesday Night Baseballl and special events as well as selected show footage and game highlights. The network is also committed to developing interactive services based around its baseball content.

ESPN gets digital rights to put baseball on more devices [USA Today]

RBI Baseball Coming To Live Arcade?

New listings from the ESRB reveals that RBI Baseball may be on deck for an Xbox Live Arcade remake. According to the listing, RBI Baseball is to be published by Six Degrees Games, but the developer makes no mention of the game on its official web site, nor has the game been announced as an XBLA candidate.

The original RBI Baseball, for those who aren't familiar with the title, was published for the NES by Tengen and was based on the Famicom baseball sim Pro Yakyuu Family Stadium. Sounds almost perfect for casual online multiplayer baseball fun, no?

EA Sports: It's (Not) In The (Baseball) Game

So EA Sports rule the sporting roost unopposed, do they? Not quite. They might dominate football, thanks to their exclusivity deal with the NFL, but they don't rule baseball. In fact, this year they won't be putting out a baseball game at all. After Take-Two signed a deal with the MLB in 2005, whereby only they could release third-party MLB titles, EA were relegated to the college ranks and their MVP NCAA series, which they've now abandoned having turned down the offer to renew their contract with the college league. No reason was given, but it's most likely got something/everything to do with the recent belt-tightening and prioritising going on over at EA Sports HQ.

EA Sports exits diamond, dropping NCAA Baseball game [Sports Business Journal, via MCV]

"Activision has captured the essence of what makes Little League so wonderful for players and spectators alike," Jud Rogers, Sr. Marketing Executive, Little League International. "We look forward to working with them in the upcoming months to help polish the game and bring it to Little Leaguers and fans."

The Nintendo Fan Network rolled out at the Seattle Mariners Safeco Field during the 2007 season, giving DS-toting fans access to a bunch of MLB stats and in-game progress reports for a small fee.

Today Nintendo announced that the service is going to be free at home games this year. Gamers who bring their DS with them to Safeco will be able to wirelessly log into the Nintendo Fan Network. Features include access to player statistics, scores from other MLB games in progress, current team standings, chat with other fans and the ability to compete in trivia and other mini games. Additionally, fans can watch the in-stadium live broadcast video and use the Nintendo DS touch screen to order ballpark food and beverages delivered right to their seats.

New features are also being prepped for the service as well, though Nintendo was mum about them.

Nintendo kicked off its Media Summit this morning with a quick preview of its next mascot-filled baseball title, now known as Mario Super Sluggers. Nintendo of America's Bill Trinen walked the gathered press through a single inning—much speedier than the real life thing—featuring the Mario Firebats team taking on the Peach Royals. Like Mario Strikers Charged, Mario Super Sluggers uses a similar coach character team set up, with second string Nintendo characters like Shy Guy and Baby Mario covering the field while the player handles pitching duties.

Mario Super Sluggers uses a control scheme built on the foundation of Wii Sports baseball, with only Wii Remote gestures required to play. With Mario as his pitcher, Trinen demoed the game's controls, using Wii-mote swinging to throw fastballs, curveballs and, naturally, fireballs. Twists of the remote during your swing allows for curveballs, with a properly timed swing—performed just as a set of glowing rings centers on your character—adding extra heat to the ball.

2K Sports Opening Day MLB Weekend

2K Sports is kicking off the Major League Baseball season right, with an opening day weekend celebration via Xbox Live April 4th through the 6th. Every hour during the three-day celebration, players who register and play Major League Baseball 2K8 will have a chance to win special prize packages, including t-shirts, Microsoft Points, and other prizes that might actually be worth it. Players will also be able to square off against the game's developers on Friday night, from Senior Producer Robert to Production Assistant Joe. 2K Sports have been gracious enough to provide their gamertags along with the press release, so I'm sure your friend request will be handled in a timely manner. Those interested can register tomorrow at www.xbox.com/openingday, or by downloading the free "Major League Baseball 2K8 Play & Win Registration" via Xbox Live.

Cal Ripken Endorses Cal Ripken's Real Baseball

It's hard to read the word "baseball" without thinking "Roger Clemens" and "steroids," but baseball legend Cal Ripken is now lending his name to Cal Ripken's Real Baseball (formerly Ultimate Baseball Online). How nice. Now for the real reason I'm posting about a free baseball MMO—jJust do me one favor and read this press release excerpt with steroids on the brain:

We strive to make Real Baseball the most authentic baseball video game it can be, and adding Cal to our team not only strengthens our brand, but connects us with a baseball legend that will take our video game and community to the next level.

MLB 2K8 Given Pitchfork Approved Indie Rock Bunt

Video game baseball fans will be belting out "What the hell is this crap?" to the tunes of 2K Sports' Major League Baseball 2K8, as the publisher has announced an agreement with Pitchfork Media to select half of the game's soundtrack. Indie rock fans and wannabe indie rock fans will delight at some of Pitchfork's choices, which include chart-bottomers like Blitzen Trapper, The Cool Kids, Battles and Jay Reatard, alongside more mainstream stuff like The Strokes and The Flaming Lips.

To everyone involved, we say kudos. While they may have looked to Sub Pop in the past for left-field style musical picks, we're just pleased as punch that they haven't regressed to throwing in John Fogerty's "Centerfield" or Dire Straits' "Walk of Life."

Full tracklisting and annual odd pairing after this.

Jose Reyes Looks Shocked To Find Self On Cover Of MLB 2K8

New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes looks absolutely stunned at the realization his photo is going to appear on next year's edition of 2K Sports Major League Baseball game. The MLB 2K8 cover star said, according to a press release, "This is the first time I have ever been on the cover of a video game." The visibly shaken spokesman was then calmed by friends and family, none of whom saw the cover appearance coming.

Major League Baseball 2K8 executive producer Ben Brinkman did his best to make the best of the situation, saying "Jose Reyes is a multi-talented player - a great baserunner, fielder and hitter, making him the perfect spokesperson for Major League Baseball 2K8." Despite the sensitive nature of the out of the blue endorsement, 2K Sports plan to go ahead with the game's Spring 2008 release, which should arrive on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2 and PSP. A press release follows after this moment of silence.

For us it's really just the initial stage. We didn't want to push it hard until we were sure the services were working. We're now to that point where we're like, 'Let's push it out further.' It has been a process.

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