2011 Baseball Game Satisfaction Polls

Baseball has become the only major sport that has direct competition and for MLB 11: The Show and MLB 2K11 even that takes place on just one console. As the two still fight for market share consumers have started to show signs of fatigue towards them for very different reasons. In response MLB 11 added analog controls and 2K11 brought back the perfect game contest. Early reports this year indicate sales are down for both games.

For a few years now though this hasn’t been a competition at all. SCEA’s MLB: The Show series owns the market and essentially competes for business against other high-profile games while 2K Sports has all but publicly conceded the PS3 side. Meanwhile MLB 2K has become the game that 360 owners have to cope with if they want to play a baseball game, and 2K has seemed to be content with that standing. They lose tens of millions each year on the third party license and there is no way to get out of the hole they dug for themselves this generation and increase sales before the contract expires. Because of that the amount of resources and care put into the series has dropped significantly.

Last year it was interesting to see how consumers were disappointed with MLB 2K10 though it was somewhat in line with expectations, while the tide started to turn on MLB 10: The Show to where discontent was beginning to really emerge. I’ve already posted my opinion in the “Hits and Misses” reviews for MLB 11: The Show and MLB 2K11. After nearly a month with the two games out how do you feel about them? Vote in the polls and leave your thoughts in the comments! Look for the results and analysis next week.