More MLB 2K9 Features Announced
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After posting up the list of features in MLB 2K9 two weeks ago and with the first screenshots coming out earlier today, 2K has released some more feature details that had not been mentioned previously.
Living Rosters – Active roster updates guarantee your game is current. Rosters are automatically updated behind the scenes, so you’re never late on a trade and always have the hottest players in your starting lineup.
With The Show doing weekly updates this was a necessary addition. It will be interesting to see the rate and accuracy at which they keep up with the rosters. There is a lot more happening in the MLB during a given week than in the NBA. More transactions, more new players that can be added, and more results to consider.
Franchise Mode – Take charge of your franchise and enjoy the all-new MLB.com presentation style, a new level of CPU customization, multi-player functionality, and real player ambitions.
MLB.com presentation in franchise meshes with NBA.com presentation in NBA 2K9. One of the benefits of the studio move was that the 2K Sports titles produced out of there would be familiar from title to title in design and feature sets.
New Broadcast Team – Gary Thorne provides the play by play calls alongside color analyst Steve Phillips giving a new perspective and more depth for a true-to-life, insightful broadcast. With improved sound effects including real time crowd noise you’ll feel like you’re actually sitting in the park.
This is one of the biggest changes. After 2K8’s commentary that was unchanged from 2K7 (unless you count editing out the “Devil” before Rays and replacing with a pause) it was one of the biggest community requests.
Obviously there are critical areas that 2K has to address that went unmentioned in the features. Such aspects of the game coming back to form are necessary after last year. The frame rate has to be smooth and consistent and online play performance must improve from what offered arguably the worst online play experience ever for a premiere sports title.