Gaming News - December 2006

Foster City, CA (December 12, 2006) -  Sony announced today that MLB 07 The Show will be available in Spring 2007 for the PS3, PS2, and PSP.

From Sony:

Building on the history of the MLB franchise, as the longest running officially licensed baseball videogame on the PlayStation platforms and already widely considered the most authentic baseball videogame available, MLB 07 The Show is set to deliver all-new features and continue its reign as the market leader.

As the only first party videogame officially licensed by Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP), Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), MLB 07 The Show will unveil new core features across all three PlayStation platforms. The innovative Road to The Show mode will enable fans to play solely as a custom-created rookie on both offense and defense while attempting to rise through the ranks and make a starting line-up in the Big Leagues. Adding to its already robust online feature set, the MLB franchise will now include Online League Play, which gives gamers the ability to set up leagues with up to 30 teams, complete statistical tracking, point benefits and full customization, while the My Sliders feature allows users to create their perfect game settings and upload them to the MLB 07 The Show server for others to try out.

For fans attempting to master the timeless art of pitching, MLB 07 The Show introduces some innovative new features such as Adaptive Pitching Intelligence (API), which allows users to either shake off the catcher, or trust the calls he makes which are based on batter tendencies and the pitcher's strengths. Additionally, the Pitch Command System (PCS) delivers authenticity and strategy to pitch selection by offering players a predetermined pitch comfort level based on a best to worst pitch scenario. Providing an even more authentic feel to the game, the new Umpire Personalities feature provides a new challenge to pitchers as each umpire has their own version of the strike zone, unique tendencies and animations.

"In 2006, the MLB franchise was the best-selling baseball videogame on the market across all gaming platforms, and dominated the PlayStation platforms. This year, MLB 07 The Show looks to continue its reign as the most valuable player in the category by delivering unsurpassed realism," said Scott Rohde, director, sports product development, SCEA. "We are committed to continually looking for ways to add new and improved gameplay features in order to provide fans with the closest experience to actually playing in the Big Leagues."

As developers begin to harness the power and potential found within PS3, MLB 07 The Show showcases its abilities with additional innovative features such as crowd interaction, which can be seen like never before with a vast array of new ambient elements including fans reaching for foul balls, the seventh inning stretch, the wave, standing ovations and much more. Also making the game more realistic, gamers will now be able to detail the different pitch grips and arm angles that a pitcher has when throwing each pitch. Scouting these details in Replay Mode shows players what to look for in release point and pitch arm angle from 15 different pitches. These new subtleties deliver an unrivaled virtual experience on PS3.

Returning key features for the MLB franchise include the popular Career and Season Modes, Career Spotlight and Exhibition Mode. In addition, MLB 07 The Show provides fans with the features they expect in an unrivaled simulation, such as advanced batting and base running controls, interactive hot and cold zones, player-scaled strike zones, release point pitching and the most comprehensive commentary ever produced for a sports video game, featuring the three-man booth of Rex Huddler, Matt Vasgerian and Dave Campbell. Along with all the key franchise features, returning gameplay favorites for PlayStation 2 include Rivalry Mode, which allows fans to set-up, track and maintain heated rivalries, King of the Diamond Mode, the classic playground duel where a pitcher and batter from opposing teams will square off head-to-head, Franchise mode, where players take control of the entire team, the Home Run Derby and EyeToy functionality. MLB 07 The Show for the PSP system continues to be a fan favorite with its core features and ability to play anytime, anywhere, on the go. Plus, sports fanatics can utilize the PSP system's online news service to get the latest MLB news feeds online or save them to the Memory Stick Duo and review them offline at their convenience