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MLB Front Office Manager

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MLB Front Office Manager
Developer(s)Blue Castle Games
Publisher(s)2K
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Release
  • NA: January 26, 2009
Genre(s)Sports management
Mode(s)Single-player, Multiplayer

MLB Front Office Manager is a Major League Baseball-licensed sports management game developed by Blue Castle Games and published by 2K for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It was released on January 26, 2009.

Gameplay

Batter-pitcher interface.

MLB Front Office Manager allows a player to take the role of a baseball general manager over the course of a thirty-year career; the goal is to perform well enough to become inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The player's GM is rated on eight disciplines including North American scouting, international scouting, pro-league scouting, player development, trades, contract negotiation, owner confidence and leadership.[1] GMs also have former career backgrounds (e.g. ex-manager, lawyer, business person, former player, or talent scout) that affect the GM's disciplines. A GM's ratings improve or regress over his career depending on their performance.[2] A GM will also have seasonal goals depending on the club they're hired by.[1] The player will be faced with decisions such as spring training evaluation, initiate and respond to trades, develop rookies, and even bid for Japanese baseball players.[3] The game also promises advanced AI-controlled GMs who have unique motivations.[2]

During the game, the player may opt to manage, and can issue instructions such as intentionally walk batters, make a bullpen changes, call for steals and bunts, and pitch; the user cannot call individual pitches.[2]

The game features a full 3D engine for single game gameplay.[2] Full nine inning games take roughly 10–15 minutes to play.[4]

Statistical depth

The game features a full 3D engine for play resolution.

The game utilizes official SABR stats compiled over the player's career, even factoring such situational stats as batter vs. pitcher historical stats, pitcher's performance at specific pitch counts, and success with runners in scoring position, in addition to the usual situational stats. These stats extend to actual minor league players from Class AAA to A-Short Season minor league systems; due to MLBPA agreements, the players are not identified by name. Players also have personality ratings as well.[2]

Multiplayer

The game features Online Fantasy Mode, which allows up to thirty managers in an online league to compete against one other to develop the best team.[3] Gamers can use modified rules, enter a fantasy draft, and optionally utilize fantasy baseball scoring systems like rotisserie, head-to-head or traditional scoring.[1]

Development

Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane served as expert consultant on the GM experience and environment.[2] Beane also appears in-game as an advisor to the player.[5] New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was also involved in the project.[1]

Reception

MLB Front Office Manager received "generally unfavorable reviews" on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[19][20][21] Game Informer said, "The nuts and bolts of gameplay are apocalyptic failures, but the awfulness doesn't stop there. Managing games is utterly pointless."[6] GameSpot noted "the decisions made by computer GMs are beyond bizarre" and player trades "are nondescript affairs shuffling minor leaguers around, [but] the game hits you with a Bizarro World blockbuster on a regular basis."[7][8] Hilary Goldstein's IGN review was more charitable, but still complained, "Lack of three-team deals, a mediocre interface, and questionable AI logic are unacceptable even from a new IP."[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Bryan Estrella (December 18, 2008). "MLB Front Office Manager Preview (PC)". Operation Sports. Archived from the original on December 22, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Shaker Srinivasan (November 20, 2008). "MLB Front Office Manager First Look". GameSpot. CNET. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "2K Sports' MLB Front Office Manager Takes Fantasy Baseball to a New Level". 2K Sports. October 9, 2008. Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  4. ^ Ben Dutka (December 11, 2008). "MLB Front Office Manager Preview". PSX Extreme. Present Poise Media Inc. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
  5. ^ Billy Beane (October 31, 2008). "Welcome to your new career". 2K Sports. Archived from the original on October 25, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Adam Biessener (February 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager: An Utterly Flawed Baseball Management Experience". Game Informer. No. 190. p. 85. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Brett Todd (February 3, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review (PC)". GameSpot. CNET. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  8. ^ a b c Brett Todd (February 4, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review (PS3, X360)". GameSpot. CNET. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Richard Grisham (February 3, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager review (PS3, X360)". GamesRadar. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  10. ^ Heath Hooker (March 1, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager - PS3 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  11. ^ Christopher Ewen (February 19, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager - 360 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c d Hilary Goldstein (January 27, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review". IGN. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  13. ^ "MLB Front Office Manager". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. May 2009. p. 99.
  14. ^ Ryan McCaffrey (February 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. p. 84. Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  15. ^ "Review: MLB Front Office Manager". PlayStation: The Official Magazine. No. 17. March 2009. p. 76.
  16. ^ Tom Price (January 29, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review (Xbox 360)". TeamXbox. Archived from the original on January 7, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  17. ^ Armando Rodriguez (February 5, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager (PS3) Review". 411Mania. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  18. ^ Chris Lansdell (March 28, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager (Xbox 360) Review". 411Mania. Archived from the original on May 29, 2009. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  19. ^ a b "MLB Front Office Manager for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  20. ^ a b "MLB Front Office Manager for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  21. ^ a b "MLB Front Office Manager for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
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