Software:MLB Front Office Manager

From HandWiki
Short description: 2009 video game
MLB Front Office Manager
Developer(s)Blue Castle Games
Publisher(s)2K
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release
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.[2] 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.[3] A GM will also have seasonal goals depending on the club they're hired by.[2] 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.[4] The game also promises advanced AI-controlled GMs who have unique motivations.[3]

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.[3]

The game features a full 3D engine for single game gameplay.[3] Full nine inning games take roughly 10–15 minutes to play.[5]

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.[3]

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.[4] Gamers can use modified rules, enter a fantasy draft, and optionally utilize fantasy baseball scoring systems like rotisserie, head-to-head or traditional scoring.[2]

Development

Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane served as expert consultant on the GM experience and environment.[3] Beane also appears in-game as an advisor to the player.[6] New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman was also involved in the project.[2]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PCPS3Xbox 360
Game Informer3/10[7]3/10[7]3/10[7]
GameSpot4.5/10[8]4.5/10[9]4.5/10[9]
GamesRadar+N/AStarStarHalf star[10]StarStarHalf star[10]
GameZoneN/A7.5/10[11]6.8/10[12]
IGN6.6/10[13]6.6/10[13]6.6/10[13]
OPM (UK)N/A4/10[14]N/A
OXM (US)N/AN/A5/10[15]
PSMN/AStarStarStar[16]N/A
TeamXboxN/AN/A5.2/10[17]
411ManiaN/A5.8/10[18]5.7/10[19]
Aggregate score
Metacritic45/100[20]49/100[21]47/100[22]

MLB Front Office Manager received "generally unfavorable reviews" on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[20][21][22] Game Informer said, "The nuts and bolts of gameplay are apocalyptic failures, but the awfulness doesn't stop there. Managing games is utterly pointless."[7] 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."[8][9] 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."[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ I. G. N. Staff (2009-01-27). "MLB Front Office Manager Now Available From 2K Sports" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/01/27/mlb-front-office-manager-now-available-from-2k-sports. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bryan Estrella (December 18, 2008). "MLB Front Office Manager Preview (PC)". Operation Sports. http://www.operationsports.com/preview.php?id=57. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Shaker Srinivasan (November 20, 2008). "MLB Front Office Manager First Look". GameSpot. CNET. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mlb-front-office-manager-first-look/1100-6201447/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "2K Sports' MLB Front Office Manager Takes Fantasy Baseball to a New Level". 2K Sports. October 9, 2008. http://www.2ksports.com/news/mlbmanager/246. 
  5. ↑ Ben Dutka (December 11, 2008). "MLB Front Office Manager Preview". PSX Extreme. Present Poise Media Inc.. http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-previews/267.html. 
  6. ↑ Billy Beane (October 31, 2008). "Welcome to your new career". 2K Sports. http://www.2ksports.com/media/images/screens/BBWelcome1.jpg. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Adam Biessener (February 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager: An Utterly Flawed Baseball Management Experience". Game Informer (190): 85. https://www.gameinformer.com/games/mlb_front_office_manager/b/xbox360/archive/2009/09/22/review.aspx. Retrieved November 6, 2017. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Brett Todd (February 3, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review (PC)". GameSpot. CNET. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mlb-front-office-manager-review/1900-6204083/. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Brett Todd (February 4, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review (PS3, X360)". GameSpot. CNET. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/mlb-front-office-manager-review/1900-6204145/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Richard Grisham (February 3, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager review (PS3, X360)". GamesRadar. http://www.gamesradar.com/mlb-front-office-manager-10/. 
  11. ↑ Heath Hooker (March 1, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager - PS3 - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/mlb_front_office_manager_ps3_review. 
  12. ↑ Christopher Ewen (February 19, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager - 360 - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/mlb_front_office_manager_360_review. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Hilary Goldstein (January 27, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review". IGN. IGN Entertainment. http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/01/28/mlb-front-office-manager-review. 
  14. ↑ "MLB Front Office Manager". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK: 99. May 2009. 
  15. ↑ Ryan McCaffrey (February 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager". Official Xbox Magazine (Future US): 84. http://www.oxmonline.com/article/reviews/xbox-360/m-r/mlb-front-office-manager. Retrieved November 6, 2017. 
  16. ↑ "Review: MLB Front Office Manager". PlayStation: The Official Magazine (17): 76. March 2009. 
  17. ↑ Tom Price (January 29, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager Review (Xbox 360)". TeamXbox. http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1649/MLB-Front-Office-Manager/p1/. 
  18. ↑ Armando Rodriguez (February 5, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager (PS3) Review". 411Mania. http://www.411mania.com/games/reviews/96107/MLB-Front-Office-Manager-(PS3)-Review.htm. 
  19. ↑ Chris Lansdell (March 28, 2009). "MLB Front Office Manager (Xbox 360) Review". 411Mania. http://www.411mania.com/games/reviews/100490/MLB-Front-Office-Manager-(Xbox-360)-Review.htm. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "MLB Front Office Manager for PC Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/mlb-front-office-manager/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "MLB Front Office Manager for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/mlb-front-office-manager/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "MLB Front Office Manager for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/mlb-front-office-manager/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360. 
  • Official site
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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