With the 2K Sports release Major League Baseball 2K10, producer Ben Bishop and gameplay designers Jonathan Rivera and Sean Bailey were eager to sit down and discuss the details of the game. They had more than just the excitement of a game release to discuss; they had an urge to set the record straight. After all, MLB 2K9 has become something of a critical disaster for the team. With their latest installment in the MLB series, they went back to the fundamental design elements that made other 2K games a success. Their promise: MLB 2K10 not only exceeds expectations but also completely knocks expectations out of the ballpark.

GamersInfo.net: What was the biggest obstacle faced when developing 2K10?

Bishop: I think the toughest thing for us was trying to come back from 2K9 and really get going with 2K10 with a full development cycle. You know, with 2K9 it was a little bit shortened, and it was tough for us to do everything we wanted to do. With 2K10, we felt that we had everything ready to go and more under our control, so we were happy to have a full cycle and do what we wanted to do.

Gamers and industry critics have noted earlier games in the MLB series have struggled with technical issues surrounding pitching and hitting. Has this become a primary focus for improvement 2K10?

Bailey: It’s almost an understatement to call it a primary focus. We wanted more than an improvement. We wanted to nail it.

GamersInfo.net: Pitching was simplified in 2K9 compared to 2K8. What was the aim for this year’s tweaks to pitching? Was it more simplified or more robust?

Rivera: We wanted to build on the simplified version in 2K9 by allowing you to pick the pitch you were attempting to throw. It certainly makes it’s easier for us to determine what pitch you’re trying to throw so that you’ll never come into a situation where you go to throw a slider and it throws a curve ball. The game can move your pitch left, right, down or up. For example, if you over* or under-rotate your curve ball, it will change the direction of the pitch. The game does a lot more with your pitch and gestures. As far as the controls, we went with a simplified control rather than a complex control.

GamersInfo.net: How much of 2K9used in 2K10?

Bailey: We completely rewrote everything from fielding, hitting, pitching, AI and camera views. Over 200 animations were added for infielders alone. We had a lot of work ahead of us because I don’t think any of us were happy with last year. Everything from the ground up is different, new and improved.

GamersInfo.net: Do you use the input from regular gamers to determine what to change on future games of do you rely on professional reviewers?

Bailey: We take it all in. We go out to boards. We look at polls and surveys. We talk to people on the outside. We play other games. Anyone who can buy a videogame, we’re going to listen to. Anyone who likes sports, we’re going to listen to.

GamersInfo.net: How did you come to the decision to put Evan Longoria on the cover this year?

Bishop: One of the biggest things for us, we’ve found in recent years, is to try to get someone who is not only a great player but also someone who is a gamer and interested in the development process. A guy like Longoria is a young up-and-comer and one of the stars in Major League Baseball, but he’s also a big-time gamer.

GamersInfo.net: Will MLB have the same dynamic commentary asNBA 2K10?

Bishop: Yes; I think it’s huge having NHL, NBA and MLB done in house at Visual Concepts has been great in terms of being able to share resources. We want you to have a common thread when you play any 2K sports titles, whether it’s just the interface or similar things in My Player mode that were seen in NBA 2K10.