In a lot of gamers' eyes, snagging an exclusive license for Major League Baseball on a third-party front wasn't nearly as big as EA snagging exclusive rights to the National Football League. But this isn't a license that should be taken for granted. For years, baseball has remained an enchanted sports, even in the midst of its steroid controversy and its tangled management by Bud Selig. So, with that, 2K Sports and Visual Concepts are working to top the already over-achieving MLB 2K5: World Series Edition with their forthcoming MLB 2K6, and, although all the full modes haven't been revealed yet, what's appearing so far looks to be quite up to standard.

The first thing you might notice is how the series is expanding this time around. Not only will the game see a release for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but it will also debut on several systems. The GameCube edition will be the first time Visual Concepts has revisited the console since the old 2K3 days with Sega; the PSP version will debut the series on-the-go in grand fashion; and then there's the Xbox 360 version, which will truly bring next-generation baseball front and center for the first time ever. It's a huge opportunity for 2K Sports to make use of its exclusive license, and they're pulling out all the stops.

The first thing that you'll notice are the attentive graphics. Like last year, details are key in a game such as this, and this year, Visual Concepts is reworking a couple of things to make the experience that much better. They're redoing the movement system to be even more realistic than before, including diving catches that look dynamic and those cool little double-play animations that shows a team giving their finest effort. Collision detection will also be paid attention to, as you might notice with the close calls at home plate when a runner runs smack dab into the catcher to try and jar the ball loose. The game will also include "flashback replays" that play back to earlier moments in the game, or perhaps the season if you're in the middle of a run for the title with, I dunno, the Red Sox. (Just can't choose the Yankees, sorry.)

But the most creative addition thus far will come into the game's season and franchise modes, and that's with the inclusion of the player morale system. It is here that you'll have to keep your team in balance by paying attention to player needs, as well as chemistry. One bad ego can easily ruin the bunch, so you'll probably need to have your coaching staff keep an eye on things to make sure the wins keep coming. Otherwise, you'll see the effects of your play come back and haunt you, especially during a loss to the Rockies. Yikes.

The game should return with plenty of modes, both online and offline, as well as have a huge graphic boost for the 360, complete with stunning player models and gameplay that will fully utilize the 360 pad. We'll be getting a closer look at this game as the forthcoming baseball season approaches, in which the game should find a release just in time for the opening pitch. Stay tuned for more details and, oh, yeah, watch out for my screwball. It's a doozy.