<s>
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
was	O
a	O
baseball	B-Application
game	O
series	O
published	O
by	O
EA	O
Sports	O
,	O
running	O
from	O
2003	O
to	O
2007	O
with	O
five	O
games	O
produced	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2003	O
,	O
MVP	O
became	O
the	O
official	O
successor	O
to	O
EA	O
's	O
long-running	O
Triple	O
Play	O
Baseball	B-Application
series	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
simulated	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
from	O
2003	O
to	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
an	O
exclusive	O
licensing	O
deal	O
between	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
and	O
Take-Two	O
Interactive	O
in	O
2005	O
prohibited	O
EA	O
Sports	O
from	O
making	O
another	O
MLB	O
game	O
until	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
response	O
,	O
EA	O
made	O
NCAA	O
college	O
baseball	B-Application
games	O
in	O
2006	O
and	O
2007	O
,	O
but	O
discontinued	O
the	O
series	O
in	O
2008	O
because	O
of	O
poor	O
sales	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2003	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
2003	O
as	O
the	O
successor	O
to	O
EA	O
's	O
Triple	O
Play	O
games	O
,	O
though	O
it	O
bore	O
little	O
more	O
than	O
a	O
graphical	O
similarity	O
to	O
its	O
predecessors	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
been	O
heavily	O
maligned	O
by	O
critics	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
final	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
review-aggregation	O
site	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
MVP	O
2003	O
was	O
given	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
81/100	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
82/100	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
baseball	B-Application
gaming	O
first	O
,	O
MVP	O
2004	O
was	O
licensed	O
by	O
both	O
the	O
MLB	O
and	O
Minor	O
League	O
Baseball	B-Application
,	O
featuring	O
real	O
minor-league	O
teams	O
at	O
the	O
Class	O
AA	O
&	O
AAA	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
improvements	O
netted	O
the	O
PS2	B-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
versions	O
of	O
MVP	O
2004	O
twin	O
scores	O
of	O
90/100	O
at	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
far	O
outpacing	O
the	O
competing	O
All-Star	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2005	I-Application
and	O
ESPN	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
named	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2004	I-Application
the	O
best	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
game	O
of	O
March	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
received	O
a	O
runner-up	O
position	O
in	O
GameSpots	O
2004	O
"	O
Best	O
Traditional	O
Sports	O
Game	O
"	O
award	O
category	O
across	O
all	O
platforms	O
,	O
losing	O
to	O
ESPN	B-Application
NFL	I-Application
2K5	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2005	I-Application
brought	O
subtle	O
changes	O
to	O
the	O
MVP	O
2004	O
formula	O
,	O
including	O
a	O
"	O
hitter	O
's	O
eye	O
"	O
system	O
with	O
color	O
codes	O
that	O
helped	O
players	O
identify	O
pitch	O
types	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
pitcher	O
's	O
hand	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
owner	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
Class	O
A	O
minor-league	O
teams	O
to	O
dynasty	O
mode	O
,	O
and	O
spring	O
training	O
minigames	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
continued	O
to	O
rate	O
MVP	O
highly	O
,	O
with	O
Metacritic	O
scores	O
of	O
86	O
and	O
87	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
and	O
PS2	B-Device
versions	O
,	O
respectively	O
,	O
though	O
MVP	O
2005	O
′s	O
marks	O
were	O
slightly	O
lower	O
than	O
those	O
of	O
its	O
predecessor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Even	O
so	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
still	O
edged	O
out	O
2k	O
Sports	O
 '	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2K5	O
among	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2005	O
,	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
Portable	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2005	O
,	O
in	O
response	O
to	O
EA	O
Sports	O
 '	O
exclusive	O
license	O
with	O
the	O
National	O
Football	O
League	O
and	O
ESPN	O
,	O
Take-Two	O
Interactive	O
signed	O
an	O
exclusive	O
third-party	O
licensing	O
contract	O
with	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
(	O
MLB	O
)	O
,	O
MLBPA	O
and	O
MLBAM	O
to	O
produce	O
MLB	O
games	O
in	O
its	O
2K	O
Sports	O
series	O
,	O
making	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2005	I-Application
the	O
last	O
MLB	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
agreement	O
,	O
which	O
ran	O
from	O
Spring	O
2006	O
to	O
2012	O
,	O
allowed	O
only	O
Take-Two	O
Interactive	O
and	O
the	O
console	B-Device
manufacturers	O
Sony	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	O
to	O
produce	O
MLB	O
titles	O
for	O
their	O
respective	O
platforms	O
,	O
but	O
barred	O
other	O
third	O
party	O
developers	O
such	O
as	O
EA	O
Sports	O
from	O
continuing	O
or	O
developing	O
their	O
own	O
MLB	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2005	I-Application
was	O
the	O
last	O
official	O
MLB	O
release	O
from	O
EA	O
Sports	O
,	O
also	O
official	O
support	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
ended	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
that	O
,	O
a	O
very	O
active	O
modding	B-Device
community	O
exists	O
for	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
who	O
kept	O
the	O
game	O
up-to-date	O
the	O
last	O
decade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Modders	B-Device
have	O
added	O
much	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
roster	O
updates	O
,	O
uniforms	O
,	O
players	O
,	O
and	O
stadiums	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
total	O
conversions	O
for	O
foreign	O
and	O
classic	O
teams	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Barred	O
from	O
making	O
MLB	O
games	O
,	O
EA	O
Sports	O
made	O
college	O
baseball	B-Application
games	O
for	O
2006	O
and	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
editions	O
of	O
MVP	O
:	O
NCAA	O
Baseball	B-Application
were	O
officially	O
licensed	O
by	O
the	O
NCAA	O
and	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Protocol
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
"	O
load	O
and	O
fire	O
"	O
batting	O
system	O
was	O
integrated	O
in	O
2006	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
addition	O
of	O
a	O
"	O
rock	O
and	O
fire	O
"	O
pitching	O
system	O
in	O
2007	O
,	O
both	O
features	O
that	O
would	O
later	O
be	O
emulated	O
by	O
MLB	B-Application
11	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Show	I-Application
and	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2K11	I-Application
on	O
seventh-generation	B-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
South	O
Korea	O
,	O
EA	O
has	O
released	O
3	O
games	O
called	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
Online	O
2012	O
–	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2011	O
,	O
EA	O
Sports	O
released	O
an	O
MLB-licensed	O
game	O
for	O
Facebook	B-Application
called	O
World	O
Series	O
Superstars	O
,	O
which	O
simulates	O
team	O
management	O
,	O
leading	O
to	O
speculation	O
that	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
would	O
return	O
to	O
consoles	O
after	O
the	O
2K	O
Sports	O
licensing	O
deal	O
expired	O
in	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
2013	O
,	O
EA	O
Sports	O
executive	O
vice	O
president	O
Andrew	O
Wilson	O
told	O
video	O
game	O
blog	O
Polygon	O
that	O
"	O
there	O
is	O
an	O
inherent	O
passion	O
for	O
baseball	B-Application
inside	O
EA	O
Sports	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
that	O
there	O
were	O
three	O
barriers	O
to	O
EA	O
's	O
willingness	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
new	O
MLB	O
title	O
:	O
the	O
need	O
for	O
a	O
modern	O
game	O
engine	O
to	O
power	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
EA	O
's	O
focus	O
on	O
other	O
sports	O
titles	O
like	O
NBA	B-Application
Live	I-Application
;	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
status	O
of	O
MLB	O
's	O
licensing	O
agreement	O
with	O
2K	O
Sports	O
was	O
unclear	O
to	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
April	O
2015	O
,	O
an	O
EA	O
Sports	O
spokesman	O
told	O
Grantland	O
that	O
Wilson	O
's	O
comments	O
were	O
"	O
still	O
'	O
the	O
most	O
accurate	O
reflection	O
 '	O
of	O
the	O
company	O
’s	O
position	O
on	O
getting	O
back	O
into	O
baseball	B-Application
:	O
Maybe	O
later	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
now	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Until	O
2005	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
featured	O
all	O
players	O
in	O
the	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
Baseball	I-Application
Players	O
Association	O
(	O
MLBPA	O
)	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
fictionalized	O
counterparts	O
for	O
players	O
who	O
are	O
not	O
in	O
the	O
union	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2005	I-Application
,	O
he	O
was	O
replaced	O
by	O
the	O
fictional	O
Anthony	O
Friese	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
2004	I-Application
featured	O
a	O
unique	O
addition	O
to	O
any	O
baseball	B-Application
game	O
,	O
allowing	O
users	O
to	O
play	O
as	O
the	O
Minor	O
League	O
affiliations	O
of	O
Major	B-Application
League	I-Application
teams	O
,	O
a	O
feature	O
that	O
was	O
expanded	O
in	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Until	O
then	O
,	O
most	O
baseball	B-Application
games	O
 '	O
pitching	O
schemes	O
required	O
players	O
simply	O
to	O
press	O
the	O
button	O
corresponding	O
to	O
the	O
pitch	O
they	O
wanted	O
to	O
throw	O
,	O
and	O
hold	O
the	O
button	O
down	O
for	O
a	O
certain	O
length	O
of	O
time	O
to	O
determine	O
how	O
hard	O
the	O
pitch	O
was	O
thrown	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
first	O
holds	O
down	O
the	O
pitch	O
button	O
(	O
or	O
throw	O
button	O
)	O
to	O
judge	O
the	O
power	O
;	O
once	O
the	O
desired	O
power	O
level	O
is	O
attained	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
release	O
the	O
button	O
and	O
attempt	O
to	O
tap	O
the	O
same	O
button	O
within	O
a	O
target	O
area	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
innovative	O
within	O
the	O
field	O
of	O
baseball	B-Application
games	O
,	O
EA	O
in	O
fact	O
adapted	O
this	O
feature	O
from	O
golf	B-Application
games	O
,	O
which	O
often	O
feature	O
a	O
moving	O
meter	O
to	O
determine	O
the	O
power	O
and	O
accuracy	O
of	O
shots	O
(	O
golf	B-Application
games	O
largely	O
abandoned	O
shot	O
meters	O
around	O
the	O
time	O
that	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
introduced	O
it	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
all	O
recent	O
EA	O
Sports	O
games	O
,	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
to	O
each	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
title	O
contains	O
licensed	O
songs	O
,	O
called	O
EA	O
Trax	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
MVP	B-Application
Baseball	I-Application
series	I-Application
typically	O
featured	O
alternative	O
rock	O
,	O
ranging	O
from	O
mainstream	O
artists	O
like	O
Sum	O
41	O
to	O
indie	O
acts	O
like	O
stellastarr*	O
.	O
</s>
