Press release: 1997-06-19: PLAY BALL! SEGA SPORTS PUTS OTHER BASEBALL GAMES ON THE BENCH WITH RELEASE OF WORLD SERIES BASEBALL 98

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega.com (archived)

ATLANTA -- (June 19, 1997) E3 Booth #1546 --
Who needs crowded ballparks, stale peanuts and crazy fans? Everything baseball fans love about America's favorite pastime is now in the home with "World Series BaseballTM 98" for Sega SaturnTM. SEGA SPORTSTM has built upon the videogame industry's best-selling baseball game series to create major league fun. "World Series Baseball 98" will be available exclusively for Sega Saturn in July.

"World Series Baseball 98" makes the experience real. The game possesses fluid animation and fast gameplay essential to a realistic baseball videogame. Full motion capture technology was used to enable the player to simulate real-life movements of Major Leaguers in three different skill levels.

The game also uses a powerful new 3D polygon-based engine for smooth "off-the-bat" ball tracking and gameplay. "World Series Baseball 98's" advanced AI technology means players must use actual baseball skill and strategy to win the pennant -- this is no walk in the ballpark.

Everyone knows baseball is nothing without the teams and players, so "World Series Baseball 98" is fully licensed by MLB and the MLBPA. The game features full rosters and stats of all the players, including those of rookies just signed. To add to this realism, the game features actual CD-quality stadium sound effects and comprehensive play-by-play commentary.

"World Series Baseball 98" features four modes of play, including a 162-game pennant race, play-off modes, and a power hitter duel in "Home Run Derby." The season mode, featuring the 1997 Major League Baseball schedule, even includes the all-new Interleague play. For the first time ever, the National and American leagues will play head-to-head in the ballparks and in "World Series Baseball 98." Players can track and store the expanded season statistics in more than 20 key categories, allowing them to schedule and trade their favorite players during the entire baseball season.

"Our baseball titles have been a special focus for our developers since the first game was released for Sega Genesis®," said Bernard Stolar, chief operating officer, Sega of America. "The game's designers have placed realism as their central goal in World Series Baseball 98 and have maintained their dedication to delivering a superior baseball videogame."

That dedication shows in the detail of 30 ballparks which are rendered based on real-life photos and utilize the same 3D, texture mapped graphics that helped make the parks of the original game the "standard to beat." With the addition of ballparks still under construction or just finished, including Turner Field, Tropicana Field, Bank One Ballpark and changes to the Oakland Alameda County Stadium, this is as authentic as a gamer can get without even picking up a bat.
Sega of America is the arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Enterprises, Ltd. responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega videogame systems and videogames in the Americas. Sega Enterprises, Ltd. is a nearly $3.6 billion company recognized as the industry leader in interactive digital entertainment media, and is the only company that offers interactive entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home. Sega of America's World Wide Web site is located at (http://www.sega.com).