MLB 2K13 and the Perfect Game Challenge to hit Xbox 360, PS3 on March 5th

Major League Baseball 2K13 is officially returning to the field this year now that 2K Sports has announced that they have struck a fresh deal with Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, and Major League Baseball Advanced Media.

The next game in 2K Sports’ long-running baseball franchise is set to be released on March 5th, 2013 for the PS3 and Xbox 360. No other versions (Wii U, PS Vita), assuming there will be other versions of course, have been announced.

2K has also revealed that the Perfect Game Challenge will be returning as well, so get ready to win a million bucks if you’re the first to toss a perfect game (and follow all the rules).

Major League Baseball 2K13 packshots:

Read on for the announcement.

2K Sports today announced that the Company has reached an agreement with Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association, and Major League Baseball Advanced Media to release Major League Baseball 2K13, the next iteration of the popular MLB 2K franchise. MLB 2K13 will be available on March 5, 2013, for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system.

?We?d like to thank our league partners for their support in helping us reach an agreement to bring back MLB 2K,? said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. ?We know fans are extremely passionate about the MLB 2K series and the Perfect Game Challenge.?

David Price, ace pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, has been selected as the cover athlete for MLB 2K13. Price was recently named the American League Cy Young Award winner after posting a 20-5 record and league-best 2.56 ERA. Price edged out MLB 2K12 cover athlete Justin Verlander for the honors, and is the third consecutive reigning Cy Young Award winner to grace the cover of an MLB 2K game.

?It?s a dream come true to appear on the cover of MLB 2K13,? concluded Price, who helped lead the Rays to their fourth 90-win season in the last five years. ?I?m looking forward to working with the 2K Sports team again, and welcoming another skilled gamer into ?The Perfect Club.??

The Perfect Game Challenge*, 2K Sports? groundbreaking $1 million competition, will also be returning for a fourth consecutive year and introduce a new contest format with exciting ways to win. Since 2010, 2K Sports has awarded $3 million in prize money to players exhibiting the highest caliber of skill in throwing a perfect game in MLB 2K. Last year?s Perfect Game Challenge achieved record participation numbers, with nearly 1 million attempts made and more than 1,000 perfect games registered. The contest was won by 21-year-old Christopher Gilmore, who prevailed in an eight-person tournament at the MLB FanCave in New York City. Complete details of this year?s contest will be announced at a later date.

Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, MLB 2K13 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available on March 5, 2013 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system.

For more information on 2K Sports, visit www.2KSports.com.

For more information on MLB 2K13, visit http://www.facebook.com/MLB2K.