2K offers $1 million for perfect MLB 2K10 pitching game

Take-Two seemed to be looking for a mercy rule call in December, when it laid the blame for its sagging end-of-the-year financials largely at the feet of its Major League Baseball franchise. But, with its third-party exclusivity deal with the MLB Players Association not set to expire until 2012, the publisher is locked into another season of games devoted to America's pastime, even if it expects to lose $30 million to $35 million on the venture.

In an apparent bid to spur sales of its baseball sim, 2K Games announced today that it would be handing out $1 million to the first person to throw a "verified" perfect game in MLB 2K10. The contest for the game, which goes on sale March 2, only applies to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions of MLB 2K10. The Evan Longoria-fronted baseball sim will also be released on the PlayStation 2, PSP, and PC.

The contest begins on March 2 at 12:01 a.m. PST and runs through May 1, 2010, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. The feat must be performed in the game's MLB Today mode, and players must select the "Major League Baseball 2K10 contest" option to participate. From there, gamers must video-record the successful completion of the perfect game, in which no players of the opposing team reach a base.

2K Games' Web site has more information on the MLB 2K10 $1 million challenge.