Little League World Series on deck for Wii, DS

As the sole third-party rights holder to the Major League Baseball license, Take-Two has enjoyed a monopoly of sorts on the sim baseball gaming space, with the only real competitor of its MLB 2K franchise being Sony with MLB: The Show. As the pro license is wrapped up until 2012, Activision has found the best solution to this conundrum is to step up to the little league plate.

The players are happy. The ump, not so much.

The publisher has announced Little League World Series 2008 for the Wii and Nintendo DS will take the field August 5. Billed as "the first officially licensed Little League video game to hit next-generation consoles," Little League World Series 2008 offers 16 international teams, eight of which hail from the US. In addition to a standard franchise mode, the game offers a variety of skill-based minigames and character customization options.

Few specific gameplay details have been revealed, but Activision did say that the game will make use of the Wii's motion-sensing controls, while the DS edition "gives players the freedom to get on the diamond anywhere." Activision is aiming for an authentic baseball experience, and little leaguers will be able to bat, field, and pitch.