MLB Meets GTA: New Baseball Camera Angle Has People Thinking it’s a Video Game
Over the weekend, Major League Baseball (MLB) tried out a new camera angle that caught the imagination of many viewers who compared it to a video game.
As Nolan Arenado came trotting out for the St. Lous Cardinals at a match played in London, England, an aerial camera captured him running onto the field of play smoothly following the third baseman to his position while constantly keeping a classic third-person video game angle fixed on him,
This angle of Nolan taking the field at the #LondonSeries is just 🤌 pic.twitter.com/gfp4gOO85U
— MLB (@MLB) June 25, 2023
Fans were amazed by the new angle and if you play video games then it is hard not to appreciate the stark similarity between the footage and a game like Grand Theft Auto.
“Okay, the camera angle is cool and all, but why is he actually running like a video game character?!?,” writes Tyler from Edmonton, Alberta. “I legit thought this was an MLB The Show promo vid at first LMAO.”
MLB The Show is Major League Baseball’s video game series where players can simulate games of professional baseball. Tyler was not the only person to make that comparison.
“What I expected MLB the show to look like on next generation consoles [sic],” writes Alvin Nicol.
This is a video game and you can’t convince me otherwise https://t.co/VyEI2DKgz8
— Shouting Pancake (@FinnitoSupreme) June 26, 2023
While it is not confirmed, it appears that the unusual camera shot was taken on a drone with 360-degree capture capabilities — at the end of the clip the camera’s field of view dramatically widens and distorts the London Stadium’s architecture.
The Dangers of Flying Cameras
Operating aerial cameras can inside a sports arena can be dangerous, just ask South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje who was hit by Fox Sport’s Spidercam, dubbed the “Flying Fox,” as he had his back turned to it during a cricket game.
Here’s the @FoxCricket Flying Fox / Spider Cam doing its bit to help the Aussie cricketers build a healthy lead against South Africa… 😬🎥 Hope the player it collided with (Nortje?) is okay! #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/9cIcPS2AAq
— Ari (@arimansfield) December 27, 2022
Image credits:Header image courtesy of Major League Baseball.
