After a less than normal 2020 season, baseball is back in full force with a full-length season and the return of fans to stadiums. For baseball fans that also find themselves to be gamers, this time of year is often doubly exciting due to the release of the next installment in the MLB The Show series. MLB The Show 21 did not release prior to the start of the MLB season like most games in the series, but it's for good reason. Developer San Diego Studio has been working hard to make this year's installment one of the most memorable, and the wait should prove to be worth it.
As far as sports simulation games are concerned, MLB The Show has consistently delivered a thorough baseball experience. The level of detail that goes into the game is second to none, as the best players in the league are given life-like in-game models, and stadiums are recreated with a painstaking level of detail. Gameplay has also been consistently solid, giving gamers the option of using more arcade-y controls or controls that challenge them to think like a big league player. MLB The Show 21 looks to be continuing this level of quality by giving fans more of what they love, while also making some welcome additions.
New Features
Compared to previous games in the series, MLB The Show 21 appears to be making the most improvements to the franchise as a whole. San Diego Studio has spent the month leading up to the game's release showing off all kinds of new features and adjustments to the game. Gameplay mechanics like fielding and hitting have received some improvements, and MLB The Show's pitching will be getting a more precise control scheme called pinpoint pitching. The game's offline modes, Franchise and Road to the Show, will also be getting some minor improvements to make them more immersive.
Perhaps the most significant addition to MLB The Show 21 is the long-requested stadium creator mode. This next-gen exclusive mode will allow players to create the baseball stadium of their dreams. Everything from the height and distance of outfield walls to the various cosmetics of the park is up to the discretion of players. These custom stadiums will also be usable in both offline and online modes, which should make every game unique and exciting. Stadium creator was at the top of a lot of players' wishlists for The Show 21, so it should prove to be a standout feature.
Playstation Exclusive No More
MLB The Show has been a Playstation exclusive for as long as the franchise has existed, but that's all changing with MLB The Show 21. For the first time ever, the game is coming to Xbox consoles at launch, and on top of that The Show 21 will be added to Xbox Game Pass the very same day it releases. To sweeten things even more, The Show 21 will have cross-play and cross-progression so that fans can play with whoever they want, however they want. This move should do a lot to bring Playstation and Xbox players together, and it could allow San Diego Studio to enhance future games even more thanks to the larger market.
MLB The Show 21 looks like it will be one of the most exciting versions of the game yet, and that's saying something for a yearly sports game. Where series like Madden and FIFA tend to make only minimal changes year over year, The Show has routinely stood out among the rest as a consistently solid sports sim. Now that MLB: The Show is coming to next-gen and Xbox consoles for the first time, it will likely have a lot of expectations behind it. Fans will just have to wait a little longer than usual to see if MLB The Show 21 is a home run.
MLB The Show 21 releases April 20 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
