MLB The Show 23 is about a month into its lifecycle, and San Diego Studio's yearly baseball sim has mostly gotten off to a strong start. With tighter gameplay mechanics, deeper presentation options, and an overhaul of Diamond Dynasty, MLB The Show 23 is proving to be one of the best entries in a long time. Diamond Dynasty in particular is proving to be a highlight of The Show 23, as SDS has made significant changes to the game mode that shake up the formula from previous years. These changes have proven to be a hit among fans so far, but it could leave The Show 23 in a tough spot in the near future.
SDS' Diamond Dynasty changes in MLB The Show 23 are some of the most drastic the mode has ever seen. After following a structure nearly identical to Madden NFL and FIFA's Ultimate Team, SDS decided to introduce content seasons in this year's entry. These seasons will have unique sets of cards, with certain cards being unavailable to use competitively later in the year. With this change, SDS has made high-level cards more readily available early in the year, and the developer has been particularly generous in Season 1 so far. That generosity, however, has set a high bar for Season 2 to clear.
MLB The Show 23 Diamond Dynasty Season 1 Has Many High-Tier Cards
SDS promised a more plentiful supply of high-level cards in Diamond Dynasty's lifecycle before The Show 23 released, and it has more than delivered so far. After just a month of content drops, players have been able to collect 99 overall cards of legends like Babe Ruth, Pedro Martinez, and Chipper Jones. This has made it much easier to build a competitive team early in the year, allowing novice and seasoned Diamond Dynasty players to have equal chances to rise through the leaderboards. With that accessibility, however, comes some challenges for The Show 23's future Diamond Dynasty content.
MLB The Show 23 Diamond Dynasty Season 2 Has to Keep the Same Energy as Season 1
While Season 1 of Diamond Dynasty's content has been exciting, SDS has to keep up the momentum going into Season 2. Cards like 99 overall Babe Ruth and 99 overall Ken Griffey Jr. usually aren't available until well into Diamond Dynasty's lifecycle, but the committed player can now add these cards to their squad before summer comes. It puts a certain amount of pressure on the next Season of Diamond Dynasty content, because many players may have high expectations for what's next. There are a few paths the developer could pursue, but it would take a lot of work to keep fans coming back.
One way SDS could ensure Season 2 of Diamond Dynasty has comparable content to Season 1 is by focusing on cards that have yet to get the spotlight. With mainstays like Babe Ruth and Jorge Posada out of the way, Season 2 could add high-level cards for recent Diamond Dynasty inclusions like Prince Fielder and former MLB The Show cover athlete David Wright. SDS could also add multiple 99 overall cards for the same player, which it has done in the past. These cards usually have adjusted stats from the first 99 overall to make them more competitive, but it's hardly a long-term solution in this case.
MLB The Show 23's Diamond Dynasty mode has gotten off to a hot start, but it will be up to SDS to keep that momentum rolling. Season 1 has made it possible for players of all experience levels to build a quality team without spending money, something Madden NFL Ultimate Team could learn from, but future seasons must continue to impress. Season 2 could release around the MLB All-Star Game, which SDS will likely take advantage of with cards of each all-star players. As far as future legends are concerned, however, the developer will have to get creative when trying to top Season 1's content.
MLB The Show 23 is available now on PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
