Major League Baseball's history has become more prevalent in recent editions of MLB The Show, and MLB The Show 23 will continue the trend by celebrating the history of the Negro National League as part of a new mode. Previous games have been keen to feature classic stadiums, such as the Brooklyn Polo Grounds, and iconic players ranging from Lou Gehrig to more modern names including Chase Utley and Curtis Granderson. However, the newest mode will allow players to relive the history of the league where one of baseball's most iconic players got his start before breaking racial barriers with the Brooklyn Dodgers.MLB The Show 23 is the latest entry in Sony's long-running MLB The Show series, the third entry to be available on other Xbox platforms, and the second available on Nintendo platforms. Miami Marlins player Jazz Chisholm Jr. is set to serve as the game's cover athlete, while The Captain Edition will feature Hall of Fame New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. The game will also feature the typical modes, such as Franchise and Diamond Dynasty, players have come to expect from the series along with a slew of new legends to play as.The centerpiece of the latest MLB The Show, though, will be the new Storylines mode focusing on the careers of eight famed players from the Negro National League, including Jackie Robinson. Players will get the chance to take on the role of these eight ballplayers during their time in the Negro National League, with narration from Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick providing additional context to those select moments. Additionally, San Diego Studio said in its latest stream the new mode will bring six new era-specific stadiums in season 1 while more will be added in subsequent seasonal updates.
Senior narrative designer Jarred Schiff was keen to share his excitement about the new game and its new mode, saying he was proud to help tell the Negro National League's story with the aid of Bob Kendrick. Kendrick echoed Schiff's sentiment and was grateful to San Diego Studio for the work it had done to honor the careers of Jackie Robinson, Buck O'Neil, and Satchel Page, among others. However, there were no hints as to who else from the league's history would be featured in subsequent releases despite confirmation additional players would be featured.
Given the impact the Negro National League ultimately had on Major League Baseball and America as a whole, Schiff and Kendrick's excitement to see its history honored in MLB The Show 23 is understandable. The Negro National League was host to numerous baseball greats who may not be as well known as Jackie Robinson, and Storylines will give players a chance to educate themselves on the careers of the featured ballplayers. The league's 40-year history also provides developer San Diego Studio plenty of room to explore for subsequent games and to educate audiences further on the importance of the Negro National League.
MLB The Show 23 is scheduled to release on March 28, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
