Microsoft: “Mwahahaha”
In what is arguably their biggest power move to date, Microsoft has announced it is bringing MLB The Show 21 (Standard Edition) to Xbox Game Pass on Day One (April 20th) for Xbox One and Series X|S, and also Android phones and tablets with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta).
Not only is this the first time the formerly PS exclusive franchise has come to the current generations of Xbox consoles, but it’s also going to be a day one drop at no extra cost above the standard Game Pass subscription cost. This news must be a bitter pill to swallow for PlayStation gamers who have supported the franchise for all of the years where it was an exclusive title. To add insult to injury, the PlayStation 4 and 5 versions will be £49 and £59 respectively.
Despite being developed by a PlayStation Studios family developer, the publisher is listed as MLB, so we can only imagine this deal was made between Microsoft and MLB – we’ve already seen forums awash with figurative pitchfork-waving mobs angry at Sony, but this feels a bit unfair considering Sony likely had little or no part in making the deal.
Controversy surrounding the launch aside, this is great news for Xbox gamers, as MLB The Show is widely regarded as being not just the best baseball game, but one of the best sports games, period. Who knows, maybe a few Xbox gamers who get to sample the quality of some PlayStation Studios first-party output may be tempted to pick up a PS5 (if you can actually beat the scalpers).
As we said from the beginning, this is an incredible moment for all of us and bringing the franchise to more players and baseball fans is something that we at MLB, MLB Players, Inc., and Xbox are all excited about. We can’t wait for Xbox fans to experience the fastest, deepest, and most intense moment-to-moment baseball action yet. With pinpoint pitching, brand new fielding mechanics, and gameplay styles, Xbox gamers are in for a treat when MLB The Show 21 launches on April 20.
MLB The Show 21 rockets the franchise onto the next generation of video game consoles with a huge range of improvements, enhancements, and optimizations that make The Show the ultimate Major League Baseball experience. Thousands of new animations, revolutionary innovation on gameplay, and an all-new Stadium Creator let you own The Show like never before.
Jamie Leece, MLB Senior Vice President, Games & VR
MLB The Show 21 launches on the 20th April 2021, for PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
