Sony San Diego Studio (SDS) released details on new and improved gameplay for MLB The Show 19, which drops for Playstation 4 on March 26. SDS broke the news on two separate Twitch broadcasts on Thursday afternoon. The first stream went over the defensive overhaul in MLB The Show 19, while the second stream covered offensive improvements. Here’s a full breakdown of the improvements revealed so far.
MLB The Show 19 Offensive Gameplay Improvements
- New bunting system, more realistic bunt animations and sequences
- No more rocket bunts, sacrifice bunts are now viable
- Hitters are now labeled as contact, balanced or power hitters
- More hit types and animations
- New contact results
- Better feedback and analysis for PCI skill and timing
- Contact hitters will be usable: exit velocities for well-struck pitches have increased for contact hitters, and more hit types and animations are available to all hitters
- New contact result, squared up: used for the absolute best possible PCI placement and timing, will yield the highest exit velocities and longest distances on batted balls
- Pitch speed tuning: increased speeds for fastballs, decreased speeds for non-fastballs
- Knuckleballs and splitters are less effective
- Players who repeatedly spam the same pitches and locations will see increased penalties for doing so, especially when the pitch is properly timed or squared up
MLB The Show 19 Defensive Gameplay Improvements
- A completely new fielding AI system
- Over 1,300 new fielding animations
- Severe fielding penalties for fielders playing out of position
- Fielding ratings matter more than previous years, players will be more or less efficient on defense depending on ratings
- Specifically, the fielding ratings in play here are reaction, speed, arm strength, arm accuracy and of course, general fielding
- Fielding animations to help stop baserunning exploits (“cheese”)
- Improved physics and realism for balls hit off the wall
- Significant pitch speed increase, speed tuning for non-fastballs
- Ramone Russell, community manager and game designer for MLB The Show, said pitch speeds are “faster than they’ve ever been” in The Show 19
Two New Legends Announced
Ivan Rodriguez and Jimmie Foxx are the first two new legends to be revealed for MLB The Show 19. Foxx was primarily a first baseman, but has career catching experience and that versatility, paired with Rodriguez, could give Diamond Dynasty players two interesting new options for backstops.
MLB The Show 19 News Schedule
In addition to all the news from this week, SDS has released an upcoming broadcast schedule for all future MLB The Show 19 news. Below is the full schedule.
You can watch Sony San Diego’s Twitch broadcasts, including past streams, here.
What do you think of the improvements for MLB The Show 19? Are you buying the game right away, or waiting until baseball season is in full swing? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to subscribe to SGO.
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