MLB The Show 20 Diamond Dynasty Deep Dive (Screenshots Included)

Today, San Diego Studio (SDS) hosted a live stream to discuss the brand new Showdown mode and take a deep dive into Diamond Dynasty (DD) in MLB The Show 20. The game is set to drop on March 17, and DD looks to be better than ever in this year’s installment of The Show. Here’s everything we know so far about Diamond Dynasty in MLB The Show 20.

DIAMOND DYNASTY IN MLB THE SHOW 20

Diamond Dynasty is the most popular mode in MLB The Show, and for good reason. It is the most immersive team-building experience in sports video games, and the content continues to improve each year. Because of the ability players have to build a highly competitive squad without spending insane amounts of money, DD’s player base is expanding with each release.

Here is a look at what the Diamond Dynasty menu will look like.

The XP reward path is back in The Show 20, and the game will once again reward XP for playing any mode on the game. Whether it’s online or offline, inside of Diamond Dynasty or outside, users will earn XP on the reward path any time they play The Show.

This year, it looks like rewards along the XP path are far more balanced and not just predicated on reaching the next color tier (bronze, silver, gold, and diamond). Here are two screenshots of what the XP reward path looks like in MLB The Show 20.

As you may have noticed from the screenshots, there are new packs and card types in DD this year, including Classics and Evolution packs. Classics packs reward players with a choice of cards from previous installments of The Show. Below is an example.

Evolution cards are brand new this year as well. ‘Evo’ cards come from missions that begin the user with a bronze or silver player and require moments or missions to be completed in order to upgrade that card all the way up to a diamond.

Missions like this will be part of the “Player Programs” portion of the DD menu. Below is what the Player Programs screen will look like.

Certain diamonds can now also be upgraded to “prestige diamonds” which are displayed as a red diamond on the card. Diamonds can be prestiged by completing stat missions with the regular diamond. This is a sharp addition by SDS, as it offers a reward for stat mission grinders but doesn’t make it mandatory. Here is a prestiged version of Todd Helton.

Signature Series cards are back in The Show 20, but developers noted that those cards will be less likely to blanket a player’s lineup due to a better balance and improved offerings from other card types. Award Winners, Face of the Franchise, Prime, Prospect are all new card types this year, in addition to prestige diamonds, classics and evolution cards.

Here are some examples of new cards in MLB The Show 20.

The biggest change to the way Diamond Dynasty games are played in The Show 20 is pitcher energy. Gone are the days of “pitcher roulette” in which the game would randomly select a starting pitcher for each team prior to the game. Now, users are tasked much more seriously with managing a rotation, as the starter can now be chosen.

A pitcher’s energy will change based on usage after each game, so starting the same pitcher every game isn’t wise. Interestingly, developers noted that relievers can be chosen to start as well. Below is an example of the pitcher energy display on the roster screen.

Inning programs are back in MLB The Show 20. Users can guarantee at least nine inning programs (there were 11 in MLB The Show 19), and the structure is largely the same as last year. Completing daily missions, moments, collections, Conquest maps and more all earn program stars. 

Each inning program contains a choice pack at 300 program stars. The first inning features All-Star Todd Helton, Prime Roy Oswalt and All-Star Duke Snider. Below is a look at the card art for all three.

Team Affinity programs also return this year, with each of the 30 MLB teams getting a program. The structure hasn’t changed much, but developers promised the rewards to be better than The Show 19. Earning 50 points in a team’s program will earn you the exclusive diamond from that team. Below is a preview of the Washington Nationals program.

While an 89 Diamond Juan Soto is a lot better than most of last year’s Team Affinity offerings, it’s unknown whether every team has a diamond card of this quality. Below is a look at the card art and ratings for Soto.

Conquest will again be an integral part of both inning programs and DD as a whole. This year, the starter Conquest map features a Prospect Tim Tebow as a reward.

Ranked seasons, events and Battle Royale (BR) are all back with what seem to be little changes aside from pitcher energy and starting pitcher selection. Ranked seasons will offer Prospect Adley Rutschman, Prime Juan Pierre and Rookie Rogers Hornsby.

Lastly, another nice addition from developers is the “locations” tab on each player card in DD. Instead of searching tirelessly through boring menus to find out how to acquire a certain card, now each card clearly displays where it can be found, bought or earned.

There are still two more streams before The Show 20 drops. The developer tournament will begin on March 12 at 2pm ET, leading up to the launch of the game (for those who pre-order) at midnight on March 13. The countdown to the official launch is March 16 at 11pm ET.

If you missed today’s stream, it is below.

You can read more about MLB The Show 20 here.

Are you going to purchase MLB The Show 20? Do you like the changes and additions SDS is making for Diamond Dynasty in MLB The Show 20? Let us know in the comment section below, and don’t forget to subscribe to SGO.

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