Spring is here and that means MLB The Show 18 is just days away.
This year’s installment features a number of additions, changes, and upgrades to help continue to keep MLB The Show at the top of the sports gaming food chain. But what are the biggest things about this year’s release?
After combing through all the information available, we’ve put together the things you have to know about MLB The Show 18.
These 10 things consist of a mix of new features and some small — and not-so-small — details that you need to be aware of before making the $60 plunge on the latest installment in the MLB The Show series.
Online Infrastructure Changes
It’s no secret that MLB The Show’s online servers have never been the most reliable, and last year’s game was no different. But after taking in countless feedback, Sony San Diego Studios has completely overhauled the online infrastructure in order to improve server stability and online quality. We won’t know how successful the changes are until the masses get online, but it’s a change that is worth knowing and it even leads into the next thing you should know.
No More Online Franchise
With the changes to the online servers, the development staff had to cut Online Franchise from the game. While it’s not a permanent removal, it was removed this year due to the time spent on rebuilding the servers. Should the online changes succeed, the mode should return even better than ever in future installments.
Streamlined Franchise Mode
Sticking with Franchise Mode, the game’s offline franchise is now more streamlined than ever before. With new Front Office Phases, players won’t have to waste time searching through countless menus in order to figure out what tasks to complete. Now, the game will display a list of various tasks depending on which of the 19 phases you happen to be in. In addition, Retro Mode is now available for play within the mode.
Realistic Stadium Atmosphere
From all-new crowd AI to stadium backdrops, MLB The Show 18 looks more realistic than ever before. Fans now act differently from one another, and you’ll even see specific sections of a stadium act just like its real-life counterpart — for example, the Judges in the All-Rise section of Yankee Stadium.
Rain Delays
This could’ve been included in the stadium atmosphere section, but it’s just too big of a deal to be buried somewhere else. For the first time ever, a game can be delayed by rain in MLB The Show. While it won’t lead to actual postponements or double-headers, the delays will impact how the rest of a game plays out, especially when it comes to pitching decisions.
New Diamond Dynasty Legends
Every year there are new players added to the collection of cards within Diamond Dynasty, but this year’s crop of Legends may just take the cake. From Frank Thomas to Benito Santiago, the new Legends in MLB The Show 18 are some of the greatest to ever play the game. Oh yeah, there’s also this guy named Babe Ruth in the game as well.
New RTTS Player Progression System
San Diego Studies is upping the ante on the RPG-style Road to the Show in MLB The Show 18 with an overhauled player progression system. With new Focus Training, players now build up their ballplayer both on and off the diamond. Plays you make on the field will impact your attributes, and new archetypes will determine just how you can build your player with new attribute caps.
Batting Stance Creator
One of the coolest small features making its debut in this year’s game, the batting stance creator allows you to create or edit anyone’s batting stance no matter the player. It’s a nice way to add even more personality to your created player that you hope to turn into a Hall of Famer in Road to the Show.
Improved Ball Physics
The Show 17 introduced new changes to the way the ball comes off the bat. Well, in MLB The Show 18, those ball physics get ramped up a notch. From top spin and back spin to how the ball flies at different times of the day or in different weather, the developers have gone the extra mile to make sure the ball reacts as naturally as possible in every game.
Presentation Changes
Lastly, MLB The Show 18 sees a number of presentation updates including adding MLB Network analyst Mark DeRosa to the broadcast booth. He joins the returning Matt Vasgersian and Dan Plesac where they all recorded lines together in the same studio rather than one-by-one. By recording the three-man booth together, MLB The Show 18 promises a “dynamic and adaptive” commentary experience.
In addition to the commentary, the game’s replay system has been updated to show real-time replays as well as show the speed of the ball in various locations via a ball trail.
What you looking forward to in MLB The Show 18, and what changes do you think everyone should know about? Let us know in the comment section below.
MLB The Show 18 launches on March 27 for PlayStation 4.
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