MLB: The Show is a baseball video game series created and developed by San Diego Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The series has received critical and commercial acclaim,[1][2][3][4] and since 2014 has been the sole Major League Baseball simulation video game on the market for consoles.[5]

MLB: The Show
MLB: The Show current logo
Genre(s)Sports
Developer(s)San Diego Studio
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
First releaseMLB 06: The Show PlayStation 2
February 28, 2006
Latest releaseMLB The Show 24
March 19, 2024

The series debuted in 2006 with MLB 06: The Show for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, following the MLB series from 989 Sports. There has been a new release in the series every year since 2006.

The series was released on PlayStation 2 from 2006's MLB 06: The Show through 2011's MLB 11: The Show and was available on the PlayStation 3 from MLB 07: The Show through MLB The Show 16. Portable versions of the series for either the PlayStation Portable or PlayStation Vita accompanied every entry from MLB 06: The Show through MLB 15: The Show. The series started releasing on the PlayStation 4 with MLB 14: The Show.

After over two decades of exclusivity with PlayStation consoles, MLB: The Show ceased to be released only on PlayStation, and started to be released on other consoles by MLB Advanced Media, though the edition of the game at the time—MLB The Show 20—was a PlayStation 4 exclusive.[5] MLB The Show 21 is the first title in the series to feature on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S; MLB The Show 22 is the first game of the series to be on a Nintendo console, released on the Nintendo Switch.[6]

Gameplay

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Gameplay simulates a game of professional baseball, with the player controlling an entire team, a team's manager, or a select player. The player may take control of one of 30 Major League Baseball teams in any game mode and also is able to chose from 6 special team including NL and AL all star teams. (excluding Road to the Show) and use that team in gameplay. The Series has variable game modes in which a player takes control of a team for a single game, one season, or a franchise (multiple seasons). [7]

Predecessors from 989 Sports

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Game Release date Cover Athlete Platforms
Star Team
MLB Pennant Race October 14, 1996 David Justice Atlanta Braves PlayStation
MLB '98 July 1, 1997 Bernie Williams New York Yankees
MLB '99 March 31, 1998 Cal Ripken Jr. Baltimore Orioles
MLB 2000 February 28, 1999 Mo Vaughn Anaheim Angels
MLB 2001 February 29, 2000 Chipper Jones Atlanta Braves
MLB 2002 May 7, 2001 Andruw Jones
MLB 2003 June 17, 2002 Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants
MLB 2004 April 30, 2003 Shawn Green Los Angeles Dodgers PlayStation, PlayStation 2
MLB 2005 March 4, 2004 Eric Chavez Oakland Athletics
MLB 2006 March 8, 2005 Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable

Games

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Game Release date Cover Athlete Platforms
Star Team
MLB 06: The Show February 28, 2006 David Ortiz Boston Red Sox PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable
MLB 07: The Show February 27, 2007 (PS2/PSP) David Wright New York Mets PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable
May 15, 2007 (PS3)
MLB 08: The Show March 4, 2008 Ryan Howard Philadelphia Phillies
MLB 09: The Show March 3, 2009 Dustin Pedroia Boston Red Sox
MLB 10: The Show March 2, 2010 Joe Mauer Minnesota Twins
MLB 11: The Show March 8, 2011
MLB 12: The Show March 6, 2012 Adrián González Boston Red Sox PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
MLB 13: The Show March 5, 2013 Andrew McCutchen Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB 14: The Show April 1, 2014 (PS3/Vita) Miguel Cabrera Detroit Tigers PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
May 6, 2014 (PS4)
MLB 15: The Show March 31, 2015 Yasiel Puig Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB The Show 16 March 29, 2016 Josh Donaldson Toronto Blue Jays PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
MLB The Show 17 March 28, 2017 Ken Griffey Jr. Seattle Mariners PlayStation 4
MLB The Show 18 March 27, 2018 Aaron Judge New York Yankees
MLB The Show 19 March 26, 2019 Bryce Harper Philadelphia Phillies
MLB The Show 20 March 17, 2020 Javier Báez Chicago Cubs
MLB The Show 21 April 20, 2021 Fernando Tatís Jr. San Diego Padres PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
MLB The Show 22 April 5, 2022 Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angels PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
MLB The Show 23 March 28, 2023 Jazz Chisholm Jr. Miami Marlins
MLB The Show 24 March 19, 2024 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto Blue Jays

Special Edition Covers

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Game Star Team
MLB The Show 21 Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers
MLB The Show 22 Shohei Ohtani Los Angeles Angels
MLB The Show 23 Derek Jeter New York Yankees

International Covers

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Canada
Game Star Team
MLB 12: The Show José Bautista Toronto Blue Jays
MLB 13: The Show
MLB 14: The Show Brett Lawrie
MLB 15: The Show Russell Martin
MLB The Show 16 Josh Donaldson
MLB The Show 17 Aaron Sanchez
MLB The Show 18 Marcus Stroman
Korea
Game Star Team
MLB 06: The Show Chan Ho Park San Diego Padres
MLB 14: The Show Shin-Soo Choo Texas Rangers
MLB 15: The Show
MLB The Show 16 Jung-ho Kang Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB The Show 17 Hyun-soo Kim Baltimore Orioles
Taiwan
Game Star Team
MLB 13: The Show Wei-Yin Chen Baltimore Orioles
MLB 14: The Show
MLB 15: The Show
MLB The Show 16 Miami Marlins
MLB The Show 17

Commentators

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Commentator 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Total appearances
Matt Vasgersian  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  N  N 16
Dave Campbell  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N 7
Rex Hudler  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N 6
Eric Karros  N  N  N  N  N  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  N 6
Steve Lyons  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  Y  Y  Y  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  N 4
Harold Reynolds  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N 1
Dan Plesac  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  Y  Y  Y  Y  Y  N  N 5
Mark DeRosa  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  Y  Y  Y  Y  N  N 4
Heidi Watney  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  Y  Y  Y  N  N 3
Jon Sciambi  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  Y  Y 2
Chris Singleton  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  Y  Y 2
Total 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 2

Reception and sales

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Year Game Sales
1997 MLB '98
1998 MLB '99 2.52 million
1999 MLB 2000
2000 MLB 2001
2001 MLB 2002
2002 MLB 2003
2003 MLB 2004 660,000
2004 MLB 2005 900,000
2005 MLB 2006 400,000
2006 MLB 06: The Show 940,000 (PS2), 350,000 (PSP)
2007 MLB 07: The Show 930,000 (PS2), 280,000 (PS3), 280,000 (PSP)
2008 MLB 08: The Show 420,000 (PS2), 700,000 (PS3), 330,000 (PSP)
2009 MLB 09: The Show 330,000 (PS2), 720,000 (PS3), 270,000 (PSP)
2010 MLB 10: The Show 410,000 (PS2), 730,000 (PS3), 210,000 (PSP)
2011 MLB 11: The Show 130,000 (PS2), 590,000 (PS3), 180,000 (PSP)
2012 MLB 12: The Show 930,000 (PS3), 200,000 (PSV)
2013 MLB 13: The Show 840,000 (PS3), 150,000 (PSV)
2014 MLB 14: The Show 430,000 (PS3), 730,000 (PS4), 120,000 (PSV)
2015 MLB 15: The Show 400,000 (PS3), 1.01 million (PS4), 40,000 (PSV)
2016 MLB The Show 16 380,000 (PS3), 960,000 (PS4)
2017 MLB The Show 17 1.16 million
2018 MLB The Show 18 1.06 million
2019 MLB The Show 19
2020 MLB The Show 20
2021 MLB The Show 21 2 million[8]
2022 MLB The Show 22
2023 MLB The Show 23
2024 MLB The Show 24

References

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  1. ^ "MLB 11: The Show". Metacritic. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  2. ^ "MLB 12: The Show". Metacritic. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  3. ^ "MLB 09: The Show". Metacritic. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  4. ^ Square, Push (January 17, 2020). "MLB The Show 19 Is the Best-Selling Baseball Game of All Time". Push Square. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "MLB The Show is Set to Begin Arriving on New Platforms as Soon as 2021". DualShockers. December 10, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  6. ^ Good, Owen S. (January 31, 2022). "MLB The Show plays ball on Nintendo Switch this April". Polygon. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  7. ^ Kato, Matthew. "The Sports Desk – 48 MLB The Show 17 Details: Gameplay, Graphics, Diamond Dynasty & Road To The Show". Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  8. ^ "PlayStation 5 Surpasses 10 Million Units Sold, Remains the Fastest Selling Console in Sony Interactive Entertainment History". www.businesswire.com. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.