30 Things You Should Know About The New Game

The launch of MLB The Show 23 is near and the folks at Sony San Diego Studio have been pumping out feature premiere videos on their social media channels. After absorbing every stream, here is a breakdown of the 30 things you should know about MLB The Show 23.

Release Date

March 28, 2023 and March 24, 2023 for early access.

Cover Athletes

Jazz Chisolm is the cover athlete for the standard edition and Derek Jeter for the Collector’s Edition. Jeter is making his long-awaited return to the series.

Platforms

MLB The Show 23 will be available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One X, Xbox Series X/S and the Nintendo Switch.

Pre-Order Bonuses

The image below from Sony San Diego Studios breaks down all of the pre-order options as well as the multiple versions available.

Negro Leagues

This will be the first year Negro League players and teams will be included in the MLB The Show series. The primary way to access Negro League players, teams/uniforms and stadiums will be through the new Storylines game mode.

It is designed to function as an interactive time machine which allows players to take control of eight prominent Negro League stars: Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Buck O’Neil, Hank Thompson, John Donaldson, Hilton Smith, Rube Foster and Martin Dihigo.

The concept is introduced by Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro League Museum. Take a look at the trailer below.

The Negro League players will be available in other modes across the game including Diamond Dynasty, offline and franchise mode. Per Sony San Diego, this is just the start of Negro League implementation into the series, with more players and functionality to come in future iterations of The Show.

Changes to Fielding

Sony has added more penalty for playing players out of position with stronger drawbacks related to poor animations. The throwing meter has been changed with the sweet spot now located in a different area with each attempt.

There are three different colors with the size of the perfect accuracy point dictated by the fielder’s throwing accuracy and the difficulty of the throw.

Also, throws that land in the yellow portion of the meter while throwing to first base will trigger the fielding rating for the first baseman.

Swing Analysis

The on-screen swing analysis will offer more information than before. Swing timing has been moved to the left portion of the display. It will now include swing type and a simplified assessment of the contact made with the pitch.

Quirks and Clutch Ratings Adjustments

There are four new quirks:

• Pick-Off Artist (enhances pitcher’s ability to pick off baserunners)
• Tablesetter (Higher hitting attributes when no one is on base)
• Bad-Ball Hitter (Higher hit attributes on pitches out of the strike zone)
• Break Outlier (pitcher loses less break on their pitches as they tire)

Passive quirks have been removed in this year’s game. Clutch ratings have been changed as well.

In this year’s game, a pitcher’s clutch rating replaces their hits-per-nine rating with runners in scoring position. For hitters, their clutch rating replaces their contact rating in those situations.

Updated PCI

A center dot has been added to better indicate the Perfect-Perfect region.

Precise PCI placement will have more of an impact on the flight of the ball. Timing is still the most important factor, but PCI placement in relation to the sweet spot has been emphasized.

Universal DH

To mirror the rule changes in MLB, The Show 23 will now have the universal designated hitter rule.

New Shift Rule

As is the case in MLB, teams must have a minimum of four infielders on the dirt at all times and two infielders on each side of second base.

Two-Way Player Rules

The Shohei Ohtani rule is now in the game, meaning the former American League MVP and other pitchers with secondary positions can pitch and hit in the same game, while also remaining a hitter after being removed from the mound.

New Playoff Format in Franchise Mode and MTO

The new playoff format didn’t make it into MLB The Show 22, but it will be in this year’s game with more teams allowed into the postseason.

Casual/Simulation/Competitive Settings

Per Sony San Diego, casual and simulation-style gameplay hasn’t changed much. However, the competitive settings have undergone an overhaul specifically related to hitting and pitching.

The foul-ball rates and the lack of swings and misses have been addressed. With the changes, SSD believes competitive games will see more swings and misses.

This will be the locked setting in online head-to-head and in Diamond Dynasty modes.

New On-Field Sound Effects

There are several new on-field sound effects including a variety of different bat cracks dictated by the contact made with the ball. There are also enhancements on glove pops, slides and other baseball-related sounds designed to heighten the immersion.

99 Overalls From Day One in Diamond Dynasty

Diamond Dynasty will introduce 99-overall players on launch day, which is the first time this has been done in the series’ history.

Mini Seasons 2.0 in Diamond Dynasty

Mini Seasons has returned with new features. This year Mini Seasons have themes , stat tracking, custom away stadiums and a new user interface.

In MLB The Show 23, your squad won’t just play against other users’ squads in CPU-controlled teams. There will also be themed leagues with gating to create all lefty or switch hitter lineups.

Team Captains in Diamond Dynasty

In MLB The Show 23, captain cards will have a visual designation. It is inspired by theme teams in Diamond Dynasty. Captain cards offer teammates a boost in attributes for players with specific team affiliations.

For example, Detroit Tigers legend Miguel Cabrera can boost the play of other teammates whose cards are with the Tigers.

Upon release, every MLB team will have one Captain, but there will be other non-team related captains released through the year.

Sets & Seasons in Diamond Dynasty

Diamond Dynasty is also introducing the sets and seasons concept. Every season during the release cycle has a set attached to it. Seasons run for 6-8 weeks long. Within those seasons, players will build squads composed of players built from the corresponding set.

As seasons progress, your squads must consist of players from the current set, with the exception of core players (live series, collector awards and some other as-yet-revealed high-reward cards), which are available in all seasons. Users will be able to designate any one player as a Wild Card from a previous set. This will allow users to use that card throughout the year.

Ranked Co-Op in Diamond Dynasty

Sony has added more incentive to playing Co-Op in Diamond Dynasty with a ranked ladder. Co-Op ranked is based on rating, which is completely separate from single ranked games.

Players can earn the same rewards that are accessible in solos in Co-Op.

Universal Rewards in Diamond Dynasty Programs

MLB The Show 23 will feature unlimited program rewards. After the boss pack is unlocked in a program, there is an “infinite loop” which allows you to continue to stack XP.

Every time the user accumulates 25,000 XP after advancing earning the boss pack, they will earn an opportunity to unlock rewards on a board of chance.

The rewards on the board will change throughout the year.

Face Scans for Road to the Show

Using the companion app, users can now scan their face to be used on their Ballplayer/Road to the Show character.

Dynamic Challenges 2.0 in Road to the Show

RTTS players will now have different presentation with dynamic challenges. The amount of on-screen displays have been limited in an effort to maintain immersion during these moments.

Milestone Presentation in RTTS, Franchise Mode and March to October

During franchise mode, RTTS and March to October, player and team milestones will see more elaborate cinematics, visual and audio presentations.

Team Chants

Team-related chants will be included in game and can be heard in the appropriate ballparks across the major leagues.

Mode-Specific Commentary

Each mode in MLB The Show will have commentary specific to that feature. Franchise mode, MTO and RTTS will feature commentary specifically relevant to the history and situations in the game save.

Scouting in Franchise Mode and MTO

A far more layered scouting system has been added for franchise mode and MTO. Players must hire scouts with a variety of attributes. Those scouts, who are equipped with more realistic salaries, will rank and report the players who will best fit on their team.

The Fog of War term was used frequently during the introduction as it is possible to get bad intel on a player’s potential. This element allows a user to find a “Diamond in the Rough” or “Bust.”

Amateur Draft in Franchise Mode and MTO

The amateur draft has also been revamped with presentation for the top four players. It is linked to the scouting engine and is tied to the annual checkpoints throughout the MLB season.

Improved Trade Logic in Franchise Mode and MTO

Sony San Diego has addressed trade logic across the franchise mode and MTO. More weight has been placed on previously undervalued position players. The depth at a position is factored in more during trade negotiations with CPU-controlled teams.

New Legends and a March 23 Content Stream

In addition to the Negro League players, Sony has also added Mike Lowell, Jake Peavy, Carlos Pena, Matt Cain, and Greg Vaughn. Finally, there is a content stream scheduled for March 23, which is the day before early access begins.

It is expected users will learn about the final as-yet-revealed legends and pack series for Diamond Dynasty.