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MLB The Show 21 Headed to Xbox Game Pass on Day One

MLB The Show 21 Headed to Xbox Game Pass on Day One - News

by William D'Angelo , posted on 02 April 2021 / 3,192 Views

Microsoft announced MLB The Show 21 will be available on Xbox Game Pass for Console and Android on day one - April 20 - for the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. 

"Both MLB The Show 21 Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S Standard Editions will be included with Xbox Game Pass so members will be able to play the best version of the game regardless of which console they’re on," said MLB Senior Vice President of Games and VR Jamie Leece. "And with cross-platform play and progress, you can play against others online, and earn and use content across the platform and generation you choose.

"As we said from the beginning, this is an incredible moment for all of us and bringing the franchise to more players and baseball fans is something that we at MLB, MLB Players, Inc., and Xbox are all excited about. We can’t wait for Xbox fans to experience the fastest, deepest, and most intense moment-to-moment baseball action yet. With pinpoint pitching, brand new fielding mechanics, and gameplay styles, Xbox gamers are in for a treat when MLB The Show 21 launches on April 20.

"MLB The Show 21 rockets the franchise onto the next generation of video game consoles with a huge range of improvements, enhancements, and optimizations that make The Show the ultimate Major League Baseball experience. Thousands of new animations, revolutionary innovation on gameplay, and an all-new Stadium Creator let you own The Show like never before."

MLB The Show 21 will launch for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on April 20.


A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.


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38 Comments
Libara (on 02 April 2021)

Not sure anyone could have guessed this, what a steal!
Not only is it no longer exclusive but you can either chose to get it day 1 on Gamepass or pay $70 on PS.

  • +18
Signalstar Libara (on 02 April 2021)

Either way Sony gets paid...

  • -6
Libara Signalstar (on 02 April 2021)

Depends, MLB are the ones publishing the game on Xbox, not sony. Sure their devs made it but the GP deal would have been made with MLB directly.

  • +3
The_One_19 Signalstar (on 02 April 2021)

It's about us gamers that can play the games for a much lower price not publishers like Sony or Microsoft that will get paid.

  • +9
crissindahouse Signalstar (on 03 April 2021)

Should release all games on Gamepass, then. Sony gets paid for it after all

  • 0
KratosLives Libara (on 02 April 2021)

Your still paying for gamepass don't forget. Who is to say that person who is interested in this game wants the other games on gamepass? Are you suggesting everyone should drop the ps5 and get an xbox?

  • -7
chakkra KratosLives (on 03 April 2021)

I think he is suggesting that multiplatform gamers who used to buy this every year on a Playstation platform all of a sudden have an interesting choice to make.

  • +4
Rafie (on 02 April 2021)

Ooof! Sony has been getting bad PR as of lately. This one really hits under the belt. A Sony developed game going on GamePass for free while PS gamers have to pay 60-70 bucks for the game. That's crazy! I have to wonder what the benefit is for Sony to continue to develop MLB The Show. They could stop developing and continue to get annual baseball games.

  • +11
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kazuyamishima twintail (on 03 April 2021)

You are been downvoted for telling the true.

The game was announced to become Multiplatform starting from MLB 21.

Still can’t understand all the fuzz, the IP belongs to MLB anyway.

But nowadays fans tend to overreact.

This won’t affect Ps5 sales even barely.

  • -8
Cerebralbore101 twintail (on 03 April 2021)

I think he's being downvoted because he said nobody cares about Japan Studio closing. I care about that a lot actually.

  • +6
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Rafie twintail (on 03 April 2021)

Well if it's any consolation, I didn't downvote either of you. I'm not overreacting about the news. However, it is telling that a game that Sony themselves developed is getting the GP treatment, while PS fans have to pay the full price. That's the takeaway here. Like I said, Sony should stop developing The Show and focus on other IPs. The Show will continue to be on Sony consoles as that's where the majority of the fanbase is. Also, don't underestimate baseball. I know the rest of the world outside of the US and Japan don't really rock with it...but it still has a lot of fans. No different than soccor/futbol not being popular in the US, but hugely popular everywhere else.

Btw, you're crazy to think that most people didn't care about Japan Studio being gone. They were a talented team.

  • +7
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Rafie twintail (on 03 April 2021)

Dude I basically said that about baseball with the US and Japan versus the world. You're looking to argue something I never said anything contrary to begin with. Sales aren't everything to sir. There have been great games that hasn't seen commercial success.

Japan Studio is RESPECTED in the Sony catalog. So among their fans and even some commercial success, they're clearly mid/top tier developer. Everything doesn't have to be a COD or Rockstar type of game commodity to be considered good or successful.

San Diego studios can be taken off if there's not a contract set in place. There's no way Sony would opt to have developed the Xbox version without some some heavy compensation. Regardless if San Diego had commercial success or not is irrelevant. They're still here developing games and hasn't been shut down like Evolution Studios and others. They (San Diego) can still develop games worthwhile that can see mild success within the PS community.

  • 0
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Rafie twintail (on 04 April 2021)

You're still looking at it from a commercial success standpoint. I'm saying games like Gravity Rush and even Knack may not be commercial heavy hitters, but good margin of PS gamers still supports the games. Knack isn't a bad game. GR is actually a great game that just didn't receive well for whatever reason. It's not like any game I've ever played that's for sure.

What is San Diego's benefit to keep developing The Show for other platforms outside of PS? What is Sony gaining from that?! I don't think it's risky (but then again....I'm just a consumer. What do I know?!) because their other games are still respectable in terms of how the community views them enough to keep them afloat. At least that's how I see it. Developing for other platforms is not doing Sony any favors at all, unless they got a big bag for it. I mean a really big bag. Even if San Diego stops developing, The Show will continue to be on Sony consoles. Like I said before, the majority of the fans are there.

Oh and you would be surprised at how many folks in Japan actually love The Show.

  • 0
Manlytears Rafie (on 04 April 2021)

That's a good question? MLB The show, most likely, still makes good money for Playstation, but if this changes Sony can just stop making these games, simple.
Makes money and it's good for Playstation = new entrys for the game.
Small or no money? Not good for Playstation image? = just axe the game, let it die.

  • +1
Rafie Manlytears (on 04 April 2021)

Right. I have no doubt that it makes some good change for PS. My thing was that MLB needs to compensate Sony for developing for others here from the get go. Sony services shouldn't be free here, even if they're getting a percentage of the sales. Then again it would matter how large the percentage is for Sony to continue to let SD develop. Man we need some answers on this.

  • 0
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Goatseye (on 02 April 2021)

Thanks Son¥... and Phil!

  • +9
AkimboCurly (on 03 April 2021)

I'd love to know what the deal is here.

  • +2
KLAMarine (on 02 April 2021)

XBox and PS logos side by side.

  • +2
LudicrousSpeed (on 04 April 2021)

Too bad we'll never know the details of this deal. Did MS make this deal through Sony or through MLB? What if any cut does Sony get from GamePass downloads? I'm sure they still get those microtransaction Stub dollars. On the surface this looks like a terrible deal for Playstation gamers, they have to pay $60-70 for a game that Xbox users can pay $60 for or get day one in GamePass. But for Sony it's not a bad deal at all, they get exposure of what is a new franchise to Xbox users, they get sales, they get DLC revenue, and it builds awareness for Show 22, etc.

But either way, Papa Phil delivers yet again.

  • +1
DonFerrari LudicrousSpeed (on 04 April 2021)

Considering this was announced by a MLB senior leadership and not someone attached to Sony it is quite possible this was a direct deal between MS and MLB and also possible how the title became MP.

  • +2
DonFerrari (on 04 April 2021)

This is something very odd, and coming from MBL the announcement it seems it was something dealed between them and MS and not involved Sony at all, good way to start the MP contract.

  • 0
SecondWar (on 02 April 2021)

I can see this working out fairly well for Sony from cash perspective.

  • -3
Sogreblute SecondWar (on 02 April 2021)

I don't think Sony will see any money from this since MLB are publishing the Xbox version.

  • +3
Trentonater Sogreblute (on 02 April 2021)

It states that playstation will make a donation for every Jackie Robinson edition sold in the US for every platform version. So they would obviously have a financial stake in it.

  • +3
SecondWar Sogreblute (on 02 April 2021)

Ok, wasn’t aware of that. However, they own the developer, San Diego Studio, so at a bare minimum will get payment for the development.

  • +1
DonFerrari Sogreblute (on 04 April 2021)

Wouldn`t make any sense for San Diego Studio to develop the MS version and not get money from it.

  • 0
Cerebralbore101 (on 03 April 2021)

Sony should just pull their San Diego studio from the MLB series as soon as they contractually can. There will always be dumb yearly sports games. No sense wasting talent on a game that is forced to go multiplatform and boost your competition's streaming service.

  • -5
Mr Puggsly Cerebralbore101 (on 04 April 2021)

If that studio stopped working on MLB games than the studio would probably be dead. My guess is Sony is happy enough to take the money and keep the studio going.

  • 0
Jumpinbeans (on 03 April 2021)
  • -11