MLB The Show 21 will be the first time the series will become a multiplatform one (and the first time Sony will be publishing a first party game on Xbox, with cross-platform multiplayer no less), so it’s already a pretty momentous occasion for the series as it is. It’s also making plenty of notable improvements to the series’ formula- some of these, including the Stadium Creator (exclusive to the game’s next-gen versions) have already been detailed, and recently, in an update published on the PlayStation blog, a few more improvements were detailed.
The first of these is Casual mode, a new addition to the series, which, as its name suggests, has been tailor made for newcomers to the franchise who’re looking for a more accessible experience. “We have added a route to ball indicator to help you in the field, improved the throw accuracy meter to help you show off your cannon, and have built in assists to make jumps and dives more intuitive,” the update reads.
Meanwhile, MLB The Show 21 will also feature two-way players for the first time in the series, thanks to “a revamped player progression system that emphasizes adaptability and variety.” Finally, major improvements and additions have also been made to the animations in the game, including over 100 personalized bat flip animations, bat tosses, and home run swings, in addition to 140 new batting stances, 250 redone batting stances, 160 new pitching animations, 180 redone pitching animations, and more than 1,000 new fielding animations.
MLB The Show 21 is out on April 20 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and Xbox One.