As reported by GamesIndustry, MLB The Show 21 has amassed over 4 million players since its launch in April. It’s the fastest-selling game in the series to date, which isn’t surprising, seeing as it is the first MLB game to have launched on Xbox as well (and was also available via Xbox Game Pass at launch).

Of its 4 million players, MLB The Show 21 sold two million copies on PS5 and PS4, with the other half coming on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. The number of copies sold and the number of players coming via Game Pass on Xbox hasn’t been revealed, but it’s an impressive figure nonetheless.

Sony recently said that it was planning on releasing more live service-driven games like MLB in the future. Read more on that through here.

Sony wants to develop more live service games like MLB The Show. That’s according to the company’s investor relations presentation today, as initially reported by VGChronicle. Sony Interactive Entertainment said that it plans to develop more “service-led experiences” for both its consoles and other platforms such as PC and mobile. This makes sense given Sony’s increased focus on releasing titles like Days Gone and Horizon on PC.

In a slide shown during the presentation, Sony said MLB The Show 21 was responsible for the “highest paying user spend of any sports title in the US PS Store” since it released last month. It’s also worth repeating that while that’s an impressive achievement, it doesn’t even cover how well the title did on Xbox. The Show is now a multiplatform series since it launched on Xbox Game Pass at release.

Like most sports games, The Show allows players to buy randomized card packs to try and build a dream team of their favorite players. Players can spend in-game currency to buy packs, but many choose to spend real money. “We intend to build upon our growing experience and ambition in the games as a service space to complement our continued strength in the narrative-led titles that PlayStation fans know and love,” said Jim Ryan, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s president and CEO.

Ryan also said that microtransactions in free-to-play games accounted for over 25% of total PlayStation Store consumer spending during the company’s fiscal year that ended in March 2021. That number is a 20% increase from the 2016 fiscal year, when microtransactions in free-to-play games accounted for 5% of consumer spending on the PlayStation Store.

The NPD Group has released data for software sales in the US for the month of April 2021 (via ResetEra), and the results are mostly unsurprising. MLB The Show 21 launched halfway through the month, and it’s topped the software charts for the month. As the first game in the series to launch on multiple platforms, it’s no surprise that the game has enjoyed the best launch ever in terms of dollar sales for an MLB game. All the more impressive, however, when you consider that these numbers don’t include digital sales on Xbox, and the fact that the game is also available on Xbox Game Pass. It has also instantly become the third highest selling game of 2021 in the US.

New Pokemon Snap also debuts in third place, even without digital sales included, and sold twice as much as the original Pokemon Snap did at launch in 1999. Fellow new releases NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… and Returnal debuted in fifth and eighth place respectively.

Meanwhile, Outriders is in fourth place, Mortal Kombat 11 re-enters the top 10 at sixth place, and It Takes Two climbs up to No. 9. Monster Hunter Rise takes seventh place, while the perennial sellers like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury also rank in the top 10.

You can check out the full software charts for April 2021 below.

1. MLB The Show 21^
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
3. New Pokemon Snap*
4. Outriders
5. NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139…
6. Mortal Kombat 11
7. Monster Hunter Rise
8. Returnal
9. It Takes Two
10. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe*
11. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019)
12. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
13. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury*
14. Minecraft
15. Animal Crossing: New Horizons*
16. Super Mario 3D All-Stars*
17. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
18. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
19. Pokemon Sword and Shield*
20. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*

*Digital sales not included
^Xbox digital sales not included

In its recent financial report for fiscal year 2020, Sony revealed that 338.9 million games had been sold on PS4 and PS5. About 58.4 million or 17 percent of the figure were first-party titles, which makes sense given that titles like Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and The Last of Us Part 2 released last year. However, this fiscal year, the company is aiming even higher.

As part of its outlook for the year (as revealed by VentureBeat), the company is expecting an “increase in revenue from first-party titles” compared to fiscal year 2020. Some titles like Returnal, Ratchet and Clank and MLB The Show 21 have either been discussed or released while others like Horizon Forbidden West are on track for this year. Then there’s God of War 2 which received an ambiguous 2021 window with no further details since.

It’s possible that the company has some surprises in store especially with its focus to “aggressively invest” in first party development and external studio partnerships. Outside of its first party releases, the coming fiscal year is looking stacked with titles like Stray, Kena: Bridge of Spirits and Forspoken coming up. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.

As odd as it is, MLB The Show 21 is on Xbox consoles and available on Xbox Game Pass. And with multi-platform releases, especially those for former exclusives, the question always becomes: which version is better? Well, the experts at Digital Foundry have the answer, and the winner in MLB The Show‘s case is the PS5 – but just barely.

Both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 render the game at 2160p, and barring an odd bug that affects water on the Series X version, they’re basically identical. Both version are basically locked at 60 FPS during gameplay, though the Xbox Series X version is slightly less stable. The real difference is during the game’s cutscenes, or “presentations.” Both systems struggle here, but the Series X version drops around 9-11 more frames in intense sequences. The Xbox Series S runs the game at 1080p, and runs about 2-3 frames slower than the Series X.

On last generation machines, the Xbox One X runs about 5-7 frames faster than PS4 Pro at 1440p. Dropping the resolution to 1080p makes both machines run more closely to the Xbox Series S. The current gen machines do not feature resolution options. The only other major difference is that the PS5 supports the DualSense and loads about 4 seconds faster.

In all, Digital Foundry found the ports to be pretty impressive and both versions worth playing, noting that the difference here was likely due to the engine being developed on PlayStation systems, San Diego Studio’s general inexperience with Xbox hardware, and the difference in developer tools available at this point in the generation.

Many will no doubt use the PS5’s slight advantages here to fuel the never-ending console wars, but the main takeaway here is that MLB The Show 21 runs well on every platform. And that’s good for everyone, because it’s a good game. You can watch a more detailed version of Digital Foundry’s findings below.

Many aspects of The Show remain largely unchanged from the previous iteration. Most of the core mechanics of hitting, pitching, and fielding remain more or less the same. This isn’t a complaint, mind you. These core mechanics were already polished to a fine shine in the last game, and they remain so here. The learning curve isn’t too steep, and the game allows you to change the difficulty for each of the three individually, and on the fly during matches. The ability to set variable difficulty, meanwhile, allows the game to get progressively easier or harder as your skill changes.

The main showcase mode, Road to the Show, remains more or less unchanged from last year’s game. Strangely enough, though, it chooses to omit the actual process of trying out for teams. Instead, you start out having already been drafted, and get to choose which team you want to have been chosen for. It’s nice to get the option to pick, but the implementation is a bit clunky. It’s delivered through in-game dialog, where the game asks you about different teams, and you say “yes” or “no” until you get to the one you want. It’s a small quibble, it just seems like an odd choice. Still, it doesn’t take much away from the experience.

"MLB The Show 21 delivers exactly what baseball fans expect. It’s not a game-changer, but it’s a solid experience. A few good changes here and there, mixed with strong fundamentals, make for a good experience."

One thing I did really appreciate was the ability to run Road to the Show as a two-way player. Previous games largely locked you into a choice as either a pitcher or a position player. The option to request play as a two-way player really lets you get the best of both worlds, allowing you to bounce back and forth between pitching and position play. It helps mix things up, and keeps Road to the Show from getting repetitive as it goes on.

Overall, though, the core of the mode remains largely the same as last years. Play on the field provides incremental changes to your core stats. Play well, and you may get better in various stats that affect your performance on the field. Choke during a match, and your associated skills will deteriorate instead. Training during your off days allows you to zero in on specific skills, so you can buff your strengths or cover your weak points. Meanwhile, periodic challenges will pop up during gameplay, usually when you’re in a clutch situation. For example, as a pitcher when the bases are loaded, you can get challenges for things such as getting through the inning without giving up any runs. These challenges provide additional experience and skill bumps. The also help liven up the gameplay on the field.

Still, most of this is the same as last year. And in fact, the same can be said of most of The Show 21. If you played last year’s game, there isn’t a whole lot that’s changed with this new release. It does look a bit better. Animations are still excellent, as is the attention to detail in the stadiums, though facial animations do still look a little awkward. A couple of small tweaks to the modes, such as the aforementioned two-way play during Road to the Show, are welcome and help to spice things up. Overall, though, there’s not much new on offer here. That can definitely make The Show 21 feel like a bit of a harder sell.

"Animations are still excellent, as is the attention to detail in the stadiums, though facial animations do still look a little awkward."

But that’s only true on the surface. Most of the improvements made here are small, incremental changes. They don’t seem like a lot on their own, but taken together they add up to a better product overall. Carrying your Road to the Show player to Diamond Dynasty is great, and the mode generally felt better than it did last year. Admittedly, this is a bit harder to quantify than some of my other points. I can’t really pinpoint exactly what felt better here. My team just felt better, more formidable right out of the gate. It felt less grindy than last year. It never overtook Road to the Show for me, but it’s a strong mode in its own right.

The rest of the modes feel the same. Franchise mode is as deep as ever, with a lot for players to sink their teeth into. March to October is still a lot of fun, and was my personal favorite mode outside of Road to the Show. There’s something so satisfying about taking a pro team and leading them to a stellar season, and March to October delivers that feeling perfectly.

Meanwhile, additional modes offer bits of gameplay outside of the core four options. Weekly challenges add some variety. Moments allows you to play as legends of the game in some of their most iconic moments. And one of my favorite options, Retro Mode, allows you to play the game with old-school mechanics. It’s a lot more casual than the other modes, but that doesn’t stop it from being a blast.

Technically, MLB The Show 21 works just as well as past installments. It looks good and plays seamlessly. The animations are excellent, as is the lighting. There’s very little stutter or lag during gameplay, and the controls are smooth, simple, and responsive.

"Technically, MLB The Show 21 works just as well as past installments. It looks good and plays seamlessly."

That’s the best way to describe MLB The Show 21, honestly. It’s smooth, simple, and solid. It’s not a revolutionary title. It doesn’t do anything crazy or unexpected, and it doesn’t redefine sports games. Instead, it focuses on doing the things it does best. The core modes have seen changes and refinements that add up to a better, more satisfying experience. The controls and visuals are excellent, and the different gameplay modes all have something to offer. MLB The Show has long been one of the best franchises in sports games, and this installment is no exception.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Microsoft has announced the last few titles coming to Xbox Game Pass for April. It kicks off with MLB The Show 21, available now for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and the cloud. On April 22nd, co-op title Phogs! comes to PC subscribers. Co-op dinosaur shooter Second Extinction is out on April 28th for console, PC and the cloud, albeit as part of Xbox Game Preview.

The title is still in early access so Game Pass provides a nice way to see if it’s up your alley. Next up is Destroy All Humans! on April 29th, launching for consoles, PC and the cloud. As a remake of the original, it sees Crypto-137 harvesting humans and taking down armies with all kinds of alien weapons and abilities.

Fable 3 and Fable Anniversary will be available to play via the cloud on April 30th. On the same day, several titles will be leaving Xbox Game Pass. The titles and their platforms in question are:

• Endless Legend (PC)
• For the King (Cloud, Console and PC)
• Fractured Minds (Cloud and Console)
• Levelhead (Cloud, Console and PC)
• Moving Out (Cloud, Console and PC)
• Thumper (PC)

The story of MLB The Show for this year has been a wild one, to say the least. Despite being a Sony developed title, as well as a longtime staple IP for the company, the 2021 edition of the game was announced to be coming to Xbox systems for the first time. It also was then revealed to be coming to Xbox Game Pass day and date, which is quite something. Now, you can preload on those systems as well.

People have reported that the preload option is now available on both generations of Xbox consoles the baseball sim will land on. The Xbox Series X/S version is said to both be roughly 72 GB, while the Xbox One version clocks in at about 45 GB. These sizes could change closer to release, however, if there are any day 1 updates or patches, so keep that in mind.

In addition to those platforms, MLB The Show 21 will release on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, which also have preloads live now.

This year’s MLB The Show will be the same franchise baseball fans have come to know and love, but there are some big differences outside the game itself. At one point, the biggest one was that the game would be coming to current and next gen Xbox systems, but another bombshell was that it would also come to Xbox Game Pass day and date on launch. It was a surprising thing, for sure, even more so than the license coming to Xbox. It also seems, perhaps unsurprisingly, it was a call from the licensee.

As reported by Inverse, a PlayStation representative confirmed that the decision to put the game on Xbox Game Pass came down from the MLB. According to them, the organization felt with Game Pass, it would widen the audience and potential appeal of the game. It probably isn’t a shocker, but there it is.

“As part of the goal for this year’s game, MLB decided to bring the franchise to more players and baseball fans. This decision provides a unique opportunity to further establish MLB The Show as the premier brand for baseball video games.”

MLB The Show 21 will release on April 20th for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. It will also release on Xbox Game Pass on that date on Xbox systems.

Sony’s MLB The Show 21 has already been confirmed for Xbox Game Pass on day one but Microsoft has some other heavy hitters coming this month. On April 8th, Grand Theft Auto 5 and Zombie Army 4: Dead War will be available on the surface, both for consoles and cloud while the latter also arrives on PC. Considering that Zombie Army 4 is included in PlayStation Plus for April, it’s good to see Xbox players also getting it for free.

Also coming on April 8th is Disneyland Adventures and Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure, both playable through the cloud. The former is about exploring Disneyland and its various attractions while the latter sees players exploring worlds from films like Finding Dory, Toy Story, Up and so on. NHL 21 arrives on April 12th for console via EA Play while Rain on Your Parade, an intriguing game about a cardboard cloud that ruins everything, is out on April 15th for consoles, PC and cloud.

Chucklefish’s tactical strategy title Pathway arrives on April 15th for PC while MLB The Show 21 releases on April 20th for console and cloud. This is most likely just the first wave of titles announced for Xbox Game Pass so stay tuned for more details later this month. Of course, a number of titles will also be leaving this month. Check out the full list below:

April 15

• Deliver Us the Moon (Console and PC)
• Gato Roboto (Console and PC)
• Wargroove (Console and PC)

April 16 (EA Play)

• Madden 15 (Console)
• Madden 16 (Console)
• Madden 17 (Console)
• Madden 18 (Console)
• Madden 25 (Console)
• NHL 18 (Console)
• NHL 19 (Console)