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How MLB The Show 24 Can Fully Utilize PS5 and Xbox Series X Hardware for an Enhanced Gaming Experience

MLB The Show 24 has the opportunity to capitalize on the capabilities of the latest gaming consoles to bring about significant improvements in its graphics and overall gameplay.
How MLB The Show 24 Can Fully Utilize PS5 and Xbox Series X Hardware for an Enhanced Gaming Experience

Highlights

  • The PS5 and Xbox Series X have been available for over three years, showcasing their potential through games like Elden Ring and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. However, the sports genre, including MLB The Show, has not fully utilized the new hardware to its advantage.
  • MLB The Show, a yearly sports franchise, has seen incremental improvements in graphics over the years. With baseball being a sport where attention to detail matters, a graphical upgrade aligned with today's hardware could make MLB The Show 24 a highly anticipated game for fans.
  • While a complete game reinvention may not be feasible, implementing enhancements such as vibrant ballparks, meticulous attention to recreating jerseys and equipment, and improved player models could significantly enhance the immersion and make MLB The Show 24 a visually stunning addition to the series.

The PS5 and Xbox Series X have been on the market for over three years now, and in that time, many developers have leveraged the hardware in exciting ways. AAA games are as expansive and detailed as ever, with games like Elden Ring and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 demonstrating just what the PS5 and Xbox Series X are capable of. Not all genres have been able to properly leverage this new hardware, however, with the sports genre still living a few years behind in some respects. MLB The Show is one such sports franchise that has improved marginally but has yet to make a proper leap to today's standards.

MLB The Show is one among many series that relies on yearly releases. This development model has a long list of advantages and disadvantages, and one of the key disadvantages of yearly sports games in particular is their minimal graphical changes year after year. There often comes a time in the middle of a console's life cycle when graphics receive an overhaul, and it may be time for the upcoming MLB The Show 24 to finally take that next step. Baseball is a sport where even the smallest details matter, and a full graphical refresh befitting today's hardware could make The Show 24 a must-play entry for fans.

It's Time For MLB The Show To Embrace A Graphical Overhaul

Now Is Time For MLB The Show to Make its Next-Gen Upgrade

MLB The Show's first next-gen entry was in 2021, and not only did it bring the series to PS5, but PlayStation-exclusive MLB The Show made its way to the Xbox Series X as well. Developer San Diego Studio marked this next-gen entry with a litany of new features, including a custom stadium creator and a new pinpoint pitching system. Many of the same features returned in The Show 22 and The Show 23, but the one area that has yet to receive the same amount of care is the series' graphics.

High-profile players like Mike Trout and Mookie Betts have highly accurate face scans, and each MLB stadium is close to a 1:1 recreation. After enough innings played, however, it becomes apparent that The Show's graphics are still living in the last console generation. Outfield grass and infield dirt often look flat, and ballparks like Wrigley Field, which are known for having lush greenery, struggle to live up to their real-world counterparts. Though players are often unmistakable in their likeness, the smoothness of their features can also create an uncanny effect that's in stark contrast to today's standard for face models.

Why a Graphical Enhancement for The Show Could Change Everything

To ask SDS to reinvent The Show and try to deliver the most graphically impressive game on the PS5 and Series X would be unreasonable. That said, there are several tweaks it can make to help The Show 24 feel like the most stunning entry in the series yet. More vibrant and lively ballparks, as well as a greater amount of detail put into recreating things like jerseys and equipment could significantly increase the game's immersion. With player models that verge on photorealism added into the mix, The Show 24 could be a must-play for baseball fans based on its improved graphics alone.

MLB The Show has been one of the best baseball franchises for years, but for it to truly exemplify what current hardware is capable of, a sizable graphical update is overdue. There are a number of challenges that come with making such changes to a yearly series, especially when developers also have to worry about updating gameplay mechanics. Hopefully, by the time MLB The Show 24 is ready to be revealed, SDS will have been able to square away enough time to make the new entry look even more like an actual MLB game.

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