Opening Day is here, and there really isn’t a time quite like it. A new season in the MLB means hope for teams that fell short last year, and the desire for continued success for last year’s competitive clubs. Just in time for the kickoff to the new season, MLB The Show 26 is out now for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. After a few years of steady progress in the iterative offerings of this annual sports simulator series, I feel like we might be down in the count for the first time in a while. Here are my thoughts on MLB The Show 26, reviewed on Xbox Series X.

The major selling point for a sports video game franchise is its year-over-year improvements, enticing players to purchase the game again. Sony’s San Diego Studio leads with changes to “Road to the Show,” the game’s Career Mode. The mode doubled its participating college programs as you progress through high school, NCAA recruiting, the College World Series, and eventually a spot on a minor league team. The ability to track your draft stock and scouting sheet allows you to enter every game knowing what you need to achieve to ensure you’re a hot prospect.

There are also changes to “Diamond Dynasty,” the game’s card-based microtransaction mode. A new Red Diamond rarity, as well as a fresh batch of challenges, will likely feed the competitive online players who live in this mode for months to come. The Battle Royale draft mode is a fun approach to letting gamers try out players before ripping packs to find them. There’s also a faster Parallel XP progression system to help you level up your cards quicker. I think “Diamond Dynasty” players are a specific breed, and the changes are small but unintrusive.

“Franchise Mode,” where I spend most of my time, was where I started to feel a bit like I’d been here before. The lead feature upgrade for Franchise this year is a revamped front office experience that streamlines seasons and tracks rumors in a new trade hub. These are more redesigned user experience portals than anything else. The rest of the mode feels largely unchanged, leaving me a bit disappointed rather than distraught. This is still a great, in-depth management experience that I favor over other sports video game franchises.

Some great new content in the “Negro Leagues season 4” story mode, as well as some new pitching mechanics that allow you a supply of extra focus for precision, are nice additions also. The concern I have with this year’s offering is really in the presentation and experience of playing actual games within MLB The Show 26.

Since the shift to current-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, MLB The Show has looked the same. There’s no Nintendo Switch 2 version this year either, meaning that we are still seeing a relatively rough version on the shelves for Nintendo console owners. Jersey physics, mo-capped movements, and other features that were great additions in past years don’t feel like they’ve developed or evolved at all in MLB The Show 26.

I’m not even asking for PC-level graphics or visuals. I just think that there are elements in Madden or NBA 2K that the teams will decide to hone in on visually each year, and San Diego Studio doesn’t seem to take that approach. While I still believe MLB The Show is the best all-around sports video game series, I’d love to see more attention put into the ways in which each year’s entry can push the experience forward.

With World Baseball Classic content, some minor updates to popular game modes, and a fresh roster reflecting this year’s crazy off-season, MLB The Show 26 isn’t quite a rebuilding year, but I don’t feel like it’s at a championship-caliber level either. A middle-of-the-pack season could always be worse, but it’s disappointing already, thinking about next year when this season is just getting started. But hey, I’m a Chicago Cubs fan, I’ve weathered worse storms. Let us know in the comments if you have had a chance to play MLB The Show 26, or if you have questions about this year’s offerings.

An Xbox Series X review copy of MLB The Show 26 was provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the purposes of this review.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

MLB The Show 26

$69.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Continues the consistent quality of the series
• Small additions to popular game modes are good

Cons

• Visually, this looks the same as the past three years
• Headline additions to the game feel more like minor tweaks