The MLB The Show 20 reveal trailer got every baseball fan excited, and San Diego Studios' deep dive into it only ramped that up.
The release of the trailer last week marked the start of the eight week countdown to The Show 20 and brought with it the release of the developer livestream schedule, showing the dates they would be delving into all the new features of the new game.
Now just five weeks away from the release of the game we have gotten a big update from SDS, as the new update features commentary of the trailer explaining a lot of the teasers we saw in the gameplay trailer.
So what exactly did those teasers mean?
NOW WATCH BELOW: The Official gameplay reveal trailer
Uniforms update
SWOOSH: Every team will be donning their new Nike uniforms
Throughout the initial trailer, fans were
keen to spot their team in their brand new Nike uniforms, however many were
left wanting more as some uniforms didn’t don the trademark swoosh.
Well, that would be because the gameplay trailer used footage from the beta version of the game which did not include all of the Nike uniforms.
READ MORE: MLB The Show 21 on Xbox Series X
However, they clarified the full game will
feature the Nike uniforms for every team, so you’ll be seeing the swoosh on all
uniforms in the game.
Animations overhaul
The main learning from the trailer is the
amount of animations that have been updated and added to make the game more
realistic with more flare than ever!
- Juan Soto ‘Shuffle’ – Pitch take animation
- Over 50 new baserunning animations
- New first baseman catches to set up more efficient and realistic double play turns
- Over 700 new gameplay animations: Catches, dives, throws and tags
- Including new catcher tags that start directly at the catch
- Dozens of new infield, dugout and homerun animations
- Over 30 new home run swings
- Over 40 bat slams used last year were captured for The Show 20
- New home run rob animations and transitions for makes and misses
- All new block ball animations with a new block ball system to make catchers’ defense and block ratings matter more
READ MORE: Franchise Mode new features wishlist
Road to the Show
INTUITIVE: Updated Dynamic Challenges pic the biggest moments
A big focus on the RTTS experience is making sure you are rewarded, in live time, for big plays and moments.
All attribute gains will now be displayed
in real-time based on how you perform, making the game feel more alive and
fluid.
Dynamic challenges have also been improved
and made ‘more intelligent’ at recognizing the most important situations for
both your player and team.
This extends into your relationships, too.
As your play and performance on the field will build and grow your
relationships on the field.
New fielding mechanics
Perhaps the biggest new feature of the entire trailer was the emphasis on outfielders and everything that goes into their fielding.
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Reaction Animations
One huge new feature is ‘subtle start transition
variations’. The video explains this isn’t the same the same as a bad jump on a
hit, but it instead rewards fielders with higher ratings.
The small steps your player may take after
the batter makes contact will better reflect their fielding and reactions
rating, making playing OF far more realistic – and making it tougher to hide
your DH in LF.
Extreme Catch Indicators
ALL-STAR: Fielding ratings have a bigger impact than ever
Extreme catches are the next aspect of
defensive play to be overhauled, giving you more control while also highlighting
the importance of each player’s ratings.
The new indicator paves the way for a ‘few different outcomes depending on the ability of your outfielders and how you decide to attack those sinking line drives’.
READ MORE: New York Mets player rating predictions
Being aggressive can lead to spectacular
diving catches or you missing the ball and it going past you for extra bases. Whereas
you could let it drop but limit the runner to a single.
Alternatively you could get caught in
between the two and not do either very well – it’s a very fluid and realistic
addition to the outfield.
Button Accuracy meter
This is another feature that has been completely revamped.
It has become more dynamic and fluid, as
the speed it moves will now change depending on many variables, such as the
throw difficulty, the throw distance and the arm accuracy of the defender.
Showdown
FRESH: Showdown is a brand new game mode for The Show 20
There is more to come on Showdown in a specific episode of the developer livestreams, but this latest video explains the basics.
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You will be able to draft players, upgrade
them, apply perks and then take on the most feared pitchers in the game.
March to October
MOMENTS: March to October is getting some second year love
March to October was a brand new mode last
year which offered a streamlined season experience, focused on getting you on
the field for crucial moments in your season.
Now it’s being improved for its second
season.
It will now include more front office moves and decisions for you to make, giving you more power over the development of your players, and more control and flexibility within the settings of your season.
READ MORE: Oakland Athletics player rating predictions
There has also been a complete overhaul to
the reward structure, we just don’t know exactly what.
Legends
PAPI: Signature moves from legends of the game are coming to The Show 20
Everyone saw a host of legendary players in the trailer, but SDS have now confirmed the first wave of legends along with some extra nuggets of info. Here is all the info:
- Gary Sheffield along with his
signature bat wiggle - John Franco
- Shane Victorino
- Ken Griffey Jr.
- David Ortiz along with his
signature clap - Mariona Rivera
NOW WATCH BELOW: The official trailer rewind video!