More than 5,000 new animations added to reflect greater realism for every player parameter and attribute.
The latest PlayStation blog post has revealed new information and updates on the enhanced gameplay of MLB The Show 23 ahead of its release on March 28. The new updates focus on gameplay improvements, realism and other technical upgrades.
For those unfamiliar with baseball, it is important to know the concept of fielding, which measures the percentage of successful plays a defensive player makes when handling a batted or thrown ball. In MLB The Show 23, the importance of this attribute will be more apparent, with noticeable animation differences between players with high and low fielding.
In addition, to create a more authentic experience, the green portion of the pitching interface meter will now move dynamically, and other unique player quirks will contribute to an even more realistic fielding and pitching experience.
The game also introduces an updated version of the clutch attribute, which measures a player’s likelihood of getting a hit in critical situations, as well as new offensive quirks. The in-game animation will reflect all of these new attribute changes, with approximately 5,000 additional gameplay animations included, ranging from players making diving plays and unique batting stances to increasing the variety of hot shots at the corners. As usual, new fielder urgency and efficiency animations will also be added to the game.
The biggest change in MLB The Show 23 is the addition of a competitive gameplay style that prioritizes producing positive results for good inputs and negative results for bad inputs, while staying in line with baseball fundamentals and strategies. Players will experience more swings and misses, fewer popups and choppers, and higher quality hits.
On the technical side, the swing feedback screen in MLB The Show 23, which displays the results of a swing attempt, has been updated to provide a more user-friendly and transparent experience. Directional buttons now provide easy access to additional information such as live stats, pitcher/batter matchups, and the interplay between attributes and quirks. The game’s terminology and attribute descriptions have also been revised to improve player understanding. In addition, camera angles now show the runners on the currently occupied bases.
In terms of customizing the game to suits play style, MLB The Show 23 has added the ability for players to fine-tune pitch locations around the strike zone to improve their handling of problematic areas and adjust the frequency of pitches thrown, rather than just turning certain pitch types on or off. To eliminate confusion between active and passive pitches, the latter have been removed. Moreover, co-op players can now change the rotation settings before entering a match to indicate the order in which each pitcher will throw.
Currently, the Technical Test for MLB The Show 23 is accessible to all players on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in the U.S. and Canada. The test will remain available until February 21.
