MLB The Show 21 PS5 PlayStation 5 1

After an early access period for purchasers of the Jackie Robinson Edition, baseball simulation MLB The Show 21 is available now on PlayStation 5 and PS4 worldwide. Sony has decided to charge full price for the release, with the annual sports title commanding a fee of up to £69.99/$69.99 on its next-gen console; Xbox owners can download the release as part of their Game Pass subscription at no extra cost.

We’re disappointed with PlayStation’s decision to not even offer a discount for PS Plus subscribers, as while Game Pass members are effectively “renting” the game, their subscription will entitle them to a discount of up to 20 per cent should they choose to outright buy it at a later date. Sony has argued that the inclusion of the game on Microsoft’s service was made entirely by MLB, but that shouldn’t have prevented it from providing an equivalent value for its own fans.

Nevertheless, we’ve been playing the game for a few days now, and it’s good. Road to the Show has been stripped back as part of the new unified Ballplayer system, and some elements of the UI defy logic – but the core on the field gameplay is as excellent as ever. It does feel like, having developed the title entirely during lockdown, Sony San Diego has had to pick its battles – and so the graphics engine hasn’t really been updated, even on PS5.

But there’s absolutely loads to enjoy, and if you’re a fan of the card collecting mode Diamond Dynasty then thousands of hours of gameplay await. We’ll have a review later in the week, so keep your eye out for that; if you did happen to pick up the game already, you can peruse our MLB The Show 21 guide for various tips and tricks through link.