It's baseball season, and that means it's time for another rousing round of MLB The Show. 2021's entry into Sony's long-running sports simulation is notable for several reasons. It's the first of the series to release on PlayStation 5, and it's also the first game in the franchise to release outside the Sony ecosystem. The Show 21 will debut on Xbox platforms and even launch on Game Pass, Microsoft's gaming subscription service. Despite this unusual release, there are plenty of reasons for fans who want more out of their baseball game to grab the expanded editions and purchase MLB The Show 21 ahead of time.
Unlike many games released in the early stages of this generation, the standard editions of MLB The Show 21 offer no way to transfer between generations. If players grab the PlayStation 4 version and later upgrade to a PS5, they're out of luck. Players on Game Pass will have access to both versions, and the more expensive Jackie Robinson edition comes with a so-called dual entitlement that lets people play on both consoles. It's also worth noting that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions are $69.99, keeping with the pattern shown by many Sony first-party releases.
Preordering any version of MLB The Show 21 will get players 10 The Show Packs for opening in-game. Those who pre-purchase the current-gen versions will also receive a boost on the in-game economy via 5,000 Stubs. On top of this, digital pre-orders will receive one Gold Choice Pack to open as soon as the game launches. Fans who preorder the Jackie Robinson version of the game can also play a bit earlier than the rest, with the Early Access Weekend starting on April 16 at 12 AM ET.
What Does The Jackie Robinson Edition Of MLB The Show 21 Offer?
There are two additional versions of MLB The Show 21 available, the Standard Jackie Robinson Edition at $84.99 and the Deluxe Edition at $99.99. The base Jackie Robinson Edition offers early access to the game and both the current and last-gen versions, as well as several in-game goodies. Players can expect a Jackie Robinson Bat Skin, a Diamond Choice Pack, two Gold Choice Packs, a Ballplayer Equipment Pack, Double Dailies, and 10,000 of the Stubs currency. The physical release of this version also comes in a steelbook, so it will look snazzy on the shelf.
The Deluxe Jackie Robinson Edition adds even more to the base version, but it differs based on the digital and physical releases. Digital players will receive more Diamond Choice and Gold Choice packs, as well as a boost to 25,000 in-game Stubs. Instead of those extra packs, physical purchasers will get a New Era baseball cap themed to the game as well as a digital duplicate to use on in-game characters.
MLB The Show 21 has a wide range of releases that should suit any baseball fan looking to play through a season on the couch. From the Game Pass option for Xbox customers all the way up to the Steelbook Edition that comes with a custom baseball cap, fans have a lot of freedom in how much they want to spend on their yearly sports endeavor. Whatever their choice, they should be satisfied, as Sony almost always hits it out of the park.