Electronic Arts recently bought Metalhead Software which is the studio behind the Super Mega Baseball series. This means the EA is back into making baseball video games. Super Mega Baseball games have released in the past as non-licensed and cartoonish baseball games. They are not a real competitor with the MLB The Show series, but they are playable on PC and Nintendo Switch. With EA taking the reins, will a fourth iteration of SMB come next, or will a brand new baseball series come up to the plate?
Super Mega Baseball 3 had a simulation feel to it which felt inconsistent from the previous two games in the series. But without MLB licensing and realistic graphics, it is hard to be an immersive simulation. The Super Mega Baseball series is at a point where it looks different than how it plays. It looks like a game that would have silly plays and powerups, but it plays like regular baseball. EA could differentiate itself by making a serious full-simulation game or making an arcade-type party game instead.
MVP Baseball 2005 was the last MLB game that EA produced, so maybe a return to that in 2022 or later is what the developers have in mind. This would become a direct competitor to an established MLB The Show series. EA has experience coming back late into a sports-game competition with the recent revival of NBA Live trying to compete with NBA 2K. Maybe trying to do something similar with a baseball game wouldn't be the best option after the unsuccessful run that NBA Live came back with, so a completely fresh start would be an option to make a strong competitor.
The Next Step For EA Baseball: Simulation or Arcade?
EA has a successful history of creating non-simulation sports games like NBA Street and NFL Street. Infusing that almost arcade-like playstyle with the MLB would be an exciting and different mashup. Something that has the look of Super Mega Baseball with silly gameplay and fun animations could make for a unique series. It may have to look for elements similar to a Mario Baseball game with creative powers and game modes. If EA really wanted to set itself apart from the pack, a good arcade idea may be needed.
While MLB The Show has held a stronghold on the simulation market for a while, a little bit of healthy competition could benefit fans. Seeing a new series could also be exciting to branch fans out of their comfort zones. However, the buying of Metalhead Software could bring no course changes for the studio. Whatever is to come, it will be exciting to see if the newest EA baseball game will be Super Mega Baseball 4, MVP Baseball 2022, or a completely fresh series.