Just Wanted to Talk a Little
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Not entirely sure why I made this post, but anyway. This year I have approximately...less than 65 hours on the game. I used to be an avid contributor on this forum, so a lot of you might know who I am. I have around 850 on 25, over 500 in 24, and over 300 on 23. I got bored to death in May. The grind got a bit tedious and there wasn't anything new that really pushed me to keep playing. I went back on 25 and started a franchise which is all the MLB The Show I've played recently. I know they really can't change much but year after year you're grinding for the same exact cards for years in the same ways just with a different art, and it just gets boring after a while. It's like "why do I keep doing this same [censored] all the time." I don't know if it's just me. I don't know if I'm missing out because I have been on the game sporadically (and I mean VERY sporadically) since then. The market's in a better place than it was from a quick glance. Not sure if people care about the Moonshot cards but there's some big names for under 10k stubs. But there's no real pull. It's not like I don't necessarily have the time to put in the game, because if it had something to pull me in, and frankly, if it was good enough, I would make the time, like I had been, because it's fun. I think the game, at least for me, got to the point where it's just...not fun anymore. Anyway, what do you guys think?
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It’s a struggle when the part of my brain that likes incremental progress and grinding argues with the part that needs some variety.
I completely agree with you. I played DD for full seasons from TS 18-22. Quit mid season during 23. Got completely burned out. This year I started late when it was free through PS plus and I’ve got a solid two months out of it, but am hitting that burnout point again and am about to take a break starting today. Might come back for 10th inning. May not come back at all. Enjoyed the last two months for the most part but I’m glad I didn’t play the whole season. Late start you get so much progress towards things every game that it’s pretty fun. I think that’s the only way I’ll play DD going forward
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Know exactly how you feel. I retired January 1st and thought I'd put in the most hours in a Show game that I ever have and it turned out 26 is the least I've played the game (193 hours).
Only been playing more recently because I'm a Brewers fan. Put in over 600 hours in '22 and '23, last year I think 450 hours. Offline only player and the grind has just got that feeling of been there done that. Probably need to take a year off.
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Thanks for posting your thoughts, my man.
I know there are people here who don't like posts like these (or more explicit farewell posts) or treat them sarcastically, but i think we all love this game and, as melodramatic as it may sound, it hurts us when our experience is bad or we no longer feel enjoyment or the drive to play.
I hope you find your love of the game again (or via a different game).
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Similar situation. Played the first few PS2 titles then took a massive hiatus on gaming until COVID when I picked up The Show 20. Got absolutely hooked on DD and that momentum carried into 21-22 which I played right up until the new installment dropped. Hit a wall with 23 mid-year due to Sets & Seasons and was ready to give 24 a break, but they dropped Bernie Williams as a new legend so I was back in even though it was a mixed bag year. Committed again last year in 25 which I really enjoyed because they reintroduced the old "power creep" approach to the innings program.
I didn't even buy the game this year though. The lack of change/presentation/visuals finally got to me along with the new list of Legends. There were some pretty big names added. I just can't get too excited about playing as Pujols or Felix when they were literally just in the game a few years ago.
The game is long overdue for a MASSIVE overhaul.
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Yeah, actually playing the game this year I took a huge step back…most of my hours were in the stadium creator.
This year’s release was overall a bust, right from the get go. I mean, everything from deliberately withholding info about the card cap, to how the game itself played, to silence from the devs on major issues. Just not a good game throughout. I hope they rebound next year.
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Part of what you are experiencing sounds like burnout
However, I do not feel we are grinding the same way.
Back when TA existed and programs were meant to be more than a one hour speed bump, there was a part of the game that engaged my brain in setting up how I wanted to tackle things. Not necessarily the most optimal way, but...okay Ill do the conquest maps...then use guys from division x in a miniseason to fill stat missions, but use the exchange pieces to progress division y.
The main way you got cards was throuhg gameplay. In 2023 you could complete collections with just the programs (and online programs) combined with the packs they gave you. Maybe I needed a few quick sells to finish it off, or maybe I bought the event cards.
But now the market feels like the main way to get cards. Headliners seem rarer to get, chase cards are frequent, deluxe style packs have very high RNG, and the spotlight cards are rationed to where you have to buy a good portion of them even with perfect luck.
Instead of the game being about programs and TA it became about the market.
And the game fails to deliver the same flow of dopamine: compare the rewards in the programs in 2023: it wasn't just cards and a current pack, they were full of other things too. The innings tracks...well they were better than single show packs at the end thats for sure.
The squeeze is harder and the juice is watered down.
And on top of that, the game simply played better in fairly recent older years. dot-dot-ball-ball-ball-dot for offline players, shrinkage and switch hitter meta for online players.
