Year after year since MLB The Show 21, it’s become increasingly clear that the series has taken a step backward — not forward — in core gameplay. While content drops, card art, and modes like Diamond Dynasty continue to expand, the fundamentals of baseball — hitting, fielding, and reliable game mechanics — have taken a back seat.
Gameplay inconsistencies are impossible to ignore. Hitting outputs, especially on higher difficulties like Goat, often make no sense. Perfect swings result in weak contact, while poorly timed hits become homers. Fielding? I have multiple clips where the first baseman simply doesn't cover the bag on a routine ground ball to short. These aren't edge cases — they're basic gameplay failures.
There’s no shortage of feedback. Reddit threads, forums, and top streamers have repeatedly pointed out these issues, offering specific examples and detailed breakdowns. Yet SDS seems unresponsive — or worse, unaware.
So what’s going on? Either:
- SDS isn’t analyzing community feedback,
- They don’t have the resources to fix core gameplay,
- Or they’ve already shifted focus to MLB The Show 26.
Whatever the case, the current product suffers for it. Gameplay should be the foundation — not a secondary concern behind monetization and cosmetic content. SDS, the community that’s supported your game for years deserves better. It’s time to revisit the previous engine, tighten up core mechanics, and bring the series back to its roots.
Fix the fundamentals. Then build on top of that.