MLB The Show 25 Revamps Road To The Show, Adds High School And College Ball

MLB The Show 25 will be out this March, and as the first game in years to not release on day one for Game Pass, Sony's San Diego Studio had to make the case for you to spend your money at launch. New features coming to the game this year might just do that, with the sometimes-stagnant Road to the Show mode getting a big upgrade and Diamond Dynasty ditching a system players took issue with.

Rather than complete a simple combine exercise before getting drafted by an MLB team, this year's Road to the Show mode will let you begin your career as a high-school player before making the jump to college and the pros.

Authentic amateur-level audio has been included specifically for this, such as the loud "ping" of aluminum bats and the distinct crash of a player hitting a chain-link fence. Elsewhere, "hundreds" of new gameplay animations have been added, along with a new G.O.A.T. difficulty setting and an "ambush hitting" system.

Road to the Show's progression system has also been overhauled, which Sony says gives you "more control over your player's development, including crafting Perks to your liking." With any luck, it should help your players from falling too neatly into one of a few different archetypes, as they could in years past.

Diamond Dynasty has also gotten some big changes. The Sets and Seasons system, which limited the players you could take into an online ranked match, have been removed. A new tabletop-like Diamond Quest mode and the multiplayer Weekend Classic have also been added, giving you another way to earn rewards.

Last but certainly not least, MLB The Show 25 sees the return of Storylines with The Negro Leagues Season 3. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president Bob Kendrick is back to showcase some of the greatest baseball players of all time in an educational mode that always features some unique game situations.

MLB The Show 25 releases on March 18 for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Switch. Preorders are live now.