The first details on MLB The Show 16 — other than the number is now at the end of the name, and there's no PS Vita version — were revealed today in a video looking at the venerable baseball simulation's popular Road to the Show career mode.
A subtle, but very useful, change this year on the PlayStation 4 edition of the game now allows players to play all the games in a series without returning to The Show's main menu. This will be of particular use to those playing position players or hitters and simulating everything other than their at-bats and fielding chances. MLB The Show's loading times improved somewhat last year, but it still could be a long wait for a short burst of action.
Also: Players may visit a training menu to condition or improve their star between games, just as they would be able to in past editions from the main screen, so they won't have to wait to the end of a series to make improvements to their attributes.
Road to the Show also will introduce a perk system, which will boost certain attributes when activated. Consumable perks are a one-use only item, with passive perks always on or triggering automatically in a relevant situation.
MLB The Show 16 also introduces "Showtime" to Road to the Show, which is a bullet-time meter that slows down the action to allow a player to focus on a key pitch, or make a diving catch or turn a double play. The amount of time a player has for "Showtime" is affected by what perks a player has equipped. Better perks mean less time.
The evaluation games that precede a player's journey into the minor leagues will be streamlined and based more on measurements and qualities that real-life MLB scouts look for.
MLB The Show 16 launches March 29 for PlayStation 4 and PS3. Sony's San Diego Studio will be rolling out more information on the game in a series of videos and live streams as the date gets near.
