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Video game development is a messy process, which is why you’ll often see game makers label pre-release screenshots and footage with footnotes like “work in progress” or “captured from pre-alpha build.” The lion’s share of bug fixes tends to come during the last few weeks of development, and things can be pretty broken until then.
Sports games have a particular penchant for producing hilarious bugs, like the infamous “Jesus Bynum” glitch in the NBA Elite 11 demo or the “Hercules check” in NHL 13. Everyone can look at them, laugh and shake their heads, and move on with their lives.
But sometimes a bug is more serious. Sometimes, a bug can ruin your day — or your night.
Yesterday, MLB The Show 17 developer Sony San Diego conducted a few Twitch livestreams to show off improvements to graphics, the Road to the Show mode and the player creation system. During the graphics stream, the studio decided to give viewers a look at the nitty-gritty of game development: two different bugs that generated abominations against nature.
“We have a really funny video to show you,” said Ramone Russell, game designer and community manager on MLB 17, as a way of introducing the bugs. “This thing gave me nightmares.”
[Warning: These images may make your skin crawl. There is no shame in closing this tab right now and getting yourself some ice cream.]
[Seriously. If you have ever experienced trypophobia, turn back now.]
[OK. Now you can’t say we didn’t warn you.]
A bug in MLB The Show 17 early development (which has been fixed) pic.twitter.com/UBC78sUF7q
— Steve Noah (@Steve_OS) March 16, 2017
“That was a freaky one on the left,” said lead graphics programmer Patrick Hager.
NBA 2K15’s borked face scanner ain’t got shit on these grotesque humanoid beasts, the manifestations of muffled eldritch screams emitted by a neglected PS4 development kit.
If you’re brave enough to see more, there’s video of the cigarette-faced monster on the right. As you can see in this clip from Sony San Diego’s Twitch stream, the damn thing blinks:
Sony San Diego promised that it has since fixed both bugs, although we don’t expect that’ll make it much easier for you to get any sleep tonight. We’ll have to pray that these foul creatures don’t rear their hideous heads in MLB The Show 17 — but we won’t know for sure until the game launches March 28 on PS4.
