Earlier this month, baseball fans on the Nintendo Switch were able to try out a tech test of the upcoming release, MLB The Show 22. Unfortunately, it didn't go down so well - our own hands-on noted how the game's performance was "disappointing".
If you were a bit worried about the game's performance at the time, Ramone Russel - the product development communications and brand strategist for MLB The Show - has explained how the tech test is about two weeks old, and it's not "exactly 100%" optimised.
The Switch version is apparently still receiving "a lot" of optimisation and updates to ensure it can hit a stable 30fps. Here's Russel's full comment about this (via Nintendo Everything):
“Speaking of the Tech Test, the build everybody played on the Tech Test is about two weeks old, and you notice it’s not exactly 100% optimized. However, by the time you watch this episode of the Feature Premiere, the Nintendo Switch version will have undergone a lot of optimization and updates. The footage you’re going to see here is much more solid and has a much more solid frame rate than what was available in the Tech Test. We are targeting gameplay at 30 frames per second.”
The game's resolution will also be lowered in portable mode to improve both the performance and battery life of the Switch.
As noted in our hands on, the Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game will run at a dynamic 4K resolution and 60fps. And here's exactly what we had to say about the performance in the Switch version of the tech test:
"Performance is the problem, though — forget 60fps, it struggles to get particularly close to 30fps to our eye. A smooth 30fps would be nice, of course, but this is a baseball game, where reaction speed and timing are absolutely imperative for batting. This game struggles mightily docked and in portable mode, stuttering along to a disappointing degree. Combine the visible jerkiness with the game's frequent camera movements (when fielding, for example), and a family member in the room actually felt slightly dizzy watching. It's not really good enough, at this stage."
Will you be giving MLB The Show another shot after the tech test? Leave a comment down below.
[source youtu.be, via nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 38
Seems like Sony is secretly sabotaging Nintendo'a hybrid console.
Edit: Wait, people actually take these comments seriously?
Hard to believe that an annualized sport game cares about delivering the best possible graphics performance on a console, even if it's multiport.
Where did these days go?
@Neoicelord
That’s not magically gonna make Sony care about putting effort into a port that the MLB strongarmed them into making. You say Switch is underpowered out a new Switch will also be underpowered compared to the competition and will continue to have issues with ports due to this, you also talk about the age of the console but look at Elden Ring not being able to lock 60fps on PS5 and XSX, these days the issue is almost always on the devs but that won’t stop people from saying ridiculous stuff like a PS5 Pro HAS to happen this year or next.
@Neoicelord Dude. Let me make my comical and unproven theories.
@Neoicelord you can't be serious. Did you actually completely miss not only my original comment being an IRONIC joke, but also my second comment making fun of both of our comments and literally confirming that it was a joke.
And the best part is, I never mentioned the Switch's power. I've never brought up the developers, toasters, ram, cloud games, none of that.
All I said jokingly was that Sony was sabotaging Nintendo. I even said that it was comical and unproven! And you actually unironically said that I needed to read. I don't want to come off as mean, but wow.
I need to lay down after that one lol, you made my day.
Played the tech test and was pretty disappointed. Not what I was expecting of a My Little Brony game at all. All these men running around in circles and hitting stuff with sticks.
The devs are really taking the MLB brand in a new direction and I’m not sure if I like it.
Any other bronies agree?
@Neoicelord I feel you, I own both "Next Gen" and switch still seems to be the best place to play, if you like a smooth gaming experience. def seems like a new trend to just release a game and update it whenever kinda sad but I guess we can blame another thing on Covid lmao
@Maxz Honestly surprised to see the My Little Brony fanbase still so big with the developers and publishers treating the franchise like garbage. They should start taking examples from companies like Nintendo, where instead of making bad games in a franchise, they don't make any games for a franchise, and maybe port old s**t too. We should all learn from Nintendo.
@HotGoomba
I hear that Nintendo planning to as a third tier to the NSO service where where can play all the old MLB games going right back to the original Friendship is Tragic on the GBC.
@Maxz Wonder if they'll ever put MLB: The Next Penetration on Nintendo Switch Online.
@HotGoomba Okay, I started this, but I’m also slightly scared of where it’s going.
On reflection, I don’t think I’d make a very good brony.
If your game runs at 30 and isnt a spreadsheet/chess game, dont release it.
@Neoicelord You can’t be serious. The Switch or other hybrid consoles wont ever be as powerful as the current gen (in this case PS5 and Xbox X) because of its handheld form factor. You and everything else needs to drill into your skull that It will literally be IMPOSSIBLE for a Switch or any future hybrid successors to be as powerful as their current gen counterparts. Please use critical thinking, it really is a useful skill <3
No ones buying this anyway so what’s the fuss about?
And resolution in portable/undocked mode is suffering again... I hate it! Developers need to know about Switch Lite owners, and regular Nintendo Switch owners who's playing videogames ONLY in portable/undocked mode(I'm one of these owners).
@Lord
Maybe it's the fact that other sports games run better than this? People still have standards for games they don't buy.
This is what happens when you have a franchise stuck in unnecessary exclusivity for a very long time. Of course there will be issues on their first run.
4 words: Super Mega Baseball 3
Hopefully next time Nintendo release a console they give it specs so that everyone can bring their vision to life, and not just Nintendo themselves.
Then again, this has been the case since the N64....
Why all the negativity, I like the look of it and I'm super stoked about getting The Show on the Switch. RBI was awful and the Supe Mega Baseball played well but I hated the art style. This is the best of both
@Neoicelord Lazy devs for Elden Ring? Have you actually seen the size and the scope of that game. Mine not be the most optimised but accusing developer of being "lazy" is just stupid.
I was hoping that MLB The Show would at least manage to look as nice as Konami's eBaseball games, but alas...
At least improvements are coming.
I think they were too ambitious with this…. They should have skipped cross play and just made it as good as they could manage on this system.
@rockodoodle I'll be skipping the cross play and co-op modes and just playing offline anyways
I'm going to be going on wait-and-see mode for this one. I like to believe that this kind of release isn't going to be just a total cash grab and that they want to earn customers on the Nintendo side of things to improve their brand name, but I was not impressed with the tech test, so, yeah, I'll wait for the reviews and the first couple of patches.
Although I have an Xbox Series S (Purchased MLB The Show 21 Last Year for Series S), I will be Purchasing MLB The Show for my Nintendo Switch OLED!
"Disappointing" or not, I'm just Happy to Support Games on Nintendo Switch!
@Lord I'm buying this Day 1, for Both my Son's Switch Lite, and my Nintendo Switch OLED.
I'm glad they're are going to optimize it better. I still say this ran and looked better on the PS3 and the Switch is definitely more powerful then that. No excuse for the way it looks.
@rockodoodle I also have been saying this. I don't care to play this game with Xbox PS owners. There's no way us Switch owners would stand a chance anyways. Just get it done right on the Switch in single player or at the very least online with Switch users only.
@MrHonest I think the Switch is fantastic piece of kit, yes it's beginning to be outdated in terms of power. But I'd rather it be how it is than like the Steam Deck, expensive, poor battery life and unwieldy.
@antisumo Both Switch and Steam deck has poor batteries
Uhggggg……will people please stop with power whining. We still don’t have a significantly better mobile SoC to replace the X1, at least not at the price point N would need to create a consumer priced device. We all know why and we all know its not expected to resolve quickly. A device that runs on 8-30w is never going to be as powerful as a damned home console or PC. NEVER….it would have to be quantum and bend the known rules of physics as performance is ultimately tied to power consumption. Nvidia has shown some nice things with AI driven upscaling that will eventually get in a next gen mobile SoC…..that N will likely implement. Until then we are stuck, but so is all of gaming as $ony can’t be happy they can only sell 12M PS5s a year. No major manufacture is going to release squat in the environment we’re in. Not just the shortages but the inflation factor now as well. They can’t even give us a steady supply of $500 PS5/XBSX how the hell are they going to give you something better at that price point? Steam deck is slick but the masses aren’t paying those prices for a portable hybrid device. We have seen too many ports done right now on Switch and there is no excuse for MLBTS not to run well other than shoddy or rushed development. MLBTS ran wonderfully on the PS3 and PSV because it was properly developed for those systems. The Switch’s power is what it is and its been amazing what N and other devs have been able to pull off with it. This is a huge opportunity to bring The Show to the most popular gaming system in the world and its their loss if they blow it.
it is not Nintendo's fault for making systems in a new direction. They made the Gamecube which was small but very powerful, even more powerful than the PS2. Look what happened. The fans chose PS2 over Gamecube. Because of that Nintendo decide not to compete anymore and went their own direction.
It really ran like I expected it to on a switch wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though but, it not perfect either
@ModdedInkling Real talk
@Neoicelord later no one will miss you
They need a CBA negotiation mode.
@Ichiban They tried that with the GameCube, and it didn't work. Why didn't it work? Because the PS2 had better features with online play and doubling as a DVD player. Ever since then, Nintendo has gone with features over specs, and it's worked every time save for the Wii U.
I missed out on the test. But I love having portable MLB games. I suffered through RBI the last few years. This can’t be worse…..right? Right?
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