MLB The Show 22 was recently confirmed to be coming to Switch for the first time this year, on 5th April. The series was previously a PlayStation exclusive (it's developed by Sony San Diego), but clearly at the behest of Major League Baseball it arrived on Xbox for its 2021 iteration, and is now finally getting a swing at the Switch.
Today's Nintendo Direct brought us the first Switch-focused trailer (uploaded by IGN), with MVP and cover star Shohei Ohtani in the starring role. We can see that the footage is legitimately the Switch version.
Your humble scribe has been playing this series for a number of years and the initial impression isn't entirely positive. It looks heavily compromised visually, which is to be expected, but in the trailer performance also looks distinctly choppy and inconsistent. It's pre-release footage of course, so there's the potential for late-development optimisation to make improvements.
Of course, for fans of the sport and series that perhaps play mostly or exclusively on Switch it's a hugely tempting release, especially with cross-play and cross-progression with other platforms.
Here's hoping that the final version gives us a decent port of the game.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 45
This looks really rough. But so weird seeing a Sony game on the Switch.
Well it doesn't look all that great, but this is the sacrifice if you don't want cloud versions
More like MLB The Sho.
NOBODY CARESSSSSS
NOBODY CARESSSSSS
(Seriously the announcer sounded friggin bored as heck in the trailer!)
I was always rubbish at roundersas a kid. Then I played it as an adult with a can of beer in my hand and I was quite good!
Anyway, what's a baseball?
@Aurumonado I like it
Not a baseball fan but I'm happy this game exists...please let there be more sports games. Hockey in particular....
Loved this segment in the Direct. Looks good to me, a nice step up from the Vita versions. Now with a bigger screen and more buttons. I knew San Diego Studio would deliver a solid Switch version.
Looks decent to me. If I had an interest in baseball I'd buy this.
This looks like a PS3 game.
All right- who had 'Sony will release MLB The Show before EA will release Madden'? Show of hands? Shame bell, EA, shame bell.
Looks like a PS3 game. But hey, that was to be expected.
It’s better than the Vita versions visually at least. It’s still a Switch game at the end of the day, it’ll look bad up against the PS4 version, never mind the PS5 version.
The visuals are fine by me - if it runs smooth, I’m in.
if you are all complaining about the visuals, be THANKFUL IT IS NOT A CLOUD VERSION.
It might not look good but at least Sony is trying their best to put it on Switch.
Yeah this doesn't look great at all, and is unfortunately in line with what I expected from the port, disappointing.
This looks like a PS2 game.
This is some glorious 360p30 game 😌😌😌
@anoyonmus I'm not going to be thankful for the bear minimum, and even then this port doesn't even reach that because it looks like trash.
@iLikeUrAttitude so you want a cloud version then?
If you don't want it on Switch just get a Xbox One, XSX/S, or a Playstation then.
This is probably the best they could get out of the Switch, and I am glad it is not a cloud version. I won't get it but I like that Sony is at least trying
While it's good they're promoting this game on Switch, the fact this is the closest thing to a PS4 exclusive on Switch shows by seeing the performance. Graphically it looks close at least.
It's okay for me though. At this point I have no trouble in seeing games that push the system hard. In fact they should be common enough to tell that a more powerful successor should be coming.
anoyonmus wrote:
Obviously not, read my comment properly.
Sure I could do that but for a game like this people shouldn't have to.
It's definitely not considering this port looks like a PS3 game, borderline gamecube.
There are much more competent looking games on the switch it's just a half assed port, plain and simple.
Wow we're really scrapping the bottom of the barrel when we shouldn't have to lmao.
@iLikeUrAttitude It actually looks quite a bit better than MLB the Show 16 on the PS3 which was the newest game on that system. Go look at footage.
@ncb1397 So I compared footage from PS3 gameplay of MLB the Show 16 and what we were shown from the switch version and I would still say the switch version looks worse.
From what we were shown the game was a blurry mess with questionable framerate.
At least the PS3 version is actually consistent and the models aren't covered in jagged edges.
This is a half assed port and we deserve better.
I'm picking it up. Now we just need Madden and NHL.
@iLikeUrAttitude
"looks like a PS3 game"
Well the Switch is just basically a PS3 pro so that is pretty what you will get. Deal with it and move on. This is probably what they could do best on Switch.
If you are complaining about graphics, just go for Xbox and Playstation then.
Also: "Game footage not final"
Probably won't be like that on Switch but who knows. And its their first time porting a game to Switch so I will be patient with them for now
@anoyonmus
The switch is easily more powerful than either the 360 or xbox this is probably the most ignorant part of your comments.
Also it definitely isn't the best they can do looking at all the better looking on the switch. like I already said.
Nice strawman.
Considering how bad this game looks already I doubt it will change dramatically if at all, most of the sports games like FIFA, 2K, and especially WWE have mediocre ports as well.
And even if it does change decently this is still unacceptable.
EDIT: I see you blocked me because you couldn't handle being wrong. Real pathetic of you.
I'm no expert but the graphics look absolutely amazing to me, why is everyone complaining? People are so quick to judge on these forums
@iLikeUrAttitude Most folks complain and nitpick too much around here, but you are completely right about this game. I honestly thought they were showing it in portable mode for a sec or two.
I'm a baseball fan, and the newest Sony console I own is a PS3, so I have been excited for this game finally coming to Switch. I'm a glutton for punishment, so I bought every single RBI Baseball game for Switch, and they are all bad. I had high hopes for MLB The Show.
The game page on the eShop has no screen shots and no video. This is not a good sign.
Oof, someone does not want this game to be ported/succeed on Switch.
I was really looking forward to this - and I'll probably still get it. But yeah, I was kind of taken aback by the jagged look of everything.
@KryptoniteKrunch yeah looks good to me also.
I am really happy this is on Switch. If I didn't have a PS5 (or 4) I would buy this in a second, because it's the best baseball game franchise out there. But I do have a PS5, and after seeing this trailer, I'll be buying this on the PS5. But I'm happy it's here.
@iLikeUrAttitude
"So I compared footage from PS3 gameplay of MLB the Show 16 and what we were shown from the switch version and I would still say the switch version looks worse."
I don't know, I think the top game looks better than the bottom game. But your mileage may vary.
https://imgur.com/a/YWhCNcj
https://i.imgur.com/DNNC1vs.jpeg
PS3 seems to be using an anti-aliasing solution with some benefits, but also some drawbacks (for instance, I can see the faces of the crowd on the switch but not on PS3). Likely means different things if you are playing on a TV from the couch vs a monitor. Resolution is probably pretty similar but I am not a pixel counter. Beyond that, textures/lighting/models/crowd density all would go to Switch, it is just resolution/image treatment where it may be a toss up.
another comparison:
https://imgur.com/a/Vo01x44
https://i.imgur.com/UsFt6pd.jpeg
@Specter_of-the_OLED Not even close. Go back and look at a PS2 sports game. God, I am so tired of seeing the comparison of Switch games to PS2. PS3, sure. There's a conversation there. At least they're both HD consoles.
@iLikeUrAttitude so if the switch is the bear minimum does that mean the ps5 is a grizzly or a polar bear?
Everyone on here is like but the graphics, its a switch game, technically not current gen and its feature set is about versatility not a gaming powerhouse. I'm glad it finally made it over. When I went from ps3 to switch I knew the show would be the game I missed.
Doesn't look horrible. But it is the Switch, so the visuals are what they are.
For me, if it's a MK 11 situation in which the visuals are passable, but the game plays well, that's enough for me
Super Mega Baseball is easily the best baseball on Switch (I wish Nintendo had bought them instead of EA).
I'm very hopeful that The Show will turn out better than it appears in the trailer, but there is reason to doubt. I probably will still get it...but I may wait at release and have Super Mega hold me over.
For what it is worth, RBI also stutters - I shared videos of it on Twitter with the team and they told me it was my issue, but it is really consistent that once you are 6 innings in RBI's framerate drops.
@Specter_of-the_OLED
If you truly believe that than you need your eyes testing.
Here is MLB on the PS2 for your eyes to gloss over.
https://youtu.be/8jtKSIrs4Lo
@iLikeUrAttitude
Here is MLB 2k6 on the GC. In what world do you see the show on switch visually looking like a GameCube baseball title.
https://youtu.be/8jtKSIrs4Lo
I’m actually really excited to get a Switch version. The entire thought of just playing this handheld sounds exciting, regardless of the graphics. Totally looking forward to this!
Geez people can we let the game come out before we judge. As with any sports game frame rate is the key element. Hopefully they get that worked out. Lets be real here expectations wise, this game should be geared towards portable/handheld use. With the cross play/progression anyone who seriously plays MLB on x86 platforms can now go portable and back as easy as docking. This game always looked great on Vita and it will look better and have fuller features on the Switch’s 7” screen. Any way its a major score and could be a real joy for hardcore fans. The Show is the only MLB game made and had a strong playstation rep before going multi platform last year. Their release for Xbox ran well for first year on X/S and XB1X. Now we just need EA to wake up and give us Madden and NHL with cross play/progression and NBA2K as well. I want cross save a lot more for multi-plat RPGs as well. A few like DoS II have done it with PC.
@iLikeUrAttitude How is it unacceptable to use still in development graphics in a trailer? As such, the final product probably will look significantly better.
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