The next installment of baseball gaming is set to hit the stage with MLB The Show 22, and on Thursday evening, San Diego Studio and Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed more information regarding the title's port to the Nintendo Switch. For the first time ever, the baseball franchise will be available across all console platforms, giving Major League Baseball a broader audience to target.
Appearing on both Twitch and YouTube, game developers discussed details on the Switch port, showcasing what Nintendo gamers can expect. The half-hour-long stream demonstrated the Switch's capabilities with the game's aspect ratio, promising a smooth experience for MLB The Show 22.
On Twitch, SonySanDiegoStudio delivers the news that the tech test version of MLB The Show 22 was a two-week build of the game and was not fully optimized at the time. The good news is that the game has undergone several updates since then, including the target of 30 frames per second for a smoother gameplay experience. The footage seen in the Twitch stream was Switch-exclusive video and appeared to be more fluid than what fans saw during the tech test. Baseball fans also learn that there will be three different builds of the game; the next-generation version which is exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, the last generation version, which is exclusive to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and finally, the Nintendo Switch will get its own custom build of the game.
While there are three builds of the game, San Diego Studio promises cross-play, cross saves, and cross-progression. On the Switch build, players will get the full experience of the game with modes such as Diamond Dynasty, Road To The Show, March To October, and Franchise, along with all the offline modes featured in the two other builds. Unfortunately, the heavily-anticipated Stadium Creator mode is a next-gen feature, which means it will not be available on the Switch, nor the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. This also includes playing in fields created with Stadium Creator, making the feature solely exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox X/S.
MLB The Show 22 will be available in physical copy, digital copy, and a special edition digital copy with an anime-inspired art cover. Players will need to have the Nintendo Online pass to access all online features, and will be "roughly 22 GB". The resolution aspect will be the same across all platforms, however, Switch users who undock their console and move to handheld will see the resolution reduced to save power. MLB The Show 22 will not use motion controls, however, players will be able to use both joy-cons in the home run derby.
MLB The Show 22 releases on April 5 for PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.