MLB is looking to expand the potential of its video game
MLB: Show 21 is on the Xbox Game Pass due to a request from the licensee, Sony said.
The baseball game is made by the Sony studio in San Diego and is a game exclusively for PlayStation platforms for 15 years.
However, in 2019, the license was renewed, and MLB requested the launch of the game on several platforms, in an effort to expand the franchise’s coverage. Moreover, the game also appeared on the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, a decision that also reverted to MLB.
“As part of this year’s game goal, MLB has decided to bring the franchise to more baseball players and fans,” the company told Inverse. “This decision provides a unique opportunity to further establish MLB The Show as the premier brand for baseball video games.”
It’s not uncommon to see a PlayStation game appear on other platforms, but the tactic has been successful in the past for its rivals. Microsoft’s Minecraft, for example, is one of the most popular third-party games on the Nintendo Switch.
Meanwhile, sports games can be extremely profitable, with NBA 2K, FIFA and Madden franchises generating significant revenue for Take-Two and EA. Indeed, the commercial potential of this genre saw a bidding war that broke out between Take-Two and EA over the F1 game developer Codemasters. In this context, MLB’s interest in reaching more players through Game Pass and other platforms makes sense and is something that Sony could also benefit from.