MLB The Show 19 Crunches Down The Season In March To October

Are you the kind of baseball fan that only wants to play the most exciting parts of the game? MLB The Show 19’s March to October mode might be for you.

I will admit that I don’t watch enough of my hometown Toronto Blue Jays in action over the past few years. I don’t have enough free time in my busy schedule to catch all 162 games of their season, but do make an effort to catch a game here and there. If that’s the kind of shotgun-like approach to your baseball fandom, then MLB The Show 19 has the gameplay mode for you.

As well briefed on the PlayStation Blog, the new “March to October” game mode will enable players to hop in on a team’s most pivotal moments in games, requiring players to come in the clutch and help drive the team’s momentum as they push towards the postseason. These snippets of baseball “encounters,” for better or worse, will have an impact on the pacing of the season.

Imagine your favourite baseball team is in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded in a 3-run game with two outs. Hitting a grand slam would likely drive the team’s momentum forward and affect their win-loss record in the series, while a dropped come-from-behind loss could further propel a losing streak. It’s all about how you’re playing in key moments to drive the success or failure of your team while also providing GM options to guide your roster.

The idea of selling a baseball video game with a mode that has you inexplicably play as little baseball as possible is a bold strategy for MLB The Show 19, especially when there are a hundred team-specific in-game rewards hidden behind it. It seems like it wants to give players the option to play less and less of their game while still feeling like you’re still playing a baseball game, which seems odd to me.

Perhaps as someone who spends most of their time playing the Road to the Show mode, I’m just coming from the angle that thinks season and franchise mode players want the full experience. However, if you’re looking for a more narrative-driven experience in one of those modes, MLB The Show 19 comes out on March 26 exclusively for the PS4.