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PlayStation Says It Was a MLB's Decision to Put MLB The Show 21 on Xbox GamePass at Launch

I mean... just let the MLB choose whatever developer they want.

Put the Sony team to make something else.

Yes, they can. But it would take years for other developer to make a quality baseball game as the The Show is it now. RBI baseball exists for years now and it is a crap compared to The Show. MLB can't be dicks about this either though. And then, game would sell like crap. I'm pretty sure MLB cares about quality of the game. And i'm sure MLB wouldn't want to lose quality devs like San Diego. MLB didn't have much leverage. It was basically work with Sony or have no excellent baseball game.
 

theclaw135

Banned
I think this whole MLB business is interesting simply because MLB has their own baseball game (RBI Baseball 21) that legit just came out like 3 weeks ago.

To think how long Sony has been at it. The original RBI was still ongoing, back when they picked up the MLB license.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
So MLB forced a Gamepass deal since they are the ultimate owner of the license, yet hasn't forced The Show on PS Now at launch ever for increased user base.

Got it.
 

FrankWza

Member
I think this whole MLB business is interesting simply because MLB has their own baseball game (RBI Baseball 21) that legit just came out like 3 weeks ago.
That game being so bad is what necessitated MLB to go to Sony in the first place. They want to get an MLB game into the hands of younger gamers and create a new generation of fans. But it’s not a good game. They know MLB is well received. So they said they’d make the MLB license open to 3rd party if Sony didn’t allow The show to be multiplat. Once EA and Take 2 and Konami can come in the show will have serious competition. So Sony agreed.
but, as iamvin22 iamvin22 referenced above, it may come back to bite MLB. Sony may decide not to develop the game and MLB will only have RBI as a game available to release while other companies ready their engines which could take years. Konami is the only company with a current, viable engine.
 

KingT731

Member
That game being so bad is what necessitated MLB to go to Sony in the first place. They want to get an MLB game into the hands of younger gamers and create a new generation of fans. But it’s not a good game. They know MLB is well received. So they said they’d make the MLB license open to 3rd party if Sony didn’t allow The show to be multiplat. Once EA and Take 2 and Konami can come in the show will have serious competition. So Sony agreed.
but, as iamvin22 iamvin22 referenced above, it may come back to bite MLB. Sony may decide not to develop the game and MLB will only have RBI as a game available to release while other companies ready their engines which could take years. Konami is the only company with a current, viable engine.
Oh I know. RBI has been shit for a LONG time lol
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
We where in Pandemic last year, no? How do you want people to attending? The League itself had a lot of game cancelled and just the major ones happened without public.
During covid, some things like gaming and NF hit record highs. Everyone is at home. So even things like people doing landscaping and renovations did fantastic when you'd assume maybe it should tank as people are fearful of job loss and money is going down the drain being unemployed. But the more people stuck at home lead to things going up if it involved being at home.

However, things like sports viewership and ratings tanked for just about every sport a lot.
 

Gamerguy84

Member
SUDDENLY A WILD "IT DOESN'T MATTER ATTITUDE" appears.

How shocking.

Lmao

You'll hear a lot of it and it's true for the most part. If you check the sales the game only sold roughly a million copies per year.

I've bought it a few times and it's a good sports game. But every thread I've ever seen on it garnered little attention.

It will definitely get a lot of downloads on GP. If your already a member why wouldn't people download it at no extra charge?
 

Aion002

Member
Jimbo should have said: fine take the damn franchise, but any new mlb game will not be allowed on Playstation, go sell that on xbox mate.

Just to see their reaction. It would be their loss.
 

DForce

NaughtyDog Defense Force
So MLB forced a Gamepass deal since they are the ultimate owner of the license, yet hasn't forced The Show on PS Now at launch ever for increased user base.

Got it.
You don't get it lol

Microsoft went to MLB with a deal and they accepted. Sony never (as far as we know) didn't go to MLB and offer to have their game released on Game Pass day one. The reason for this statement is to let people know that it was NOT Sony's decision and they didn't have a say in the matter since the license is owned by MLB.
 

lh032

I cry about Xbox and hate PlayStation.
tbh...does MLB really sells alot? i never seen people mention about this game except Fifa and NBA
 

Mr Moose

Member
MLB holds the trump card as license owner.

They could have force Sony to add it to PS Now every year for increased users, since PS Now came out in 2014.
Maybe, I guess it depends on their contract.
Do these games have microtransactions? I can't think of any other reason they'd agree to their orders (making bank off the MTX, the game sells roughly 1M a year, right?). If not and it was me running Sony's gaming stuff, I'd tell them to suck it and let them make their own game next year. Do an off-brand MLB game like PES.
 
ppl are dumb af. so we just pretending like sony not getting paid off this mlb contract deal? only one company is trying to give the game away for free as a desperate attempt to get ppl to buy into there glorified rental service. who exactly is the cuck again?

Cuck? You obviously. HBO Max says hi. Disney+ says hi. Netflix says hi. Prime Video says hi. If you use or have a single one of those services, you clearly have no ground to stand on and are just blowing off steam cause you're upset over some videogames. If you think Game Pass is something now, wait till when all those Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda titles release on Game Pass day one then stay there permanently the whole gen and all gens going forward.

On another note, watch this MLB The Show deal likely end up a regular, yearly tradition between Microsoft and MLB.

Sony are an afterthought where this deal is concerned. MLB is the game's publisher. If Sony gets anything from this deal, it's a likely smaller proportion than you're probably expecting. It's just as likely for them to be getting nothing depending on the MLB and Sony arrangement. MLB as the publisher gets their 70% (or 100%) depending on what kind of deal Microsoft worked out with them for The Show 21 to appear day one on Game Pass. They, MLB, certainly have a profit share agreement with Sony on physical and digital sales, but they may not have any such deal where this Game Pass deal is concerned. We don't know how it's been worked out between the two sides, and what rights MLB has.

Clearly they've got Xbox Game Pass day one including Xbox Cloud Gaming via Android Tablets and Smartphones meanwhile Playstation 5 owners pay $70 rights.
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Cuck? You obviously. HBO Max says hi. Disney+ says hi. Netflix says hi. Prime Video says hi. If you use or have a single one of those services, you clearly have no ground to stand on and are just blowing off steam cause you're upset over some videogames. If you think Game Pass is something now, wait till when all those Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda titles release on Game Pass day one then stay there permanently the whole gen and all gens going forward.

On another note, watch this MLB The Show deal likely end up a regular, yearly tradition between Microsoft and MLB.

Sony are an afterthought where this deal is concerned. MLB is the game's publisher. If Sony gets anything from this deal, it's a likely smaller proportion than you're probably expecting. It's just as likely for them to be getting nothing depending on the MLB and Sony arrangement. MLB as the publisher gets their 70% (or 100%) depending on what kind of deal Microsoft worked out with them for The Show 21 to appear day one on Game Pass. They, MLB, certainly have a profit share agreement with Sony on physical and digital sales, but they may not have any such deal where this Game Pass deal is concerned. We don't know how it's been worked out between the two sides, and what rights MLB has.

Clearly they've got Xbox Game Pass day one including Xbox Cloud Gaming via Android Tablets and Smartphones meanwhile Playstation 5 owners pay $70 rights.
Exactly.

Lots of Sony fans brave to downplay GP, but those same people don't even downplay PS Now.

As for people who don't like gaming subs on any system, I've yet to see anyone debunk their own NF or Spotify or Disney+ subscription plan paying cheap for endless movies and tv shows for years, instead of buying every show and movie for $10-20 each, and season sets for double. Instead of the musician getting pennies on the dollar with a royalty fee, buy their albums for $10 each. Buy the song for $1.

There's this sense of being a man buying a game for full price. But movies, tv and songs are fine for sub plans. If you really want to help the studio or artist out, buy their product outright.

Still waiting.
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
dude ms paid for it. they didnt force anything to anyone
Well, people should make up their minds.

Did MS go to MLB and force it with a bag of cash that cant be turned down?

Or did MLB go to MS as publisher and pressure it be on GP for increased user base?
 

leo-j

Member
This is embarrassing tbh. Just release it on ps now........ so they could compete? Like gamepass just released outriders and gta v .
 

Jigga117

Member
I really don't get where the "forced" and Sony is getting paid for it being on game pass is coming from. The deal was that Sony agreed to develop the game going multiplatform. MLB and MS struck their own seperate deal for Gamepass which at this point Sony isn't required to know about this deal since they are not publishing the Xbox version just developing it. This deal(going multiplat) was probably made a year or two ago because they had to actually develop the game. The gamepass deal for all we know got finalized on the 15th day of January for all we know. Sony like all companies have insiders and thats how they knew about it. But the contract was signed to go multiplat which is what they are getting paid for. They are not getting paid for it to be on Gamepass and if they were that would be between MLB and Sony for any incentives but I doubt it.
 
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Mr Moose

Member
Exactly.

Lots of Sony fans brave to downplay GP, but those same people don't even downplay PS Now.

As for people who don't like gaming subs on any system, I've yet to see anyone debunk their own NF or Spotify or Disney+ subscription plan paying cheap for endless movies and tv shows for years, instead of buying every show and movie for $10-20 each, and season sets for double. Instead of the musician getting pennies on the dollar with a royalty fee, buy their albums for $10 each. Buy the song for $1.

There's this sense of being a man buying a game for full price. But movies, tv and songs are fine for sub plans. If you really want to help the studio or artist out, buy their product outright.

Still waiting.
I must be a weirdo in this digital streaming age :messenger_grinning_sweat: If I like a song/movie, I'll buy them (I still have a CD player lol :messenger_bicep:).
 

Jigga117

Member
Well, people should make up their minds.

Did MS go to MLB and force it with a bag of cash that cant be turned down?

Or did MLB go to MS as publisher and pressure it be on GP for increased user base?
No one gets forced in buisness to do anything they don't want to jeez. The deal was done two years ago to go multipat with Sony agreeing to develop and this is a multi-year contract by the way not just this one time. Gamepass came after between MLB and MS it is that simple nothing is forced agreements were discussed and made.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I really don't get where the "forced" and Sony is getting paid for it being on game pass is coming from. The deal was that Sony agreed to develop the game going multiplatform. MLB and MS struck their own seperate deal for Gamepass which at this point Sony isn't required to know about this deal since they are not publishing the Xbox version just developing it. This deal(going multiplat) was probably made a year or two ago because they had to actually develop the game. The gamepass deal for all we know got finalized on the 15th day of January for all we know. Sony like all companies have insiders and thats how they knew about it. But the contract was signed to go multiplat which is what they are getting paid for. They are not getting paid for it to be on Gamepass
It depends what the contract says in terms of flexibility to the game's distribution.

I'll give you an example from past work experience.

Our supplier made licensed toys. They pitch it to us and if we take it, we then sell it to stores. They got the license contract from the studios who own the characters. Their contract says they are allowed to make certain toys and stuffed animals. That's as far as it goes. They can't just do what they feel like. If their contract says there's no cartoon clothing or baby bottles, they cant just make them and slap on licensed graphics.

We and them can't suddenly make up new toys without the license holder approving.

How this translates to MLB/Sony/MS working together on a baseball game is anyone's interpretation.
 

Jigga117

Member
It depends what the contract says in terms of flexibility to the game's distribution.

I'll give you an example from past work experience.

Our supplier made licensed toys. They pitch it to us and if we take it, we then sell it to stores. They got the license contract from the studios who own the characters. Their contract says they are allowed to make certain toys and stuffed animals. That's as far as it goes. They can't just do what they feel like. If their contract says there's no cartoon clothing or baby bottles, they cant just make them and slap on licensed graphics.

We and them can't suddenly make up new toys without the license holder approving.

How this translates to MLB/Sony/MS working together on a baseball game is anyone's interpretation.
AGAIN it was two years ago that this was established to go multipat. I highly doubt a discussion of gamepass at the time was a concern to Sony who was busy selling PS4 systems and games and no one was talking like they are today about Gamepass. Sony is the developer and I doubt how it was being distributed to consumers was a concern. It is also going to be on Xcloud capable devices as well. They didn't know it was a seperate and later conversation about this with MLB and MS.
 

Keihart

Member
This is juicy, who's next? I really think Marvel must be rubbing their palms after this.

At least i don't play The Show but it must feel so cheap to pay 70 for this game, even more so when the excuse from Sony is that games cost too much to make now.
 

Jigga117

Member
Sony owns the IP. They can and have made other MLB licensed games. But if Sony wants, they can stop developing The Show.
The contract was done a couple of years ago they are going multipat to Nintendo and PC as well. They can't just stop unless they want to get sued MLB owns the license which the game is no good if it doesn't have MLB. Thats the whole point of the deal. Sony had a choice. MLB wants it multiplatform, do it or we get another developer to do it. Sony agreed Gamepass was a seperate conversation between MS and MLB. I don't believe Gamepass was a concern at the time Sony and MLB were talking about actually making the game multiplatform.
 

FrankWza

Member
The contract was done a couple of years ago they are going multipat to Nintendo and PC as well. They can't just stop unless they want to get sued MLB owns the license which the game is no good if it doesn't have MLB. Thats the whole point of the deal. Sony had a choice. MLB wants it multiplatform, do it or we get another developer to do it. Sony agreed Gamepass was a seperate conversation between MS and MLB. I don't believe Gamepass was a concern at the time Sony and MLB were talking about actually making the game multiplatform.
I mean, they can just stop development altogether replying to the other post. Another developer can make an MLB game. They can’t make The Show. That’s Sony. I doubt they’re contractually obligated to continue making the show forever. They can stop and MLB will need to figure out where to get an engine that is ready or keep on making RBI. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but people here are confused about what the license is and is not. MLB is license. The Show is Sony’s IP
 

e&e

Banned
Sony should’ve countered and send the game straight to PS+ smh!
Right it's $1 for 3 months and you gotta keep paying while it's on GP.

Much rather buy than rent IF I was a fan.
Sports games are obsolete after a year, these games should be the ones people only play on GamePass.
 
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Hey, nobody was stopping Msoft or Nintendo from making an MLB game. Except Msoft and Nintendo

You need a license to use MLB in a baseball game. Sony holds that license exclusively. The only way Nintendo or Microsoft can make their own MLB game is for Sony to give up the exclusive license.

Worked out in the end for Microsoft though. They didn't have to pay for the license and the MLB forces Sony to release it on Gamepass on day one anyways. Everyone wins.
 

FrankWza

Member
We’re they allowed to make an MLB game? I thought they had like a madden type license to the rosters and etc.
You need a license to use MLB in a baseball game. Sony holds that license exclusively. The only way Nintendo or Microsoft can make their own MLB game is for Sony to give up the exclusive license.

Worked out in the end for Microsoft though. They didn't have to pay for the license and the MLB forces Sony to release it on Gamepass on day one anyways. Everyone wins.
No. In 06 or 07, EA got NFL, 2 K got MLB but First party was allowed to make a game as well. That’s how there was a 2k MLB game on xb1 until they stopped developing.
as far as I’ve seen, That deal is still current. MLB didn’t go to Sony to extend the deal. They did it to make the game available on other platforms because there are few engines out there. Sony said yes to keep EA out of things
 
IMO it was always a one side decision like it was a one side decision to bring the game to Xbox.
MLB forced the hand... or you do the port or you won't have the licence anymore.
After that MLB themselves discussed the deal with Microsoft.

MLB has the rights over the name... they do what they want.

BTW It won't be surprise to me if MLB already had the deal with MS before go talk with Sony that the game should be Multiplatform now.
And all 3 parties will be making a lot of money from it. I'm guessing the show has some sort of MTX in it? Sony has got to be getting some of that and gp subscribers should be more likely to put the money they saved towards it. Depending how successful it is and if they continue to play nice, Sony could get absolutely get more hand next year, ask for a bigger cut. This could be a huge catalyst for Sony.
 
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ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
Sony should’ve countered and send the game straight to PS+ smh!

Sports games are obsolete after a year, these games should be the ones people only play on GamePass.

Why send the game to PS+ when they can milk their fans with $70 (or $85 if you want both PS4/PS5 copy)?
 

S0ULZB0URNE

Member
Sony should’ve countered and send the game straight to PS+ smh!

Sports games are obsolete after a year, these games should be the ones people only play on GamePass.
Nah this isn't Sony's business model for every game.
They will sell at least a million of this on PS5 alone@$70 a pop.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Why send the game to PS+ when they can milk their fans with $70 (or $85 if you want both PS4/PS5 copy)?
Because in the tweets in the OP post, the MLB is striving for more users. Therefore Xbox and GP.

But that sounds counterintuitive if it excludes PS Now, because a best of all worlds would be PS and Xbox sales + PS Now and GP, so it covers all user bases (no pun intended!).

This series sells about 1 million copies consistently on PS.

If they really want growth, there's also millions of more PS Now users who could latch on who dont would never pay $70.
 
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S0ULZB0URNE

Member
Because in the tweets in the OP post, the MLB is striving for more users. Therefore Nintendo,Xbox and GP.

But that sounds counterintuitive if it excludes PS Now, because a best of all worlds would be PS and Xbox sales + PS Now and GP, so it covers all user bases (no pun intended!).
Edited for truth
 
Nah this isn't Sony's business model for every game.
They will sell at least a million of this on PS5 alone@$70 a pop.
Doubt It GIF

The game only sells around 1 million with the gigantic playerbase of the PS4, no way it hits that number on ps5 alone.
 

Gamerguy84

Member
Sony should definitely give it up. It wasn't a big sell and they can have SD do something else.

If MLB wants a baseball game on all platforms let them find someone to develop it and put it on all platforms. Everyone likes 3rd party niche games without it weighing down a 1st party studio.
 
Exactly.

Lots of Sony fans braver to downplay GP, but those same people don't even downplay PS Now.

As for people who don't like gaming subs on any system, I've yet to see anyone debunk their own NF or Spotify or Disney+ subscription plan paying cheap for endless movies and tv shows for years, instead of buying every show and movie for $10-20 each, and season sets for double.

There's this sense of being a man buying a game for full price. But movies, tv and songs are fine for sub plans. If you really want to help the studio or artist out, buy their product outright.

Still waiting.

It's funny. It's like this new dick measuring contest to show how much money they have. I, for all intents and purposes where my gaming habit is concerned, can get whatever I want when I want. Game Pass allows me to save more money while at the same time getting and playing whatever I want when I want. That's a good thing. But I almost enjoy seeing the hostility people have towards the success of Game Pass. "Glorified rental service" lmao.
 

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
Because in the tweets in the OP post, the MLB is striving for more users. Therefore Xbox and GP.

But that sounds counterintuitive if it excludes PS Now, because a best of all worlds would be PS and Xbox sales + PS Now and GP, so it covers all user bases (no pun intended!).

This series sells about 1 million copies consistently on PS.

If they really want growth, there's also millions of more PS Now users who could latch on who dont would never pay $70.

Yah but Sony want more money, and MLB has feels fine enough that they have achieved their aim by releasing on Xbox. Otherwise they will be releasing it on PC too along with a drastic lower price tag on PS4/5.
 
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