How game developers create "authenticity" in "MLB: The Show"
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Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal in "MLB: The Show 25." Photo: Sony Interactive Entertainment/San Diego Studio
Each year, Sony developers try to balance between making "MLB: The Show" fun and authentic.
Why it matters: "Authenticity is the most important thing when it comes to simulation sports games — if it's not right, fans notice immediately," Ramone Russell, San Diego Studio director of product development and brand strategy, tells Axios.
- Fans' eyes and ears are on everything from the hue of the uniform colors to the organ music and the details of the buildings that surround the ballpark, Russell says.
Case in point: "For years we couldn't get the Green Monster to look right and it was because we didn't have accurate sun position," Russell said.
- "We realized we needed to have Google historical data so that our sun position actually changes depending on the month and time of day."
How it works: Sony's artists visit a handful of stadiums each year to make sure of the accuracy of their depictions.
- The team also pays attention to recent photos and videos.
Driving the news: "MLB: The Show" added a new feature in their Road To The Show mode to allow players to compete at the high school level and get the attention of college and pro scouts.
Behind the scenes: Developers created four fictional high school ballparks that were designed based on region.
- The team researched high school venues in different areas, including in Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida and Georgia.
State of play: Players in Road To The Show have the option for their created character to either attend one of eight NCAA schools to gain more experience or go straight to the pros.
- The schools selected this year are LSU, TCU, UCLA, Cal State Fullerton, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Vanderbilt.
- "Some of these are royalty in the history of college baseball franchises ... then we also have some programs that have been more successful lately," game director Steve Merka tells Axios.
What they're saying: Merka says the team opted against creating games on the college's campuses, so the only game you play as a college student is the National Championship game in Omaha.
- "What matters a lot to people is playing in the games that mean the most," Merka said.
What's next: "MLB: The Show" is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.
