Is The Show Still An Every Year Purchase?

[Jeffrey Smith]

With the recent increase in video game prices is the Show still an every year purchase for you guys?

I’ve really been enjoying the game this year ( even though I still haven’t stuck it out with one team)but I’m seriously considering not buying it every year anymore.

The Show is the only game I buy day 1 as I always wait for sales to buy other games.

Just curious on others thoughts on the game industry. Id create a poll but don’t know how.


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[jcar0725]

I buy it every year. It rarely lets me down.

[PhlliesPhan6]

I pretty much only buy 2 games a year, MLB The Show and NBA 2K so for me they're both every year purchases. Even if there's no major new features, updated rosters, players, schedules, uniforms and stadiums makes it a no-brainer for me.

[Baseball Purist]

Absolutely. MLB The Show is easily my most played game every year. March is one of my favorite times of the year with the NCAA Tourney, spring training/start of the season, and MLB The Show releasing.

[Ghost Of The Year]

I've bought in day one every year since 2010. When that changes, I'll let ya'll know.

[TheBrew101]

I didn't purchase it this year. I believe I have every other year (might have missed 2008). I haven't ruled out buying it late in year but it unlikely.

Everything I read suggests it is a good game. But there is nothing about it that compells me to buy it. I still have 20, 21, 22. 23 and 24 installed and play various classic rosters on those and play 24 with an updated 25 roster I downloaded. While I'm not going to say there aren't improvements from 20 to 24, to me they are negligible. I enjoy playing my 1989 Brewers on MLB21 as much as the 2025 version on MLB24. They all play a good game if baseball even if each version has strengths and weaknesses.

It isn't even really about money. If there was something compelling, I would have bought it early access for extra cost. I rarely get through a season so the offeseaon stuff while I want it improved, I don't experience it anyway. I let the CPU scout so that improvement didn't matter.

I need something new. There are tons of potential innovative modes and improvements but this game is basically the same year after year (and as I said, I still play the last 5 versions regularly so it isn't nostalgia--they literally are almost the same with a few different animations and slight gameplay tweaks).

-How about an Eras mode like NBA 2K?
-How about managers thay have their own personalities and play styles?
-How about GM with own personalities and traits for CPU teams?
-How about taking your road to the show player online agaist other real players akin to NBA 2k City with rec games, theater games, etc.?
-How about additional ways to speed up games if desired (like holding triangle in PGA 2K25 after you hit a shot or 1 pitch mode like OTTP Baseball)?
-How about announcing crews and all stadium PA announcers (NBA 2K can do it and even Madden has 3 announcing teams).


The Show may still he the best playing sports game and I don't doubt anyone who says MLB25 is improved. But in my eyes The Show is by far the most stagnant of all major sports games (at least the ones I play).

I wouldn't want to go back and play Madden 20, NBA2K20, PGA2K21 but when I play my MLB21 The Show for classic 1989 Brewers roster I don't feel I'm missing out on much from my 2024 gameplay experience.

[Ghost Of The Year]

I didn't purchase it this year. I believe I have every other year (might have missed 2008). I haven't ruled out buying it late in year but it unlikely.

Everything I read suggests it is a good game. But there is nothing about it that compells me to buy it. I still have 20, 21, 22. 23 and 24 installed and play various classic rosters on those and play 24 with and updated 25 roster I downloaded. While I'm not going to say there aren't improvements from 20 to 24, to me they are negligible. I enjoy playing my 1989 Brewers on MLB21 as much as the 2025 version on MLB24. They all play a good game if baseball even if each version has strengths and weaknesses.


The Show may still he the best playing sports game and I don't doubt anyone who days MLB25 is improved. But in my eyes The Show is by far the most stagnant of all major sports games (at least the ones I play).

I wouldn't want to go back and play Madden 20, NBA2K20, PGA2K21 but when I play my MLB21 The Show for classic 1989 Brewers roster I don't feel I'm missing out on much from my 2024 gameplay experience.

I keep 21 thru 25 in rotating gaming sessions (because of the rosters within each one),
starting with 21 since it was the first year without carry-over savings.
(I also keep 19 in rotation because of bullpen management rules)

And when I play 21 and 22 with broadcast commentary on, only then, is it a very different experience for me, between those two years.

But since I only play commentary on one out of every seven games, that difference doesn't shine thru nearly as much as I would hope.
And I can't play every game with commentary on (or even every other game) because that commentary grows too repetitive.
Now when I play 22 and then 23, starting at that point the improvements are there, but you are correct, they are so minimally incremental, those differences feel negligible.

But 21 and 22 need commentary on to get the true distinction between years.

[Johnny_Montesinos]

I've bought it every year since 06, It's like a highly addictive drug, I use to pretty much buy Triple play baseball every year as well.

[MizzouRah]

This year has been nothing short of a fantastic leap from one year to the next. MLB TS 25 has leaped up to #1 in my favorite console sports games of all time and I've been playing since Atari baseball

So yes, definitely a yearly purchase and one of the few sports games I can say that about these days.

[GDTBATH100]

I wasn't going to buy it this year until the cubs dropped their new uniforms and I wish I would of held off, it depends what modes you play and what you do on the game to choose if you need to purchase it every year in my opinion.

[gr18]

Many people on here play it enough all year to get their money's worth and that's a great thing they look forward to and makes them happy.

I wouldn't recommend buying every year if you struggle to get through one season though.

Some people just like simming alot but if you get invested in your franchise and like to play every game the lack of Y2Y saves kills it.

If you don't play online,the need to make any sports game an annual purchase or at least until it's heavily discounted is unnecessary for most people.

[delspf]

First time i bought it since Ryan Howard was on the cover so its been great for me. Next year i may buy since they aren't restricted by the switch since switch 2 is out

[fnz21]

I've never purchased any sports game every year, going back 20-25 years (my parent wouldn't let me as a kid!). There's simply not enough change year to year, and as an offline franchise player it's been less and less for a bit. I also play quite a few sports games, so I feel like I'm not even getting my use out of them if I have them for just one year.

[Ghost Of The Year]

I've never purchased any sports game every year, going back 20-25 years (my parent wouldn't let me as a kid!). There's simply not enough change year to year, and as an offline franchise player it's been less and less for a bit. I also play quite a few sports games, so I feel like I'm not even getting my use out of them if I have them for just one year.

Yeah, I know a lot of people might not want to admit it but sometimes the best thing to look forward to when buying a given sports title every yea is the updated roster.
This is definitely the biggest reason I'm a yearly buyer. Even tho I do expect something else also, to sweeten the deal. Sometimes its new features, sometimes its new stadiums.

[FBeaule04]

I buy it every year. It rarely lets me down.

Same boat here! I didn't buy the game from 18 to 21, but got back with 22 (stopped gaming for a while). It's the only game I play all year-long, spending around 400 hours of gaming on it.

With the increased price of PS+ in Canada (225$ plus taxes) and no, that's not worth it for me, you can be sure I will buy 26 without hesitation even if 25 his one of the best I've ever played.

I'm mainly playing RTTS (with 8 created players from the past and trying to get them to the majors), Storylines and Moments, so to each his own, but I don't have a problem always restarting in march and spent for the game.