Bad News for Baseball Fans: Xbox Game Pass Update

MLB The Show 25 marks a departure from a tradition that Xbox fans had come to expect over the past four years—its absence from Game Pass at launch has left many feeling let down. For quite some time, Xbox subscribers enjoyed having new editions of the beloved baseball series available right from day one on their service. Unfortunately, this will no longer be the case, and it’s leaving fans feeling a bit sour.

The collaboration between Sony and Xbox to bring MLB The Show to Game Pass was unexpected when it first began. Back in 2021, when MLB The Show 21 was added to Game Pass, it quickly became highlighted as one of the standout factors justifying the subscription’s cost. This partnership fueled hopes that more exclusive PlayStation games might find their way to Microsoft’s service. But with the recent announcement regarding the 20th anniversary of MLB The Show, those dreams have taken a backseat, at least for fans of America’s pastime.

In a blog post published on January 28, Sony unveiled not only the cover athletes and the release date for MLB The Show 25 but also dropped a bit of a bombshell: the game won’t be available for last-generation consoles, nor will it appear on Xbox Game Pass in 2025. Though there’s some hint that it might be added later, for now, it’s clear that this fan-favorite baseball franchise won’t be part of Game Pass’s initial offerings. Get your calendars ready—MLB The Show 25 is set to be released on March 18, 2025, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch. Following the trend of previous editions, the standard version is likely to cost around $70 across all platforms, with the MVP and Deluxe editions potentially ranging from $85 to $100.

With Sony’s announcement, it’s no surprise that a quick scroll through Xbox subreddits reveals a slew of unhappy Game Pass subscribers. When the news hit, one fan even commented, “I might buy [MLB The Show 24] for cheap and keep playing it for another five years.” Other fans joked that skipping the Sets and Seasons feature in MLB The Show 25 might just compensate for the disappointment.

Despite some frustration, there’s a chance that this move is driven by financial strategy on the part of Sony and San Diego Studio. Historically, the MLB The Show games have consistently been top sellers in the US, even when available on Game Pass. By not offering the latest version through the subscription, Sony might be aiming to boost direct sales. It’s worth noting that MLB The Show 24 was among the best-selling games on Xbox last year. With this change, some Game Pass subscribers might feel compelled to purchase the game outright to access the latest content.

In MLB The Show 25, players have the opportunity to create their own baseball legacy. Whether you’re dreaming of making it from high school to the Hall of Fame or simply eager to interact with iconic baseball figures across revamped game modes, this edition is designed with fans in mind. It’s crafted to deliver a smoother, faster experience, courtesy of several gameplay and quality-of-life enhancements. Published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, MLB The Show 25 promises to be the ultimate baseball experience when it arrives on March 18, 2025.