MLB 14 The Show Is Looking Good On PS4

As we have already learned, sports video games are set to look very pretty on next generation consoles. 2K Sports proved that it will have the prettiest sports video game ever with NBA2K14, but Sony is at a close second with MLB 14 The Show.

Sony revealed today its San Diego studio is hard at work on MLB 14 The Show. This will be the first entry in the series to land on the PS4, but the long-running sports franchise will also show up on the PS3 and PS Vita as well. You can forget about those old versions though as the team showed off the first footage of the PS4 version today, and it’s looking really good:

It’s certainly not NBA 2K14 pretty, but the models are a definite step up from where they were on the PS3. It makes the character models in EA’s NBA Live 14 for Xbox One and PS4 all the more embarrassing.

The team also notes that the PS3 only allowed them to create 42 unique models for the crowds in the game, but the PS4 allows them to have 1,000 unique models. That may just be unsubstantiated hype, but I’m sure somebody will actually take the time to comb through the audience models to see if they repeat.

As for gameplay innovations, here’s what the San Diego team says players can expect out of MLB 14 The Show:

We know how much time and effort our fans put into their Seasons, Franchises, and Road To The Show players. So beginning with MLB 14 The Show, you can now carry over your saves to future versions of MLB The Show. MLB 14 The Show lays the foundation for year-to-year saves, meaning you never have to worry about starting your Franchise or Road to the Show seasons over!

For some of you, full 9-inning baseball games may be too long for your liking, so we’ve created an all-new Quick Counts option, which utilizes generated pitch counts allowing gamers to play through full games faster than ever. Realistic statistics in this shortened gameplay experience have not been compromised. Users will now be able to play a full 9 inning game in less than 30 minutes, essentially cutting traditional game times in half.

We think Road To The Show is the deepest, most realistic single-player experience in sports video games, and we’re making it even better. A few of the new features include a new advancement system, new intuitive player creation process, and all new pre-draft prospect showcase.

And finally, what makes baseball great are those “big moments.” The power of PS4 will allow gamers to share those moments using the new “share feature” by capturing and publishing their most thrilling baseball moments, from hitting a game-winning grand slam, to picking off a runner at first for a crucial win in a World Series game.

All of this is well and good, but it will be interesting to see what 2K Sports does in retaliation with its own baseball franchise. MLB 2K13 was rumored to be the last in the series after it was met with bad reviews and sales, but 2K Sports may want to give it one more shot. After all, without MLB 2K14, anybody without a PlayStation console won’t be getting a baseball game next year.

MLB 14 The Show will launch in the Spring of next year on PS3, PS Vita and PS4.

[Image: PlayStation/YouTube]