Xbox Game Pass Has Bad News for Baseball Fans
MLB The Show 25 breaks a four-year tradition by skipping day-one Game Pass availability, leaving Xbox subscribers frustrated.
MLB The Show 25 will not be making its debut on Xbox Game Pass on day one, ending a four-year tradition that started with MLB The Show 21. Xbox fans had become accustomed to receiving the latest installments of the popular baseball franchise through their Game Pass subscriptions, but that streak has now come to a halt. The news has left many players feeling disappointed and frustrated.
When MLB The Show 21 arrived on Game Pass, it came as a surprise to many, considering the game's PlayStation origins. The title was heralded as one of the reasons Game Pass was such a great value, and it sparked optimism about the potential for more PlayStation exclusives to find their way onto Microsoft's subscription service. However, the announcement of MLB The Show 25's absence from day-one availability may have tempered those hopes, particularly for baseball enthusiasts.
On January 28, Sony revealed the cover athletes and release date for MLB The Show 25, which will launch on March 18, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and the Nintendo Switch. However, the announcement came with some disappointing news: MLB The Show 25 will not be available on Game Pass at launch, marking a departure from the past four years of tradition. While there is a possibility the game could join the service later, it is clear that Game Pass subscribers will have to pay full price to enjoy the new installment when it releases.
With previous editions priced at $70 for the standard edition and up to $100 for special editions, the news has left many Xbox players unhappy. Fans have voiced their displeasure across social media platforms like Reddit, with some stating they’ll stick to older versions of the game to avoid paying full price. Some even joked that the lack of new features in MLB The Show 25—like the absence of Sets and Seasons—might make up for the disappointment.
The decision to remove MLB The Show 25 from Game Pass seems to be a financial strategy on Sony’s part. Despite being available on Game Pass in previous years, MLB The Show consistently ranked as one of the top-selling games in the US, even with semi-free access through the subscription service. By cutting off day-one availability, Sony may be hoping to drive more direct sales, encouraging Game Pass subscribers to purchase the game outright for the latest content.
In the end, this move might push some Xbox fans to consider buying the game, while others will likely be left hoping that this decision won’t mark the end of PlayStation games appearing on Game Pass.