MLB The Show 23 new Storylines mode: The Negro Leagues Season 1

The Negro Leagues are an important part of baseball and American history, whose iconic figures are not nearly as well-known as other baseball players of the era. We plan to use MLB The Show as a gateway to expose new generations of baseball fans to these historic figures and their stories of triumph over adversity.

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You might be asking yourself how we’ll accomplish such a daunting task? Enter Storylines * a new game mode in MLB The Show 23. Focused on a particular player, users will experience an entertaining narrative journey through short informational videos, followed by gameplay reflecting important moments in that player’s career.  

Storylines in game menu

We could not be happier to finally introduce the Negro Leagues into MLB The Show! It’s a special project for San Diego Studio and we are so grateful and appreciative to be partnering with the families of the players, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and NLBM President Bob Kendrick to bring these stories to life in a video game.  

MLB The Show 23 (Storylines Season 1 *) introduces eight Negro League Players and their stories, narrated by Bob Kendrick. With this multiyear partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum our goals align with the museums to educate, enlighten, and inspire by celebrating the rich history of the Negro Leagues. Every new launch of MLB The Show represents a new Season, with it we’ll introduce a new group of Negro League Legends and their stories to pay rightful tribute to these mostly unknown baseball superstars.  MLB The Show 23 represents the inaugural season and next year’s game would be season 2.  

The Season 1 roster for MLB The Show 23 includes: Leroy “Satchel” Paige, Jackie Robinson, Andrew “Rube” Foster, Hilton Smith, Hank Thompson, John Donaldson, Martin Dihigo, and John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil.  

To celebrate the historic partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. MLB The Show and San Diego Studio are happy to announce we’ll donate $1 to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum for every MLB The Show 23 Collector’s Edition sold in the US. Including the Digital Deluxe and The Captain Edition from today through December 31, 2023.  

The Negro League Baseball Museum is a national institution dedicated to preserving the rich history of black baseball and its impact on America. You can learn more about the museum here.  

Be sure to join us this Thursday for a deep dive into the new mode Storylines with special guest Negro Leagues Baseball Museum President Bob Kendrick. You can watch the episode on Twitch and YouTube or watch on-demand at your own convenience as we get closer to launch. 

We could not be more excited for MLB The Show 23 coming out on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Look forward to new ways to play, a new class of legends and much more. Pre-orders for all versions of MLB The Show 23 are now open. 

*Online features require internet connection and console-specific online multiplayer subscription.