Over the years, Sony’s San Diego Studio has developed a positive reputation with sports game fans. While other franchises have tended to rest on their laurels following periods of success, the studio’s baseball titles have continued to steadily push their limits.MLB The Show 22, thelatest multi-platform entryin the series, is arguably no different.
Since its release on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch, critical and commercial reception forMLB The Show 22has been solid. Having already taken steps to address some of the bugs that plagued its latest release, one of the ways San Diego Studio has kept its game fresh is through the introduction of a brand-new commentary team.
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MLB The Show 22’s New Commentators
During the run-up to the release ofMLB The Show 22, Sony’s San Diego Studio focused a lot of its marketing on new presentation features that are at the core of this iteration. One of the areas that has been noticeably modernized is the audio side of the hit baseball series. Having appeared in16 consecutiveThe Showreleasessince the series’ debut in 2006, 2021’s entry was the final one to feature Matt Vasgersian as its lead commentator.MLB The Show 22represents a surprising break from tradition, as Vasgersian has been appearing in PlayStation-published sports games as a commentator, including withThe Show’s predecessor series, since the late 90s.
ForMLB The Show 22and the foreseeable future,Jon ‘Boog’ Sciambi and Chris Singletonwill be the commentary team that players hear in-game. As a reputable broadcaster and former MLB pro respectively, both bring a wealth of knowledge to the table. Considering how the duo has worked well together on ESPN’sSunday Night Baseball, it’s understandable why San Diego Studio called the pair up to its virtual big leagues. Despite the familiarity that Vasgersian embodied, revisions to his supporting cast often had an impact on the believability of the franchise’s narration.
How MLB The Show’s Commentary Works
Thanks to the introduction of Sciambi and Singleton, San Diego Studio has been able to lean into theirchemistry withMLB The Show 22. A new conversation system has been implemented for each of the game’s returning modes, heavily emphasizing their natural banter. Audio stitching enhancements, new crowd sounds, and captures taken from real-world matches come together to create a more authentic baseball atmosphere.
In total, 45,000 lines of audio - captured over the course of 128 recording sessions - make upMLB The Show 22’s new commentary systems. What’s striking about this, beyond the sheer quantity, is that a lot of those sessions were conducted while Sciambi and Singleton were in the same room. By contrast, Vasgersian was often forced to record his lines alone with no physical co-commentator. While many sports game fans tend to skip commentary options, this shake-up is something that players will likely want to savor the first time theyplayMLB The Show 22.
Despite the fact thatMLB The Show’s commentary mix-up has been going on behind-the-scenes since 2019, that hasn’t stopped the transition from being slightly bumpy. For example,reviews forMLB The Show 22have pointed out how select lines of dialogue are frequently repeated over the course of an average play session. While the introduction of the commentator pair and the ability to tailor options to suit different styles have been welcomed by fans, it appears as though San Diego Studio’s audio overhaul is still a work in progress.
MLB The Show 22is available now for PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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