No Game Pass, No Tradition: Why MLB The Show 25 Is Changing

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For four consecutive years, Xbox Game Pass subscribers enjoyed immediate access to MLB The Show on launch day. Beginning with MLB The Show 21, the partnership between Sony and Microsoft made the franchise a key sports title within Game Pass. This arrangement boosted the game’s popularity among Xbox fans who might not otherwise have bought the game, and it brought predictable recurring engagement.Please visit https://www.u4gm.com/mlb-the-show-25-stubs.

But MLB The Show 25 breaks that pattern. Confirmed for a March 18 global release, the game will not be part of Xbox Game Pass at launch—or at any point in 2025. Sony has made this clear: there will be no access through Game Pass or any other platform subscription service for the year. Instead, fans must purchase the game outright, whether through the Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition with early release, or even pricier Collector’s Editions.

This marks a strategic pivot. No official reason has been given, but speculation suggests that Sony is recalibrating its revenue approach. The decision could be an attempt to maximize direct sales and reduce dependency on licensing deals that grant temporary access via subscription platforms.

For Xbox players, this is a moment of reckoning. Many subscribed to Game Pass mainly for this yearly sports title. The removal of that convenience may push some to skip this iteration altogether, at least until it goes on sale or joins Game Pass later, if ever. Some users are saying outright that they will not buy the game because they expect it to be part of the subscription.

Still, there are players unfazed. Enthusiasts who invest in modes like Diamond Dynasty or who merely savor yearly updates may still find value in purchasing it. For them, continued access, regardless of cost, justifies the investment.

Financially, Sony may be banking on this group. Even if a portion of the casual or Game Pass–reliant audience turns away, the core fanbase may shoulder the cost, particularly if they perceive meaningful gameplay innovations—such as the revamped Road to the Show, improvements to realism, or enhanced features exclusive to this edition.

Another possibility remains: Game Pass inclusion in 2026. It is not entirely off the table that after a year of retail-only availability, the game may find its way to subscription services to reinvigorate user interest or catch latecomers. But sales strategy for 2025 is clearly focused on one-time purchases.

So, while it is disappointing for fans used to the convenience of Game Pass, the move signals a shift to a more traditional release strategy. MLB The Show 25 will be purchased, not streamed on subscription. The question now is whether that shift will pay off for Sony—or if it will alienate a sizeable portion of its Xbox audience.