Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement with the MLB Players Association expires on December 1, 2026, with significant disagreements, particularly regarding a salary cap, potentially leading to a lockout. This labor dispute could affect the release and content of annual baseball video games, most notably Sony's MLB The Show series.
In 2022, a lockout briefly delayed the start of the MLB season but did not prevent the annual release of MLB The Show. This time, the parties appear further apart, raising concerns about whether the 2027 season, and by extension the game's planned release, will proceed as usual. Sony has not commented on its specific plans for The Show in the event of a lockout.
Drawing parallels to a similar situation with NBA 2K12, historical content could become a focal point for games released during a labor stoppage. Matt Bertz, senior VP of Games at consulting firm Magid, noted that NBA 2K12 launched during a lockout, with updated rosters and player information only becoming available after the dispute was resolved. To compensate, NBA 2K12 leaned heavily into its "NBA's Greatest" mode, celebrating legendary players and eras. A similar strategy might be employed by MLB The Show's developer, San Diego Studio, by emphasizing the sport's rich history, including figures from the Negro Leagues and the "Field of Dreams" concept.
However, such historical content typically supplements, rather than replaces, the focus on current MLB rosters. The sustainability of an entirely historical approach for a full season's worth of engagement remains uncertain.
Rich Grisham, president of Out of the Park Developments, expressed less concern for their simulation title, Out of the Park Baseball. He cited historical precedent where baseball video games continued their release schedules despite labor disputes. "I think history is the best guide in terms of video games, and luckily, we've been blessed with Major League Baseball not having a lot of labor issues over the last, you know, 10-15 years. But if you look at history where there have been labor disputes in the past, the video games around the sport, their release schedules didn't change," Grisham stated. He added that while the exact timing of the 2027 season is uncertain, "there will be baseball." Out of the Park Baseball, which relies on detailed league data, will adapt to any rule changes or labor agreement outcomes as they happen, implementing them into the game after thorough testing and simulation.
Even without a new collective bargaining agreement, existing rules can serve as a temporary measure for games like Out of the Park Baseball, with updates implemented as quickly as possible following the resolution of any new CBA. While the full impact of a lockout on the 2027 baseball season and its video game counterparts is not yet clear, fans can likely expect some form of baseball entertainment, though its fidelity to on-field realities may vary.