While there’s no doubt that MLB The Show delivers a true-to-life baseball experience — even if the franchise is mostly just tinkering on the edges at this point — it’s hard not to miss the early days of baseball on consoles, when there was less focus on realism and more focus on arcade action. Which makes this news all the more exciting: Super Mega Baseball is returning for its fourth installment this June.
We’ve long been fans of the series ever since the first one was released back in 2014, and based on the trailer below, this year’s version looks like it will deliver the same over-the-top action that has made the previous three games so much fun.
There’s one major difference, though: SMB4 will be the first released by Metalhead Software since they were acquired by EA in 2021. While that hopefully won’t impact the gameplay too much, you can tell it’s got a bigger budget than ever before because of the fact it Hall of Famer David Ortiz is the new face of the game. He’ll be joined by more than 200 other real players, including the likes of Babe Ruth, Vladimir Guerrero, and Randy Johnson. You can read about more of the changes in Super Mega Baseball 4 below, along with checking out some early screenshots and the game’s release trailer.
Super Mega Baseball 4 will be arriving on June 2nd on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
Electronic Arts Inc. and EA SPORTS? continue to bring fans closer to the sports they love through new interactive experiences. Today, EA SPORTS announced Super Mega Baseball? 4, which delivers the biggest and best parts of baseball with the series? signature humorous style and immersive gameplay. For the first time in the series, Super Mega Baseballfans can play with more than 200 larger-than-life legendary baseball professionals like David ?Big Papi? Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and more right alongside beloved Super Mega League All Stars. Baseball Hall of Famer DavidOrtiz is also the franchise?s first ever cover athlete for Super Mega Baseball 4, which launches worldwide on June 2 on PlayStation?5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation?4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch? and PC via Steam? with cross-gen and cross-platform play.
?It?s an incredible honor to be the first cover athlete for Super Mega Baseballand to be recognized as a baseball legend in the game alongside hundreds of other icons in our sport for the first time in the series,? said Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz. ?Super Mega Baseball 4 is going to be an amazing and fun experience for fans that truly captures the humor and personality of baseball.?
EA SPORTS is continuing to shape the future of interactive sports experiences with Super Mega Baseball 4 — the first baseball experience from EA SPORTS on HD platforms in over a decade and the second EA SPORTS-branded baseball experience released in 2023. Highlighted by an entire lineup of top community-requested features and six all-new stadiums, every corner of Super Mega Baseball 4 will look and feel better than ever with the most significant presentation upgrade in series history and new gameplay depth.
?Our team is really stoked to launch the newest chapter in the Super Mega Baseball series with the power of EA SPORTS behind us for the first time,? said Scott Drader, Studio Director and Senior Producer, Metalhead? Studio. ?Whether you?re a longtime SMB player or a new fan looking to play and connect with friends around the love for the sport, Super Mega Baseball 4 has something for everyone. We can?t wait for fans to play when the game launches on June 2.?
The game includes an array of new features across foundational modes like Exhibition, Franchise, Pennant Race, Season and Online Leagues including:
- Baseball Legends: Over 200 baseball legends are integrated across Super Mega Baseball 4, alongside beloved Super Mega Baseball characters. Play in a league of baseball legends with teams organized by era, or mix things up with Shuffle Draft, a new feature that allows you to draft both Legends and Super Mega All-Stars to create a unique roster.
- New Platforms & Cross-Play: Super Mega Baseball 4 is expanding to PlayStation?5 and Xbox Series X|S for the first time, including all-important cross-play in Pennant Race and Online Leagues on new platforms, as well as PlayStation?4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch?, and PC.
- Top Community Requests: From the brand-new Shuffle Draft deckbuilding-inspired feature, to expanded player traits and a new team chemistry system that add a new layer of strategy; dozens of fan requested upgrades – automatic walks and runners, two-way players, expanded bullpens, customizable free agent pools, and more – combine to add new gameplay depth.
- Visuals: Experience authentic, cinematic baseball, powered by new cameras, cutscene animations and lighting provides a true-to-life environment in every stadium.
- Audio: New crowd, voiceover, and foley audio give audio throughout the game a big upgrade from home plate to the bleachers. Plus, players will be immersed in the sounds of baseball with an all-new soundtrack with licensed and original music.
Pre-order* theSuper Mega Baseball 4 Ballpark Edition to receive three-day early access and three additional stadiums including Peril Point at launch, and Ciudad de Colores and Castillo Arena in July and August respectively. Three-day early access is not available on Nintendo Switch. Pre-order offer for PS4? and PS5? platforms only valid in the U.S. and Canada. Pre-order offer expires June 2, 2023. Redeem offer by May 30, 2023 to receive the full duration of the three-day early access period.
Baseball fans can stay up to date on all-things Super Mega Baseball 4 by following Twitter: @supmegbaseball, IG: @supmegbaseball, Facebook: Super Mega Baseball, TikTok: @supmegbaseball and YouTube: @supermegabaseball