“This venture wouldn’t be doable with out our groundbreaking partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and their president, Bob Kendrick,” explains Russell. “It was paramount for us to present context to those wonderful gamers and the historical past behind the Negro Leagues. Bob does this higher than anybody. Our job was to make these tales participating for a online game and let Bob do the instructing.”
For this upcoming MLB The Present 24 season, there can be 10 new Negro League Legends added, every with their very own distinctive Storyline to expertise. Legends like Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Hank Aaron, and Toni Stone have been confirmed to be playable at early entry launch on March 15, 2024, for Xbox One and Xbox Collection X|S.
The subsequent set of three Negro Leagues gamers will arrive as a free downloadable content material drop in April, after which once more in Could. As well as, all of the gamers from Season 1 of Storylines can be included in MLB The Present 24 at launch — so should you missed out on this function from final yr’s recreation, you’ll have quite a bit to expertise on day one.
“The creation and growth of Storylines was a really natural course of. It wasn’t excellent, and we weren’t in a position to embody every little thing we wished to in yr one,” shares Russell. “Nevertheless, we began this venture with three targets in thoughts: to teach, enlighten, and encourage by celebrating the wealthy historical past of the Negro Leagues. We achieved these targets and helped carry some much-needed consideration to such an essential half and sometimes ignored chapter in American historical past.”
An enormous a part of the rationale why there’s a lot historical past for Russell and the MLB The Present staff to tug from is largely due to the efforts of Black newspapers and Black press who labored tirelessly to doc Negro Leagues historical past (you’ll be able to be taught extra about them right here on the official Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame web site). With out these efforts we could have by no means heard about these Black baseball legends.
When you’ve got observed the design of this yr’s MLB The Present 24 Collector’s Version, for this reason it’s been made to pay homage to those essential members of baseball’s historical past. This yr’s theme, as Russell places is, “is a tribute to those that helped give a voice to the unvoiced.” With out these newspapers and the pioneering baseball writers, the Negro Leagues wouldn’t have survived; they preserved this often-overlooked chapter of American and baseball historical past.
“The Kansas Metropolis Name, Pittsburg Currier, and Chicago Defender are just some of the black-oriented newspapers within the Nineteen Thirties and Forties that fashioned a symbiotic relationship with the Negro Leagues,” Russell explains. ““They, together with what pioneering black writers like Wendell Smith and Sam Lacy documented, are so essential to this story. We’re hoping our followers love the quilt artwork, and from the response we’ve acquired they in reality do. For some followers the journey will finish there and that’s OK. For others, they might dig just a little deeper to be taught just a little extra in regards to the historical past behind the artistic.”
Of their continued partnership with The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas Metropolis, MLB The Present will donate $1 for each Negro Leagues Version, Digital Deluxe Version, and MVP version offered within the U.S. till 12/31/24 to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. You’ll be able to go to the official web site of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum right here to be taught extra about their essential work.
Search for MLB The Present 24 to launch on Xbox One, Xbox Collection X|S, and day one with Xbox Recreation Go on March 19, 2024. Xbox Recreation Go members can even decide up the Digital Deluxe Version and 4 days early entry by buying the Digital Deluxe Improve Add-On Bundle right here on the Xbox Retailer.
MLB® The Present™ 24 – MVP Version (Pre-Order)
MLB
$84.99
Pre-order to obtain a Gold Alternative Pack and Early Entry on March 15, 2024.
This version of MLB The Present 24 contains:
• Full Recreation for Xbox One and Xbox Collection X|S
• 10,000 Stubs™
• 1 Diamond Alternative Pack
• 1 Gear Pack
• 10 The Present Packs
• 1 Double Day by day Rewards
• 1 Cowl Athlete Bat Pores and skin
Unlock Your Second
It’s your Present. Able to personal it?
Set out on the street to baseball greatness – no matter it’s you need to obtain, MLB® The Present™ 24 has received you lined.
Earn your name up from the minors to the massive leagues and show you’ve received what it takes on the high. Be taught from the legends of the game, take inspiration from their heroics and use it to enhance your recreation. Maintain your nerve when it issues and earn the precise to be known as World Collection champions.
Chalk up the wins, decide your self up after the losses.
No matter occurs, know you left nothing within the dugout.
Celebrating Historical past with Storylines
Have a good time and study baseball legends all through the game’s historical past. The Storylines mode transports you into baseball’s previous to relive iconic moments of baseball’s unsung and unknown heroes. Expertise career-defining moments by means of a mix of immersive gameplay that may educate and encourage you to make historical past of your personal.
Highway to the Present
Unlock your second and construct your profession within the final baseball role-playing expertise. Develop into a ballplayer and journey from the minors to the majors to outline your legacy.
Franchise
Lead your staff to World Collection glory as a staff supervisor in Franchise mode. Expertise new options offering extra in-depth and dynamic gameplay from March to October.
March to October
Take management of your favourite staff, concentrate on the important thing streamlined in-season moments and see if you will get to the Playoffs and past.
Diamond Dynasty
Construct your fantasy staff of gamers from throughout all eras of baseball’s historical past as Diamond Dynasty returns for one more season. Acquire participant playing cards, construct your dream squad, and play head-to-head in opposition to different gamers on-line and offline whereas customizing your staff’s look.*
Multiplayer
Collect your pals and face off in cross-platform play.** Climb the leaderboards and compete in opposition to others on-line, or expertise staff glory collectively by means of on-line co-op play. With cross-progression, proceed your progress and earn and use content material on different console platforms.***
