It’s easy to be cynical about the annualized sports video game franchises, but MLB The Show is undoubtedly the best of them. MLB The Show 23 continues the franchise’s hot streak by offering a supreme baseball experience, with A+ presentation, gameplay, and customization. San Diego studio has mastered the feel of walking onto the diamond and hitting a homerun, making a double play, or pitching a no-hitter.

This year, MLB The show 23 elevated the game with the introduction of the Negro Leagues, a game mode that spotlights Black baseball legends like Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson. You get to play through iconic moments in their careers, recreated with authentic stadiums, uniforms, and commentating. You’re also treated to brief history lessons about the players and their respective impacts on professional baseball, which San Diego Studio collaborated with the Negro Leagues Museum.

MLB The Show 23 features a slew of returning modes in Road to the Show and Diamond Dynasty. They continue to be diverse ways to enjoy the baseball sim, offering unique player and team-building challenges. The game also features crossplay support, allowing players to duke it out across consoles. Speaking of consoles, MLB The Show 23 is a PlayStation Studios title that not only launched on Xbox, but it’s also on Game Pass!

Be sure to read over the rest of the Shacknews Awards in our Year of the Games: 2023 feature.