Super Mega Baseball 4 is headed for the big leagues with a release date and the series’ first foray into using MLB players for the first time since Super Mega launched.
A few short years ago, it was difficult to imagine consoles outside of the Sony ecosystem of devices would ever get a ‘true’ baseball game with MLB licensing. Today, fans have access to the Sony-published MLB The Show 23 for all mainline consoles, and Super Mega Baseball 4 has just been announced with the inclusion of REAL MLB players. Hall of Fame Red Sox hitter David Ortiz has also stepped up to the plate as the series’ first-ever cover athlete. The cover can be seen below with returning Super Mega Baseball great Hammer Longballo, who has been seen in every iteration of SMB so far.
David Ortiz said, “It’s an incredible honor to be the first cover athlete for Super Mega Baseball and 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,” with “Super Mega Baseball 4 is going to be an amazing and fun experience for fans that truly captures the humor and personality of baseball” regarding his inclusion in the baseball franchise.
The MLB has been notoriously bad with copyright strikes, and Twitter users have taken flames before for posting highlights without permission. Back in 2010, YouTube received a massive reckoning on their allowance of MLB content on their platform, with many videos being stricken from the site in response. So Super Mega Baseball 4 snagging usage rights of MLB players from the organization is a huge win for fans and gamers everywhere. The EA purchase of MetalHead Software back in 2021 may have had a hand in this, considering the previous unlicensed games have not flown the EA banner. A release trailer showcasing the series’ signature style can be seen below.
So far, announced athletes include: David “Big Papi” Ortiz, Jose Bautista, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and the usual roster from the Super Mega Baseball series. EA promises that there will be “over 200 baseball legends” on the launch roster, though it doesn’t state whether the players would be currently in the MLB. The announced MLB athlete roster so far is filled with retired players.
A few current inclusions, like the cover athlete of MLB The Show 22, Shohei Ohtani, or MLB The Show 23’s Jazz Chisholm Jr., would be momentous additions. With the inclusion of MLB players, Super Mega Baseball 4 will feature cross-platform, cross-play from day one, including PlayStation, Xbox and Switch compatibility.
Studio Director and Senior Producer of Metalhead Studio Scott Drader said, “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” in reference to the new SMB retaining its fun and arcade-like playstyle.
Super Mega Baseball 4 launches on June 2 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.
