New Major League Baseball Video Games Coming To Fans This Spring

NEW YORK, March 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's launch of R.B.I. Baseball 18 for the PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X marks the first of three consumer video game offerings coming to fans throughout the beginning of the 2018 Major League Baseball (MLB) season this spring. Each of these games, built by the award-winning Games and Virtual Reality (VR) team at Major League Baseball, will offer unique MLB experiences, including a first-of-its-kind VR console video game, and will be available worldwide across a variety of devices, including next generation consoles, smartphones, tablets and virtual reality platforms.

R.B.I. Baseball 18
As developed exclusively by MLB for the first time, R.B.I. Baseball 18 delivers the all-new Franchise mode, Home Run Derby mode, detailed player models, animations, high fidelity MLB ballparks, dynamic camera angles and a stunning UI presentation. MLB, which is demonstrating R.B.I. Baseball 18 this week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, has added these exciting fan-friendly features while sustaining the game's core identity principles ? fast-paced and fun play with easy-to-use controls.

To commemorate this year's game launch and Opening Day across MLB, fans will have the opportunity to enter a sweepstakes for the chance to win custom R.B.I. Baseball 18 Opening Day Xbox One S consoles and matching Xbox Wireless Controllers, specially branded for all 30 MLB Clubs. Fans may visit MLB.com/rbi18openingdaysweeps for complete details.

R.B.I. Baseball 18 Launch Dates
Tuesday, March 20
PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system; Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X
Tuesday, March 27
iPhone and iPad
Spring 2018
Nintendo Switch; Android smartphones and tablets (dates to be announced when available)

New features in 2018*:

• Franchise Mode: Make trades, sign free agents or call up rookies across multiple seasons. A new player progression system allows players to develop, improve, and ultimately retire.
• Home Run Derby Mode: Challenge a friend in local head-to-head play or a CPU in the ultimate slugfest.
• Authentic MLB Players: Completely redesigned player models (more than 300 digitally modeled likenesses), along with hundreds of new animations and unique player-specific animations.  
• Ballparks: Enhanced lighting, textures, a revamped 3-D crowd system, new dynamic camera angles and specially crafted cinematic sequences across all 30 MLB ballparks.
• MLB Legends: Available in franchise mode, add any of the more than 100 retired MLB players to a roster.
• Soundtrack: New tracks will feature music from more than a dozen popular recording artists.
• Roster Updates: Keep rosters up to date throughout the 2018 season, including within Franchise mode.

R.B.I. Baseball 18 is officially licensed by MLB and MLBPA. The game will retail for $29.99 (U.S.) on next generation consoles and $6.99 (U.S.) on smartphones and tablets.

* Feature implementation may vary by platform. For more information, please visit rbigame.com and follow @RBIGame.

MLB Home Run Derby Mobile
The games and VR team at MLB will update the popular award-winning mobile game, MLB Home Run Derby, for Opening Day.

MLB Home Run Derby will continue to be available as a free download on the App Store and Google Play and this year includes more than 20 iconic MLB ballparks, highlighted by its HD re-creation of Nationals Park, host of the 2018 T-Mobile Home Run Derby and MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard. Fans may play in both single player and multiplayer modes for a chance to capture the Home Run Derby crown, reach the top of the worldwide leaderboards, compete against more than 11.5 million game players in daily tournaments and earn valuable upgrades. This year's version also includes hi res renderings of more than 50 participants from the 2010-17 competitions.

For more information, please visit MLB.com and follow @HRDerbyGame.

MLB Home Run Derby Mobile Launch Date
Tuesday, March 27
iPhone; iPad; Android smartphones and tablets

App Store ? https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mlb-home-run-derby-17/id626469977?mt=8 
Google Play ? https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mlb.HomeRunDerby&hl=en

Home Run Derby VR
MLB's first console virtual reality video game, Home Run Derby VR, will be available commercially for the first time ? coming to Sony PlayStation^®VR and HTC Vive (available at launch via Steam) ? and will feature three All-Star ballparks from 2017-19. Fans will be able to step into the batter's boxes at Marlins Park (Miami), Nationals Park (Washington, DC) and Progressive Field (Cleveland) to score as many points as possible in the timed home run competition. Additional game details will be announced at a later date. Previously, the enterprise edition of the game had been available at numerous global event activations including MLB Battlegrounds (London), MLB All-Star FanFest (Miami), team off-season events and numerous MLB ballparks.

Home Run Derby VR Launch Dates
Spring 2018
Sony PlayStation^®VR; HTC Vive (dates to be announced when available)

OFFICIALLY LICENSED PRODUCTS OF MLBPA 
MLBPA trademarks and copyrighted works, including the MLBPA logo, and other intellectual property rights are owned and/or held by MLBPA and may not be used without MLBPA's written consent. Visit MLBPLAYERS.com.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE MLB