[Watch] MLB The Show 17 details its Retro Mode, reveals regional cover athletes and future livestream schedule

MLB: The Show is, in my mind, the best sports franchise on the planet. It's devotion to the intricacies of the sport both on and off the diamond are unmatched, and how it so effortlessly captures a day at the old ballpark transcends any baseball game to have ever come before it. That said, this year's version of The Show includes a more simplified and game-y mode that they are calling Retro Mode.

Retro Mode is harkening back to the days of games like All-Star Baseball on the Gameboy Color, where games could pretty much be played with only a few buttons. The Show's Retro Mode does the same thing. In a new post on the PlayStation Blog, San Diego Studios explains that in the effort to simplify the game down to its essential elements, much of the complex pitching attributes we are used to seeing have been removed. Pitches will not be able to throw high or in the dirt but instead will move left or right, with velocity, break, and control being the defining factors.

The X Button will be at the center of everything pitching related, and you will only have a Fastball, Changeup, and Slider to work with. Pressing 'X' and pulling down on the left stick throws a Fastball while pulling up gets you a Changeup. And if you want to work side-to-side, moving the stick left or right and pressing 'X' throws that put away Slider. Sorry guys, no Screwball.

It was also revealed that the Canadian and Taiwanese versions of MLB: The Show 17 will have different cover athletes as well. Canadians will be getting Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher, Aaron Sanchez while people in Taiwan will once again get Wei-Yin Chen from the Miami Marlins.

Much like last year, San Diego Studios will be live streaming MLB: The Show 17 on a regular basis leading up to release, and they released the streaming schedule, which you can check out below.

MLB: The Show 17 releases on March 28th, 2017 exclusively for PS4.

Source: [PlayStation Blog]