Digital Foundry Tests MLB The Show 21: Sony’s First Xbox Game Works Better On PlayStation 5

The baseball simulator MLB The Show 21, developed by Sony San Diego studio, was released on April 20 not only on PlayStation consoles but also on Xbox. Experts from Eurogamer (Digital Foundry) analyzed the game versions for graphics quality and performance and delivered their verdict.

All versions of MLB The Show 21 run at an unlocked frame rate, limited only by vertical sync at 60fps. On Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, the game is played in 4K (2160p). They are identical, except for a “strange” bug that affects water in the Microsoft console version. Besides, during gameplay, the PlayStation 5 version is stable at 60fps, while the performance on the Xbox Series X is slightly less consistent.

The real difference appears during the various scenes of the game, where Sony San Diego showcases better graphics. The frame rate during such moments is reduced in all versions. But on the Xbox Series X, the performance drops more than on the PlayStation 5 – by about 9-11 fps. The Xbox Series S plays MLB The Show 21 at 1080p and is about 2-3 frames slower than the Xbox Series X.

Finally, MLB The Show 21 on current generation consoles does not have multiple picture modes. The only significant difference between the versions is that the game on the PlayStation 5 supports the functions of the DualSense controller and loads about 4 seconds faster.

On consoles of the previous generation, the situation is different. On the Xbox One X, the baseball simulator at 1440p renders an average of 5-7 fps faster than the PlayStation 4 Pro. Downscaling to 1080p brings both systems closer to Xbox Series S.

As a result, experts praised Sony San Diego studio for the quality porting of MLB The Show 21 to platforms they had never worked with before.