Xbox Game Pass loses major franchise after 4 years of day one releases

(Image credit: Rik Henderson / Future)

By Rik Henderson

published 31 January 2025

in News

Quick Summary

Sony's MLB The Show 25 will be the first in the series to not launch on Xbox Game Pass since 2021.

The game will be available on Xbox Series X/S, as well as PS5 and Nintendo Switch, but only to purchase.

Just as Xbox has announced that one of its much-loved franchises is heading to PlayStation, Sony is removing one from going in the other direction – well, to Xbox Game Pass as a free title, anyway.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers have for the last four years enjoyed annual releases of MLB The Show – the fully licensed baseball game made by Sony itself. However, the latest has just been revealed and it won't be released on Game Pass.

MLB The Show 25 will continue to be available for Xbox Series X/S, as well as PS5 and Nintendo Switch, but fans will have to shell out for it instead.

It'll release on 18 March 2025, with early access for the Digital Deluxe Edition allowing play a little earlier – 14 March. However, it won't be on any "platform subscription service" this year.

That includes PS Plus, so at least PS5 and PS5 Pro owners will be in the same boat.

To be honest, it always seemed a little odd that a Sony game that was previously exclusive to PlayStation consoles not only found its way onto Xbox, but as a day one release on Xbox Game Pass. In the meantime, PlayStation owners had to purchase it outright.

That was reportedly a stipulation set by the Major League Baseball powers that be – it was out of Sony's hands. It seems to no longer be the case, though.

It's not yet known whether MLB The Show 24 will be removed from Xbox Game Pass soon, but make sure you enjoy it for a while, just in case.

As for former Xbox exclusives heading to PS5, the latest is Forza Horizon 5, which has been announced as coming this spring. It'll even feature cross-play online multiplayer, so could reinvigorate the game for Xbox owners too.

Rik is T3’s news editor, which means he looks after the news team and the up-to-the-minute coverage of all the hottest gadgets and products you’ll definitely want to read about. And, with more than 35 years of experience in tech and entertainment journalism, including editing and writing for numerous websites, magazines, and newspapers, he’s always got an eye on the next big thing.

Rik also has extensive knowledge of AV, TV streaming and smart home kit, plus just about everything to do with games since the late 80s. Prior to T3, he spent 13 years at Pocket-lint heading up its news team, and was a TV producer and presenter on such shows as Channel 4's GamesMaster, plus Sky's Games World, Game Over, and Virtual World of Sport.