PENNSYLVANIA, USA — A major change is coming to Major League Baseball.
The video game version, that is.
Fir the first time ever, players of MLB Road to the Show will be able to choose to play as a woman.
"This is a feature that goes beyond simply allowing players to create a female ballplayer in the game," Mollie Braley, narrative designer for the game, said in a press release. "It’s also meant to highlight the strength, tenacity, and resilience that it takes to break into the sport; but not shy away from the struggles that many have faced."
The 2024 version of the game will also include a "buddy" character for the first time, which developers say came about after input from Kelsie Whitmore, the first female player in an MLB Partnered League, member of the Women’s USA Baseball National Team and 2022 USA Baseball SportsWoman of the year, who emphasized the importance of community and comradery in the sport.
The new version of the game will also have plent of narrative variation--Braley says there are many different scenes to discover and the characters' career paths may change with each playthrough.
The Show 2024 has much more significance than simply being the newest version of a video game to some.
"To me, this project is a great opportunity for the world to be informed of women who play baseball and that taking their skills to the next level is possible," Whitmore said in a press release. "My hopes for this project is to educate others that women/girls do play baseball and that they are capable of competing in this game at every level."
MLB's announcement and the game, which will be released on March 19, come during Women's History Month.