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How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 82 | 23 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 63 | 37 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 66 | 217 |
| PlayStation store ratings | – | 64 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (30)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“The excellently executed Negro Leagues are the MVP of MLB The Show 23, adding an educational and entertaining interactive documentary to an already strong sports game. Diamond Dynasty sees some of its biggest structural changes yet, and has strengthened its respectable single player slate with some smart additions to Mini Seasons. Meanwhile, rebalanced fielding and batter/pitcher matchups add more tension to the gameplay, but the graphics are starting to look stale and Road to the Show feels like it’s almost been abandoned at this point.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“After feeling like the series was treading water for the past couple of years, MLB The Show 23 sees Sony San Diego introduce some significant additions to its baseball sim. Road to the Show has still been neglected, but incremental gameplay improvements slightly enhance the on-field action, and Franchise has received a long-overdue shot in the arm with its expanded scouting system. The new seasonal structure to Diamond Dynasty should also make for a more interesting mode throughout the course of the year, and Storylines: The Negro Leagues is worth the price of admission alone. It may not move the needle in every area, but MLB The Show 23 is another deep sports title that will keep you busy long into October and beyond.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“MLB The Show 23 dives deep into its best modes, refreshing the experience with a bevy of new features and tweaks to make the old feel new. The addition of the WBC and the long-awaited inclusion of the Negro Leagues makes this year's version the best Show to date.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Show maintains its place atop the sports games landscape.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“There is no need to reinvent the wheel when you already have a winning formula. MLB The Show 23 doesn’t stray too far away from what has made the series successful, and that’s a good thing. Sets and Seasons is a bold but welcomed change in Diamond Dynasty, and revamped drafting and scouting was long overdue in Franchise mode. Road to The show once again disappointed, but Storylines managed to steal the show, rounding up another impressive entry for the baseball sim franchise.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“MLB The Show 23 is a great step forward for the series, thanks in large part to its brilliant new Negro Leagues mode.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The makers of MLB The Show 23 clearly heard the complaints about a lack of fresh features in recent entries, as this year’s game offers up the new exciting and enlightening Storylines mode as well as significant tweaks and improvements to Franchise, March to October, and Diamond Dynasty. A lack of innovation when it comes to core gameplay keeps this year’s title from being a true home run, but it’s at least a strong double.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“All things considered, the misfires in MLB The Show ‘23 feel smaller than they have in years, and the upsides in this year’s entry elevate the full package. The game’s core product is solid, and the Negro Leagues mode offers something that hasn’t been explored at this level before.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The 2023 version of MLB The Show is by far the best and most visually advanced Baseball simulation on the market, and if you watch or play the sport, there is no harm in giving it a try, although it doesn’t offer much outside of the story mode.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“This is a truly terrific baseball video game. And it starts with those excellent Negro League Storylines, a must-play for all baseball fans.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“While San Diego Studio doesn’t take a huge leap with MLB The Show 23 compared to last year’s game, it’s still entertaining and the best baseball game on the planet. The addition of The Negro Leagues mode makes for a deeper and more enriching experience.”
read full review ↗ - 67
“To be fair, part of the reason it feels like MLB The Show 23 is treading water is that, for so many years, it was far and away the best sports game available. When you nail a sport so accurately, all that’s left is the sort of tinkering around the edges that MLB The Show 23 does here. But unless you have a burning need to play as Satchel Paige, and who could blame you if you do?, it makes it really difficult to see why you’d want to pick it up rather than just sticking with MLB The Show 22.”
read full review ↗
Push Square
GameSpot
We Got This Covered
GamingBolt
Dexerto
IGN
Wccftech
Inverse
BaziCenter
Digital Chumps
Gaming Age…and 18 more tracked reviews.