MLB The Show developer Sony San Diego on Thursday published a detailed blog post that reveals the many new features and improvements coming to the upcoming pro baseball game MLB 15: The Show.

　　First, MLB 15: The Show will include year-to-year saves, meaning anyone who bought MLB 14: The Show will be able to continue their Franchise and Road to the Show progress in the new game.

　　The long list of improvements includes other things like real-time season sun and shadows, a new slide and tag system, a new directional hitting interface, and the introduction of licensed equipment for the first time.

　　Below you'll find a summary of the new gameplay features and improvements, courtesy of Sony, while you can also check out this blog post to see every last change.

　　MLB 15: The Show, which features Los Angeles Dodges slugger Yasiel Puig on its cover, launches March 31 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita. Sony will release the first gameplay during a Twitch live-stream on February 5 starting at 2 PM PDT.

Gameplay Improvements

　　Advanced AI logic results in outfielders taking more realistic routes to the ballUpgraded motion system allows for dynamic speed matching from run to catch to throwUser controlled cut offsAll new slide and tag systemNew speed paradigm for fielders and base runnersEnhanced ball physics for pop ups, fly balls, and shots into the gapDynamic pitch breaks: allows for more realistic pitch recognition when battingSimplified Analog swing controlsDynamic Difficulty 2.0New situational base covering intelligence allows for new animations to play when a player has time or is in a hurry to get to his baseMore than 70 new situational third out fielding animationsNew Input Type option for hitting We've separated swing input as a separate option

Licensed Equipment

　　For the first time ever MLB The Show will include licensed equipment from some of the most recognizable brands in baseball. Earn as you play to enhance your RTTS or Diamond Dynasty players and partner with iconic brands by bringing sponsorships to your Franchise team!

　　(Equipment on PS3 version is not seen during gameplay.)

Graphical Improvements

　　Real-time seasonal sun and shadowsPlayer Skin tone realism. More variations of skin tones with gloss and specular improvementsRevamped night lightingMore accurate and photorealistic rendering systemPS4 gets 10 more Minor League stadiums

Franchise Mode Refresh

　　With the addition of General Manager Contracts, you now have to consider Ownership Expectations when running your team, and your performance will determine the job offers that come your way. Building a championship-caliber team is more fun and dynamic than ever before, with the new Performance-based Player Progression, as well as much improved Trade and Contract logic. Partner up with Brand Sponsors, giving your broadcast elements an official sponsor and earn some extra dough to spend on your team.

Directional Hitting Interface

　　Featured for the first time in MLB 15 The Show is the new Directional Hitting interface, which allows you to influence the direction of your hits in real-time while you swing. Using the L-Stick, you can attempt to influence fly balls, ground balls, pushed hits, pulled hits, or any of those in combination.

Universal Rewards

　　Virtual Baseball cards to be collected and easily assembled into a competitive Diamond Dynasty teamLicensed Bats, Gloves, Batting Gloves, and Cleats that enhance your Road to the Show or Diamond Dynasty players’ abilitiesBrand Sponsorships for your Franchise team that spice up your in-game interface and earn your team some extra incomeCollect entire teams to unlock MLB legendary alumni players from each MLB team

Legends

　　We partnered with the MLB Player's Alumni Association to make a total of 30 Legends playable in MLB 15 The Show. Collect an entire MLB team, and you’ll unlock an iconic alumni player from that team. There’s one from each team, and though you'll have to find or unlock the card to slot them into your Dynasty squad, you can simply opt in to utilizing the whole pool of Legends in your Franchise mode.

"Inside The Show" News Suite

　　Franchise, RTTS, and Season modes all feature a new suite of features centered on providing news updates from around the league. Inside The Show is a new radio broadcast that will be heard at the beginning of each new day and will discuss recent scores, notable performances, team news, milestones, records, standings, and more. In addition, the new League Updates panel, found in season based modes, gives the user a quick snapshot of updates from around the League so you don’t have to dig through multiple screens to get the basics.