Midway Sports has today announced that it will release MLB SlugFest: Loaded for both the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox in June. The arcade-style baseball game will be the first in the series to feature online play, and it will feature Sammy Sosa as its cover athlete.

　　"The improvements that we've incorporated into MLB SlugFest: Loaded offer fans everywhere a deeper, more complete baseball experience while still retaining the over-the-top action Midway Sports games are known for," said Steve Allison, chief marketing officer of Midway. "Specifically, the additions of the Baseball Mogul engine into our franchise mode and the ability to play online for both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox Live open up several new, exciting means of enjoying the latest title in the SlugFest franchise. We are also very excited to have one of Major League Baseball's all-time greatest players, and Chicago's very own, Sammy Sosa as our cover athlete. Sosa truly embodies what SlugFest is all about: big talent, big hits, and over-the-top action."

　　MLB SlugFest: Loaded will boast a number of improvements over its predecessors, including an option for players to take their own teams online to compete against those of other players, online tournaments, headset voice chat compatibility, and an onscreen sports ticker tape that allows players to track real-world MLB action as they play online. Music in the game will come courtesy of a number of breakthrough bands, including Ivory Wire, Buckfast Superbee, and Flipswitch.

　　We'll bring you more information on MLB SlugFest: Loaded as soon as it becomes available.