Introducing “Retro Mode,” a retro gameplay experience that pays homage to the classic baseball games many of us grew up playing. Retro Mode allows you to move the pitcher across the pitcher’s rubber and move around the batter’s box with ease, classic on-screen displays, an old school soundtrack, unique sound effects, a throwback pause menu and more.

Retro Mode is entirely separate to the popular Road To The Show, Diamond Dynasty and Franchise game modes. This new way to play MLB The Show is designed to be a fun, throwback game mode that instigates battles on the couch with friends. We’re not diving deep into those modes just yet, but there are a few teases about the changes coming to RTTS, gameplay additions and a couple of other things we snuck into the trailer for our eager fans.

Retro mode is pretty much a one-button mode, but with surprising depth, and all the new animations, gameplay additions, and improvements found in the regular version of the game.

For example, in an effort to simplify the batter vs. pitcher battle, we’ve taken all the pitching attributes out and boiled them down to velocity, break, and control. Because there is no high and low in the strike zone, you have three pitches at your disposal that you can trigger with the touch of one button. To throw a fastball you hold down on the left analog stick and press X. To throw a changeup you hold up on the left analog stick and press X. And to throw a slider you press to the left or right on the left analog stick after the pitch is released.

One of the wrinkles we’ve added is that velocity is controlled by holding down or up on the analog stick just before the pitcher releases. In closing, you choose velocity before the pitch is thrown and you can affect movement (left or right) after the pitch is thrown.

When you pre-order MLB The Show 17, you will receive 10 bonus Standard Packs and a Ken Griffey Jr. Card for The Show 17 when you pick-up or download the game. Pre-order at GameStop/EB Games and receive an additional 5 Standard Packs bringing your total to 15.

Lastly, if you pre-order on PlayStation Store in addition to the 10 Standard Packs and Ken Griffey Jr. card, you will instantly receive 11,000 Stubs for The Show 16.

A few more clarifications on the content included in the different skus:

• Gold Season Starter Pack Contents: Includes one item for a mission starter that leads to a Gold player.
• Sponsor Pack Contents: 5 pieces of equipment to use in Road To The Show/Diamond Dynasty (RTTS/DD) and 3 Franchise sponsorships.
• Diamond Season Starter Pack Contents: Includes one item for a mission starter that leads to a Diamond player.
• Digital Deluxe Pack Contents: Includes 4 players, 1 guaranteed Live Series Gold player, and 1 guaranteed Flashback.
• Standard Pack: 8 total items, 6 Players, and 2 items (either RTTS/Diamond Dynasty Player equipment or Franchise Sponsorship).
• Stub(s): The universal currency used in MLB The Show.