Source: PlayStation
Hall of Fame Jackie Robinson was revealed as the cover athlete for the MLB collector’s edition The Show 21.
PlayStation unveiled the cover with the Brooklyn Dodgers icon on Thursday:
MLB The Show @MLBTheShow
MLB The Show 21: Jackie Robinson Edition Collector’s editions include 4 days of early access from 4/16. $ 1 will be donated to JRF MLB The Show Scholars, supported by the PlayStation Pathways Program for each copy sold in the USA. Order now: https://t.co/bOZEF378QC #MLBTheShow https://t.co/BrFeyZr98r
Playstation and Sony Interactive Entertainment publisher issued a statement on the cover:
“We can’t think of anyone who better represents what we should aspire to on and off the field than Jackie Robinson. His principles remain as relevant and important as before. That’s why we honor him by presenting him in every MLB collector’s edition. ® The Show ™ 21. This includes the Jackie Robinson Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition and Jackie Robinson Deluxe Edition.
“To celebrate Jackie, PlayStation and San Diego Studio are pleased to announce that PlayStation will donate $ 1 to the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) for each MLB The Show 21 Collector’s Edition sold in the U.S., including Jackie Robinson Edition and Jackie Robinson Deluxe Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition from the opening of pre-orders until 12/31/2021. “
Sony included Robinson in last year’s game on April 15 – the anniversary of the date he broke the MLB color barrier in 1947 – with a tribute video released online and two MLB The Show 20 Jackie Robinson cards that could be used in Diamond Dynasty mode.
This will be the first time that Robinson will appear on the cover of a video game. He played 10 seasons with the Dodgers from 1947 to 1956 after spending a year in the Black Leagues with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1945.
Robinson was nominated for the National League All-Star team six times and won the NL MVP award in 1949. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the first vote in 1962 and had his number 42 shirt retired by the MLB in 1997.
The title is not only available on PlayStation 4 and 5, this year also marks the first time that players will have access to MLB The Show on Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S consoles. It will also feature multiplatform play for online players.
MLB The Show 21 will be released on April 20, but players who order physical or digital editions will have early access from April 16.