MLB The Show needs Online Franchise players to play Custom Leagues


I never played Online Franchise mode in MLB The Show

I must preface this post by saying I wasn't fortunate enough to play Online Franchise mode in any of The Shows before 17. The cumbersome and slow interface was a massive turnoff (I did try) but more importantly with my terrible internet connection at the time, I was a liability.

So yes, I'm Standing On The Outside looking in. If I were to claim that the former Online Franchise mode was a load of carp, my opinion would be irrelevant and worthless and you would be 100% right in calling me out.

Online Franchise players, you need to play Custom Leagues

Call me what you will, but this is my rational explanation of why I believe that if you want to play Online Franchise mode in future versions of MLB The Show, you're going to have to play Custom Leagues.

I understand the disappointment that Custom Leagues is not OFM. Not yet. It will eventually evolve into something that will be a suitable and superior replacement to the former mode (preparation for this is obvious - multiple seasons), but it's going to take time (eg there WILL be a draft in The Show 21 or 22, the platform is in place already). Trying to squeeze too much into a release is inviting all sorts of problems (too much code to test, not enough time to test it).

The mode needed to appeal to more than just those who previously played OFM. If not, then it wouldn't have been resourced, simple as that. The sum of the combined user bases for the online and offline Franchise modes together did not compare to that of the DD user base. So it had to start with something that would appeal to all heavy users.

If you played Online Franchise mode previously, you are in the best position to steer the Custom Leagues mode in the direction it needs to go. You have all the experience of what worked in the former mode and what didn't. And you are leagues ahead of the players who have never played a league-based baseball game.

Custom Leagues feedback and telemetry data

Does a chef value more the diner who tried the meal and took the time to give honest feedback? Or the person who turned up their nose at the restaurant and kept walking?

Whose opinions and suggestions will the developers take on board to improve the game?

Those players who refuse to play the mode and therefore have no experience in what works in Custom Leagues and what doesn't?

Or those who have taken the time to play the mode, provide the devs with their quantitative gameplay data and can provide qualitative feedback based on their experience with the mode?

My prediction is that a good proportion of Custom Leagues users will come from the DD user base. If that is the majority of the feedback then that's where the majority of changes to the mode will originate. If you want Franchise features in Custom Leagues, you're going to have to play the mode.

If you don't, you'll be Standing On The Outside looking in.

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