12 March 2026

How to Play MLB The Show 26 Early (Global Release Times)

By newsgame

Sony and San Diego Studio are back at it again with yet another yearly edition for MLB The Show (26 this time, would you believe it?) There are two editions for the game based on how much extra content you want and how much you have in your wallet to spend.

The standard edition costs $69.99 like most other video games these days and the Digital Deluxe goes for a whopping $99.99, but grants players with four days of early access and a bunch of goodies (which we will go into below).

As for the release times for MLB The Show 26, it depends on which version you opt in to, so let’s go over the details, shall we?

Every Feature Confirmed for MLB The Show 26 So Far

MLB The Show 26 is bringing baseball fans a brand-new game to revel in, and there are plenty of exciting features to look forward to.

What Time Does MLB The Show 26 Come Out?

For the regular edition of MLB The Show 26, the official launch date is March 17 at 12 am eastern time (New York, Miami) and March 16 at 9 PM Pacific Time (Los Angeles, Seattle). However, if you purchase the deluxe version, you can start playing four days early, starting at 9 PM PT on Thursday, March 12, or 12 AM ET on Friday, March 13.

For a detailed release time chart that shows several major time zones for MLB players, check it out below:

Time Zone / City	Early Access March 12–13, 2026	Official Launch March 16–17, 2026
Pacific Time (PT) — Los Angeles, Seattle	9:00 PM (Mar 12)	9:00 PM (Mar 16)
Mountain Time (MT) — Denver, Phoenix	10:00 PM (Mar 12)	10:00 PM (Mar 16)
Central Time (CT) — Chicago, Dallas	11:00 PM (Mar 12)	11:00 PM (Mar 16)
Eastern Time (ET) — New York, Toronto	12:00 AM (Mar 13)	12:00 AM (Mar 17)
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) — London	5:00 AM (Mar 13)	5:00 AM (Mar 17)
Central European Time (CET) — Paris, Berlin	6:00 AM (Mar 13)	6:00 AM (Mar 17)
Japan Standard Time (JST) — Tokyo	2:00 PM (Mar 13)	2:00 PM (Mar 17)
Korea Standard Time (KST) — Seoul	2:00 PM (Mar 13)	2:00 PM (Mar 17)
Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) — Sydney, Melbourne	4:00 PM (Mar 13)	4:00 PM (Mar 17)

How to Play MLB The Show 26 Early

The only way to start playing early is to spend $100 on the Digital Deluxe edition. Four days of early access is just one of the perks you’ll get for spending more cash. As for everything else you’ll get, here’s the rundown:

Early access to MLB The Show 26
20 The Show Packs
2 WBC Choice Packs
1 Legend Choice Pack
1 WBC Uniform Pack
1 Equipment Pack
Double Daily Rewards
1 Cover Athlete Bat Skin Pack
20,000 Stubs

If you’ve purchased a digital copy for any of the MLB games that have come out since 2021, you can get a 10% discount on your preorder for the Deluxe edition of The Show 26. It has to be on the same account and platform, though.

Will MLB The Show 26 Be on Xbox Game Pass?

No, MLB The Show 26 will not come to Game Pass, at least at launch. There could be a chance it comes later, but seeing that the title is Sony-published, it’s very unlikely.

Is MLB The Show 26 Coming to PC?

Like every version of MLB The Show that came before it, the 2026 edition will not be coming to PC. It’s only available for Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.