Drive for the Pennant

Starting with the 25.7.80 patch, the new Drive for the Pennant mode is available to use.

This mode is meant to get you in and playing through the current MLB season. It gives you a focused view to manage your team - it delegates depth charts, bullpen depth, minor league management, etc... to your assistant GM, to keep you focused on the key parts of managing your team. Many displays are hidden or simplified in attempt to keep you focused on the main part of your mission.

For new players, it gives a quick and easy way to get into the game and to play through. For veteran players, it's a way to play through the current MLB season in a quick way, to experience all the thrills of the season without some of the complexities of the game. We certainly know that the mode will not appeal to all users, but we think that it provides a new way to play that fans new and old should be able to enjoy.

The biggest difference to the regular mode of play is that as you play through the season, the game will jump you into the action as you go through the season. As you sim through, if your team is in a crucial situation, the game will pause and put you into the action to make the key decision, and then finish the game to see how it plays out. Do you stick with your starter or switch to the bullpen? Do you pinch hit late in a key spot? Can you hold on to that slim lead late? Can your team close out the shutout? You do not have to complete the games, but it lets you get in on some key decision points through the season as you navigate.

The game controls are simple - the manager home page acts as a home base with suggestions and allowing some general decision making, and you simply use the continue button to advance through the season. It will go through a few days at a time until the next key action you need to take - whether being thrown into a game situation, or decide what to do with an injury, or how to react to a trade offer. As you progress, you also have a momentum meter which will fluctuate depending on your team's success as well as how you handle the game situations, which could give you the boost you need for that stretch run.

Once you have completed the season, whether successfully with a trophy, making it through the playoffs, or falling short, you may choose to continue the game afterwards as a regular game, resuming full controls, in either regular or challenge mode. Or you can go back and start up a new drive with another team, and see how your luck fares.

While in Drive for the Pennant mode, the game will play as a Challenge Mode game, meaning that while playing the game, you can earn packs for your Perfect Team game if you are signed in. There are new Steam Achievements to be earned at the end for the completing the run - successfully or not! with each MLB team.

Overall, the mode should be a way to get you into the action in playing out the season. You do not have to play out every game you are prompted for, but it should be a fun way to put you into the key strategic choices you need to make, while letting the AGM and coaching staff handle more of the work for you. It's meant to be a casual way to play through the current MLB season without all of the complexity of the base game. Somewhat of a twist on challenge mode, to give you the challenge and focus on the current season.

The trading model is also different from the base game. You will get more offers through the season, or you may initiate trades through some of the shop player options, or through a new trading for needs section, where you can search for a specific postition and need, and get multiple offers back. By default the regular trading view is not enabled, but this new method should give you some reasonable offers you may consider through the year.