By Shane Hulsey

Fortnite.

This game has taken over households and college dorms across the country for the last year-plus. It has plummeted students’ grade point averages and skyrocketed parents’ stress. The cry of “One more game!” has echoed through so many households it’s surprising more houses haven’t crumbled.

So, what does this have to do with anything?

Well, it’s April, and spring is upon us. That means baseball. And another video game to take over our lives.

And that means MLB The Show.

The video game franchise released its 14th installment, MLB The Show 19, March 26 on the PlayStation 4. It attracts players from around the world, die-hard and casual baseball fans alike.

As usual, the game is receiving spectacular reviews from gaming critics.

It is also receiving spectacular reviews from Quincy University students, even those who don’t play baseball or don’t even have a PlayStation.

They just want to make it to The Show.

Jose Rojas has a PlayStation 4, but he just started playing MLB The Show last year when his roommate (me) talked him into playing it.

Rojas played baseball when he was younger, but he really only follows two teams: the Cubs and the White Sox. He created a Road to the Show (MLB The Show’s career mode) player on MLB The Show 18, and he was hooked.

Rojas said he uses the game as a way to relax and get away from violent video games.

“It’s just such a chill video game to play,” he said. “I was tired of playing Fortnite and first-person shooters. With MLB The Show, I’m able to hit some home runs and just chill.”

What’s his goal as he keeps playing the game, on which he put in about a dozen hours within the first five days of ownership? Make it to The Show, of course.

“Road to the Show has my full attention,” he said. “I’ve just gotta move from Double-A to Triple-A so I can get to the Cubs as soon as possible.”

Nathan Krueger, who plays baseball for QU’s JV team, owns an Xbox 1, so he is unable to purchase MLB The Show himself. However, he has been sucked in to playing it by his roommates, who all bought the game on the same day. He plays on one of his roommate’s PlayStations (mine, primarily) while they are away.

“They all got The Show, they all talk about The Show all the time, they all have PlayStations,” he said. “So I figured I’d give it a shot, and I’m loving it.”

Krueger, like Rojas, has put in several hours on Road to the Show.

He not only wants to make it to The Show. He wants to bring his favorite team to the promised land.

“I’m going to keep playing until I bring Milwaukee a championship,” he said.

Good luck, Nathan, and good luck to everyone trying to make it to The Show.