Major League Baseball Is Headed For A Lockout: What Happens To The Video Games?
Major League Baseball is facing a potential lockout as its collective bargaining agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association expires on December 1, 2026. A new agreement must be ratified before the 2027 season begins in spring, but negotiations have stalled over significant sticking points—particularly around salary cap implementation. If talks fail, owners will lock out players by refusing them access to team facilities, similar to the brief lockout that occurred in 2022.
However, the current situation appears more dire than the previous labor dispute. While the 2022 lockout delayed the season’s start but ultimately preserved the full 162-game schedule, the gap between owners’ and players’ positions appears substantially wider this time. This raises questions about the potential scope and duration of any lockout, and by extension, the impact on video game coverage and releases dependent on an active MLB season.