Okay, so you wanna know how long those Conquest games in MLB The Show take, huh? Let me tell you, I’ve been down that rabbit hole. I started playing Conquest mode ’cause I heard you can snag some pretty sweet rewards and build a killer team without dropping a ton of cash.
First off, the short answer: It totally depends. But let’s break it down.
- Early Territories: At the very beginning, when you’re just trying to grab the easy territories, you can knock out a game in like 10-15 minutes, tops. You’re playing on Rookie or Veteran difficulty, and the games are usually 3 innings. Just gotta smash some dingers and pitch a few strikes. Piece of cake.
Then I thought, “This is easy! I’ll be done in no time!” Oh, how wrong I was.
- Strongholds: This is where things get interesting. Taking over strongholds is the name of the game. These games are often on All-Star or even Hall of Fame difficulty, and they’re still 3 innings. The time can vary wildly here, from 20 minutes to maybe even 45 minutes if you’re struggling or facing a tough pitcher. One time I was down 4 runs in the 3rd against the Dodgers, barely scraped by with a walk-off homer. That took forever!
I tried different strategies. At first, I was trying to simulate every game I could. You know, just steal fans and move them around. But I found out that if the stronghold is way stronger than you, you’re just gonna lose. You gotta actually play those games. So, I started targeting weak spots, taking over empty territories to build up my fan base, and then attacking the strongholds when I had a clear advantage.
- End Game: Once you’ve got most of the map, and you’re just mopping up the last few strongholds, it can get pretty quick again. You’ve got a stacked team, you’re probably used to the difficulty, and you can just roll over the opposition. But don’t get cocky! I almost lost to the Orioles in the final stronghold game of one Conquest map. Talk about embarrassing.
The real time killer is the loading screens and menu navigation. Seriously, I swear I spend more time clicking through menus than actually playing the game. That adds a solid chunk of time to the whole process. Like, between each game, the loading, and the menu, at least 2 – 3 minutes maybe?
My Advice:
- Focus on Strongholds: Prioritize taking over strongholds, since that’s the only way to complete the conquest.
- Don’t Simulate Everything: Simulate when you have a massive fan advantage. Play the close games and the stronghold games.
- Take Breaks: Conquest can be a grind. Don’t burn yourself out. Play a few games, then go do something else.
Overall: If you’re trying to complete a full Conquest map, like the USA map, you’re looking at anywhere from 5 to 15 hours, maybe even more depending on your skill level and how much you simulate. It’s a grind, no doubt. But the rewards are worth it, especially if you’re trying to build a no-money-spent team. I pulled a 99 OVR Mickey Mantle card from one of the packs I earned from Conquest. Totally worth the time investment.
So, yeah, that’s my experience with Conquest. It’s a time commitment, but it can be a lot of fun. Just be prepared to settle in for the long haul!
