[GameSpot] - Cleveland Indians Will Become Cleveland Guardians, Impact Unclear On MLB The Show

[343iBot]

As of 2022, the Cleveland Indians will be using a new name: the Cleveland Guardians. The change, which we're sure to see implemented in games like MLB The Show 22, has been in the works for over a year, with the team already saying it was planning to have a new name after the 2021 season.

It's unclear exactly when this change is going to take place in MLB The Show, but since it's effective at the end of the 2021 season, it's possible the game could be updated before next year's version. We've reached out to Sony for comment.

Cleveland took a different strategy than Washington DC, which is temporarily known as Washington Football Team as it seeks a replacement for its previous name, one widely considered offensive for a slur against Native Americans. That temporary name is used in Madden, as well, and it was added almost immediately in the game, with a patch removing the previous name.

The announcement was made with the help of a video featuring narrator Tom Hanks and The Black Keys--the latter is from nearby Akron.

Together, we are all... pic.twitter.com/R5FnT4kv1I

— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 23, 2021

"We are a city of fire and water," Hanks says in the video, unintentionally referencing the numerous times the city's Cuyahoga River was set ablaze because of its massive pollution.

"Now it's time to unite as one family--one community--to build the next era for this team," Hanks continues. "To keep watch and guard what makes this game the greatest."

The logo evokes angels, with two wings on each side of a baseball, and even the "C" logo used in the past has been changed slightly, with curves and a white outline. Because MLB The Show allows for you to use throwback uniforms, it's also not clear yet if you'll be able to use ones that still say "Indians" on them, or if they will be adjusted for the Guardians now, as well.

Some fans had hoped Cleveland Spiders would be the new name because of a previous baseball team that had played in the late 19th century. This was, however, squashed. The Guardians name is an apparent reference to the Guardians of Transportation on the city's Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.

This isn't the first time we've seen a team change its name without moving to a different city. The NBA's New Orleans Hornets became the Pelicans back in 2013, with Charlotte retaking its Hornets name and an NBA 2K mod letting you implement it in the game. However, the cultural significance of Cleveland's name--and the team's longevity in the city--make it particularly noteworthy.

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