The Original Backyard Baseball is Making a Comeback

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The Original Backyard Baseball is Making a Comeback

Key Takeaways

  • 1997’s Backyard Baseball will launch on Steam with enhanced features and three modes for gameplay variety.
  • The return of the original Backyard Baseball on Steam is limited to PC due to a lack of source code support.
  • Playground Productions intends to expand the revived Backyard Sports franchise beyond video games into film, TV, and merchandise.

As a millennial who grew up playing Backyard Baseball on my family’s old PC, I couldn’t be more excited about its return on Steam! The nostalgia of those 90s graphics and sound effects is almost too much to handle. I remember countless hours spent in the backyard (or rather, on the digital one) with my imaginary team, battling it out against friends and foes alike.

The classic Backyard Baseball game, which started the Backyard Sports series, is coming back on Steam on October 10th. Launched in 1997 as an exclusive for PCs, Backyard Baseball offered a variety of 30 players to select from. The game’s nostalgic cartoon graphics and 90s sound effects resonate with fans who remember playing it during that era, as the title enjoys popularity among millennials.

Playground Productions, a well-known company, declared in August that they are reviving the much-loved “Backyard Sports” series. On August 20th, they released a sneak peek trailer for “Backyard Sports,” featuring familiar faces like Pablo Sanchez and Stephanie Morgan. In their official statement, Chris Waters, the CEO of Playground Productions, mentioned that they aim to expand the “Backyard Sports” universe beyond video games, venturing into film, television, and merchandise.

On September 25th, Mega Cat Studios unveiled a trailer signaling the comeback of the original “Backyard Baseball” on Steam. The re-release is called “Backyard Baseball ’97,” featuring a leaderboard system and achievements on Steam. At this time, it’s exclusive to PC platforms. Due to limited resources, Mega Cat Studios can’t ensure proper support for gamepads or the Steam Deck in the current version of “Backyard Baseball ’97.

Backyard Baseball Is Making Its Return on Steam

The updated version of “Backyard Baseball” offers numerous upgrades, boasting better gameplay dynamics, visuals, and speed. This game features three distinct modes: Random Pickup, Single Game, and Season Game. In the Random Pickup mode, players can jump right in as the computer selects teams for both sides at random. The Single Game option allows players to take turns picking team members from a pool of characters that are chosen randomly. Lastly, the Season mode empowers players to build their own team and challenge computer-generated opponents over a 14-game series.

There’s been a strong demand for bringing back the game series known as “Backyard Sports”, to cater to the gap in casual sports games. Earlier this year, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce voiced his desire to revive this series. Although he isn’t directly involved with the resurrection of the franchise, Playground Productions has noted that he embodies a large group of people who cherish the IP. With the void left by games like “Mario Superstar Baseball” and “Backyard Baseball”, there’s a prime opportunity for “Backyard Baseball ’97” to make its mark. The game will be available on Steam starting October 10, exclusively for PC with improved features.

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2024-09-25 20:46