Summary
- 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.
The original Backyard Baseball game that launched the Backyard Sports franchise is making a return on Steam on October 10. Backyard Baseball was originally released as a PC exclusive in 1997 and featured a selection of 30 players to choose from. The cartoon graphics and 90s sound effects bring nostalgia to fans who grew up playing it at the time, as the game is popular among the millennial demographic.
In August, a company known as Playground Productions announced it was bringing back the Backyard Sports franchise. A teaser trailer for Backyard Sports was unveiled on August 20, highlighting beloved characters such as Pablo Sanchez and Stephanie Morgan. In the press release, Chris Waters, CEO of Playground Productions, expressed their intention to broaden Backyard Sports into areas beyond video games, including film, TV, and merchandise.
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On September 25, developer Mega Cat Studios released a trailer announcing the return of the original Backyard Baseball on Steam. This version is called Backyard Baseball ‘97 and comes with a Steam leaderboard system and achievements. There is no release coming to other platforms besides PC at the moment. Mega Cat Studios states the limitations it has since it lacks the source code to bring proper support to the title. As an example, Mega Cat Studios can’t support gamepads, nor the Steam Deck in Backyard Baseball ‘97.
Backyard Baseball Is Making Its Return on Steam
The new release of Backyard Baseball includes multiple enhancements, with improved gameplay mechanics, graphics, and performance. The game comes with three modes called Random Pickup, Single Game, and Season Game. The Random Pick-up mode allows for a quick start, with the computer randomly selecting teams for both players. In Single Game, players alternate turns to choose their team members from a random pool of characters. The Season mode lets players create a team and navigate a 14-game series against computer-generated opponents.
Many have called for the return of Backyard Sports to fill a niche for casual sports games. Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles starting center, expressed his interest earlier this year in bringing the series back. However, the NFL star is not involved with this revival of the franchise, but Playground Productions acknowledged that he represents a number of people who fondly remember the IP. With the absence of casual sports games like Mario Superstar Baseball, Backyard Baseball has a chance to capitalize on the market at an opportune time. Backyard Baseball ‘97 releases on Steam on October 10, exclusively on PC with enhanced features.