By Gavin Boyle
“Backyard Baseball ‘97” is now available on the Playstation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, bringing old and new fans of the beloved computer game a new way to play.
“Whether you grew up playing on a family desktop or are just discovering the magic for the first time, this game’s pick-up-and-play charm, funny characters, and nostalgic art style remain unrivaled,” said Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barnett. “It’s an incredible retro game that celebrates the joy of play, and we’re proud to bring it to kids and families everywhere — in the living room or on the go.”
The remastering of “Backyard Baseball ‘97” comes as Playground Productions revives the franchise after decades of silence. Barnette created Playground Productions with the intention of purchasing the “Backyard Sports” franchise IP and bringing these games into the modern day gaming era, while also creating new titles. A former teacher, Barnette was inspired to do so after realizing that most games coming out today are often too mature for players.
“[My students] were playing a lot more violent and mature games,” she said. “I was like, where are the best games ever? Where is the ‘Backyard Sports’ franchise?”
“We just really want as many people to be able to — whether it’s reconnect with their childhood again or introduce it to the next generation of fans — that’s what it’s all about,” Barnette added when explaining the goal of her company.
Related: New Video Game From ‘Backyard Sports’ Franchise in the Works
She continues to have big plans for the future, aiming to remaster “Backyard Baseball ‘01” and “Backyard Football ‘99” by the end of the year, with a brand new game in the franchise also in the works.
“[The new game is] a fresh and exciting take on the classic Backyard games with compatibility and updated features for today’s generation of gamers,” a description of the untitled game says, per Variety. “The brand new game will feature all the original characters alongside a few new additions as well as embrace the comedy, diversity, accessibility and fun that made the original titles timeless classics. Like the retro titles, the next-gen game can be used as a tool to teach kids sports rules and strategies, but it will also have difficulty levels that are challenging for the original fan base.”
“We have these 30 characters, plus our announcers, that we want to showcase,” added Playground Productions chief product officer, Chris Waters, in a Sports Illustrated interview. “And so first and foremost, that’s our priority. In terms of other partnerships, whether it’s professional athletes, whether it’s leagues, those are conversations we’re excited to have.”
As the entertainment industry as a whole continues to buy the lie that consumers want mature content, it is encouraging to see a studio look to the past to bring the wholesome games that used to dominate the industry to a new generation of players.
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