After months of anticipation, the iconic Backyard Baseball ’97 video game has an official rerelease date.
On Wednesday, Playground Productions announced that the popular children’s-based baseball game will be available to play on Oct. 10. The game will be available on PC via the digital distribution service, Stream for a reported price of $10.
Playground Productions is teaming up with @megacatstudios to bring Backyard Baseball ’97 back to the diamond! Get ready for classic gameplay, iconic characters, and a whole lot of nostalgic fun coming on October 10th! ⚾️
Wishlist now on #Steam pic.twitter.com/qtkO0JmwHS
— Backyard Sports (@_BackyardSports) September 25, 2024
The announcement comes one month after social media sleuths uncovered clues seemingly hinting at the video game franchise’s return. Weeks later, Playground Productions, which now owns the IP for the franchise, announced plans to not only bring the Backyard Sports franchise back, but expand it beyond the world of gaming, with offerings in “merchandise, film, television and more.”
“Backyard Sports is more than just a game; it’s a cherished part of childhood for millions of people,” Playground Productions founder and CEO Lindsay Barnett said in a release. “I look at media as the largest classroom in the world. As such, our goal is to produce meaningful content that not only entertains but also educates and inspires. The return of Backyard Sports is the perfect embodiment of that goal.”
#backyardsports pic.twitter.com/XQyF5fjPfc
— Backyard Sports (@_BackyardSports) August 20, 2024
While the announcement didn’t include which consoles the games would be available on, it appears that this will be a PC product and one would imagine it will only mark the start of the Backyard Sports franchise’s new offerings. Following its initial release via Macintosh and Windows in 1997, the franchise released new installments on a near-yearly basis from 2000-2010, with the last edition of the franchise being Backyard Sports: Baseball 2015.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.