Backyard Sports is back from the grave and fans are ecstatic
Playground Productions Playground Productions gave fans a shot of nostalgia by announcing a relaunch of the iconic Backyard Sports franchise, including film, television, and merchandise.
In 1997, Backyard Baseball became a hit sensation and captured the hearts of children who were first getting into video games. The series later expanded to basketball, skateboarding, hockey, and soccer.
Fans feared Backyard Sports Basketball would be the last installment in 2015, but Playground Productions pleasantly surprised everyone by announcing a revival.
In an interview with Variety, Backyard Sports creator and Playground Productions founder and CEO Lindsay Barnett said, “Backyard Sports’ is more than just a game; it’s a cherished part of childhood for millions of people.”
Playground Productions chief product officer Chris Waters added that the development team plans to preserve the look and feel of the original games while giving them a modern facelift. Fans celebrated the announcement and welcomed whatever is in store with welcomed arms.
The trailer shows a cast of familiar characters and a preview of commentary from Sunny Day, who voiced most series entries. Playground Productions did not confirm if the original voice cast is back, but the visuals and feel brought up old memories for many.
“I just got a flashback to my seven-year-old childhood,” one fan responded.
“Perfect timing, now my son gets to enjoy the series just like I did,” a second series veteran said.
The announcement brought up several questions such as if the game will have online play, if there will be a mix of kids and MLB pros, and which Backyard Sports titles are coming back.
To commemorate the announcement, Playground Productions launched the Backyard Sports website. On the website, fans can listen to the original soundtrack, rewatch the trailer, or sign up for the newsletter to receive updates on any new information.
We will provide an update when Playground Productions shares an update on the series revival.