Backyard Baseball 97 Returns to Steam After 27-Year Absence

Backyard Baseball 97 Returns to Steam After 27-Year Absence

The nostalgic ’90’s PC game Backyard Baseball is coming to Steam on October 10, 27 years after its initial release. The arcade-style baseball game is a cult favorite among sports fans who grew up with the game, many of whom are now in their 20s and 30s. They’re kids’ games, but they have a certain charm; what is an empty pizza box but a home plate waiting to happen?

From Humongous Entertainment to the Current Owner
The original company behind Backyard Baseball, Humongous Entertainment, succumbed to a fate of endless mergers and acquisitions. The IP was tossed among holding companies like a afterthought. Now, the rights to iconic characters like Pablo Sanchez are in the hands of Playground Productions, a children’s media company founded by former public school teacher Lindsay Barnett.

Restoring the Past, Building the Future
Rebooting Backyard Baseball isn’t so easy as buying the IP. The original source code of the game was lost, so Playground enlisted Mega Cat Studios to remaster the game. Mega Cat hacked a copy of the game on CD-ROM and reworked it to be compatible with present-day PCs. With a successful remaster under its belt, Mega Cat and Playground intend to work together to relaunch other fan favorites from the franchise.

Backyard Baseball 97 will be available on Steam on October 10, priced at $10. The game’s nostalgic charm and quirky gameplay are sure to bring back memories for those who grew up playing it. With the successful remaster and the promise of more Backyard Sports games to come, fans of the franchise have a lot to look forward to.