Backyard Baseball ’97 was a massive success. Little did we know it would make a comeback, bigger and better than before. This time, in collaboration with Major League Baseball, Backyard Baseball ‘01 is returning with 28 of the original 31 pint-sized players. Adding to your excitement, this game will feature the stars of the New York Yankees. Yes, it’s Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez—the backbone of the league’s golden era.
There’s more to it. This game, in collaboration with MLB, means we can play as our favorite teams all over again. Yes, that’s true. The countdown has officially begun, as Backyard Baseball ’01 is relaunching on July 8 and can be played on mobile and Steam—all credit goes to the Playground Production.
It’ll certainly be interesting to see the heroics of Jeter and Rodriguez all over again as they join other baseball legends on this digital adventure. Yes, 28 MLB pros from the 2001 Classic will be in the game.
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 13: Derek Jeter #2 and Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees talk during a pitching change against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on May 13, 2012 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Mariners defeated the Yankees 6-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Mega Cat Studios, the developers, had the vision to keep the charm that once made the original Backyard Baseball ‘97 popular. Let’s just say their vision came to life. Now you can expect some interesting tech updates, more intriguing visuals, and better mechanics. Overall, this game promises a smooth and exciting experience with a modern twist.
In fact, Pablo Sanchez, the iconic fictional legend from the game, will be returning too. While some are excited to play alongside pint-sized Jeter and A-Rod, others are going wild over Sanchez’s character.
Speaking on this relaunch, MLB’s senior vice president of gaming and virtual reality, Jamie Leece, stated, “‘Backyard Baseball’ stands out with a special place in so many fans’ memories. Thanks to its endearing qualities and features that were especially rare for a video game of its time.” Let’s also hear from the CEO of Playground Productions. After all, she made some intriguing revelations that will definitely catch you off guard.
How did Playground Productions bring Backyard Baseball back?
Let’s just say it wasn’t easy. The team behind Playground Productions had to put in a lot of groundwork to bring back some of our beloved classic icons. Before it all came to life, they had to find out the original rights to Backyard Baseball and build it all from scratch.
The technical side wasn’t the only challenge. To bring Backyard Baseball ‘01 to life, the real work was reconnecting with the real-life icons for the July 8 launch. Lindsay Barnett, the CEO of Playground Productions, gave a glimpse of the challenges she faced. “2001 is already some time ago, and some of these players don’t live in the U.S. Some of them don’t have managers or agents or social media.” It’s definitely a challenge.
In fact, Lindsay also revealed that while some players were on board to lend their IP rights again, others were not. The ones who were eager to lend wanted to take this game as an opportunity to give their kids and grandkids the idea of how big their names were back then.
There were three players who declined to participate outright: Barry Bonds, Frank Thomas, and Ken Griffey Jr. Lindsay also emphasized that MLB loves this brand. In fact, the league also acknowledges the value and the emotions these original releases hold.
The main idea behind the release? “We can start to capture even more kids who can become baseball fans for life,” Lindsay said. After all, she knows what value baseball holds for the country. The versions that were released recently, such as Backyard Soccer ‘98 and Backyard Baseball ‘97, were total successes. She also said that kids learn about these sports through these simple point-and-click games.
Isn’t it exciting?
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