Backyard Sports Revival Officially Announced by Playground Productions

Sports game fans, rejoice! Backyard Sports, the iconic video game series known for making kid-friendly sports games, is back.

In a press release, Playground Productions, the company currently holding the rights to the Backyard Sports IP, confirmed it was reviving the series, noting that the franchise is “slated to return in the coming months.” Playground Productions also provided the first teaser trailer for Backyard Sports, featuring memorable characters like Pablo Sanchez and Stephanie Morgan.

You can check out the first trailer below.

Beyond the confirmation of new Backyard Sports video games, Playground Productions said the series’ return will expand its reach to multiple verticals beyond video games, such as film, TV, and merchandise. Playground Productions explained that the revival of Backyard Sports will use “cutting-edge technology and esteemed character IP” to aim to create stories and experiences that will resonate with those who grew up with the series along with the current generation of youth.

“We’re incredibly excited to reintroduce Backyard Sports to a new generation of players,” Playground Productions CEO Chris Waters wrote in the press release. “We’re taking great care to preserve the look and feel that made the original games so special while updating them with modern features and gameplay that today’s audience expects. I can’t wait for fans to see what we’re building on the Playground.”

The Backyard Sports series began in 1997 with the release of Backyard Baseball. The franchise would eventually include games in other sports, such as basketball, football, hockey, and even skateboarding. Since 2015, however, the series has been dormant.

While fans of the series have long awaited a new entry for nearly 10 years, chatter saw a spike when NFL star and former Eagles center Jason Kelce revealed on his podcast last January that he was interested in trying to make a new Backyard Baseball and Backyard Football game.

A Playground Productions spokesperson confirmed to IGN that Kelce is “isn’t directly involved in this relaunch,” but acknowledged that Kelce represents an “audience of people that, to this day, fondly remember Backyard Sports as a staple game with iconic characters beloved by many.”

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.