Backyard Baseball returns with first new game in nearly 30 years

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After a recent animated special brought it back into the spotlight, Backyard Baseball is officially making a comeback with a new game planned for release in 2026.

Backyard Baseball first came out in 1997 and quickly became a hugely popular sports game for kids. Unlike more realistic games like EA’s Triple Play Baseball, Backyard Baseball focused on fun characters and being easy to pick up and play.

After years out of the spotlight, the franchise found new life when Playground Productions acquired the IP and re-released classic Backyard Sports titles on Steam and mobile. Those releases were well received, with Backyard Baseball 97 earning more than 1,900 positive reviews on Steam, a clear signal that interest in the series had not faded.

Backyard Baseball revival confirms first new game in decades

After almost 30 years, fans finally got the news they’ve been hoping for in an 11-minute animated short: a new Backyard Baseball game is officially being made! Playground Productions announced the game is planned to be released in the summer of 2026.

This isn’t a remake or a re-packaging of older games. It’s a brand new Backyard Baseball title – the first original game in the series since the late 1990s.

Although we didn’t see any actual gameplay, the presentation offered hints about what to expect. The game seems to be returning to the classic 2D style of the earlier titles, instead of using the 3D graphics from the 2005 release.

The return of well-known locations like Eckman Acres and Steele Stadium suggests the story will revisit beloved settings with the main characters. However, the complete cast list and which platforms the story will be available on haven’t been revealed yet.

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2026-01-29 22:50