Legendary sports video game “Backyard Baseball ’01” will be re-released on July 8, according to an announcement Monday from game publisher Playground Productions. The re-launched version of Backyard Baseball ’01, in partnership with MLB, will feature 28 of the 31 original players, including Derek Jeter (pictured), Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn, Sammy Sosa and more. (Image courtesy of Playground Productions)Playground Productions
“Backyard Baseball ’01,” the classic sports video game, will be re-released on July 8, the game’s publisher announced Monday.
The game will be re-launched on iOS and Android mobile devices and Windows PCs via Steam, an online gaming community, according to publisher Playground Productions, which acquired rights to the original “Backyard Baseball” franchise last year. Playground Productions partnered with MLB for the game, which will include official MLB team logos, names and likenesses.
“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,” Jamie Leece, MLB’s senior VP of Gaming & Virtual Reality, said in a news release. “We are really excited to play a small part in authenticating this revitalization with MLB marks and look forward to the full circle moment where those who played this beloved game as children can bring it to a new generation in their families and friends.”
Which players are in the new Backyard Baseball ’01?
The re-launched “Backyard Baseball ’01″ will feature 30 backyard characters, including Pablo Sanchez and Pete Wheeler, and 28 of the 31 MLB players who appeared in the original version of the game, including Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn, Sammy Sosa, and more. Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Frank Thomas are the three MLB players who opted out of the re-launch of “Backyard Baseball ’01,” according to Sportico.
The full list of 28 MLB players includes:
- Jeff Bagwell
- Carlos Beltrán
- Jeromy Burnitz
- Jose Canseco
- Marty Cordova
- Jason Giambi
- Álex González
- Juan González
- Nomar Garciaparra
- Shawn Green
- Vladimir Guerrero
- Tony Gwynn
- Derek Jeter
- Randy Johnson
- Chipper Jones
- Jason Kendall
- Barry Larkin
- Kenny Lofton
- Mark McGwire
- Raul Mondesi
- Mike Piazza
- Cal Ripken Jr.
- Alex Rodriguez
- Iván Rodríguez
- Curt Schilling
- Sammy Sosa
- Mo Vaughn
- Larry Walker
“Backyard Baseball ‘01 was a game-changer in many ways—introducing some of the sport’s biggest legends into the Backyard universe,” Lindsay Barnett, CEO of Playground Productions, said in the release. “We can’t wait for fans to relive the joy of building their dream team with both our beloved original characters and baseball’s greatest pros from that unforgettable era.”
The re-release of “Backyard Baseball ’01″ will come months after Playground Productions re-launched “Backyard Baseball ’97″ for mobile devices on March 27. After initial popularity, the game became available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 on June 12.
“The nostalgia market in video games is huge with game producers looking for ways to reinvent — and sell — popular games from the past,” said Michael Norman, entertainment editor for Cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer. “This release is gonna be attractive to a lot of people because it’s going to put a fresh and modern spin on a beloved game, giving gamers a chance to live vicariously by playing as Jeter, Sosa, Giambi and other early 21st century legends of the game.”
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