Backyard Baseball was out in full force during PAX East this year. The game was shown off at the convention but the main event at the show as the home run derby mode. The convention was such a success for the game that Playground Productions decided to share the demo with the fans ahead of its July release.
The demo features "Backyard Derby," a new game mode from the upcoming release. Users will get to play as fan-favorites Pablo Sanches, Kiesha Phillips or Kenny Kawaguchi in a fun and fast-paces, arcade-style home run challenges. Via the demo, Playground has revealed exciting new features that fans can expect for the full game as well, like couch co-op( to challenge friends in head-to-head competition), libe global leaderboards( for Backyard Baseball bragging rights). night mode, and competitive modes like "Crazy Pitch." which put a uniquely challenging spin on the derby.
I'd like it to be known that it's mentioned that Backyard Baseball was given a Best of PAX East award this year. GamerFudge gave that award and it was well deserved!
"This demo shows fans our commitment to maintaining the original charm and humor of Backyard Baseball while also displaying how we're modernizing and updating the brand," said Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barnett. "With new features (like Night Mode, competitive Global Leaderboards, and couch co-op) we’re showing an expansive and immersive sneak peek of the new Backyard Baseball. Backyard Derby is just the start. We can't wait to share more."
At this year’s PAX East event (a large gaming convention held annually in Boston since 2010) the demo was given a “Best in Show” award and received overwhelming acclaim from critics and fans alike. Playground Productions attended the convention with their developer, Mega Cat Studios, and previewed an early access version of the game mode. The response from players was so positive it encouraged the team to make a version of the demo available for their fans.
“Backyard Derby is a first look at how we’re pushing Backyard Baseball forward. It’s faster, more competitive, and designed to keep players coming back, with pick-up-and-play co-op at its core, all grounded in the character-forward charm fans grew up with,” added Chris Waters, Chief Product Officer, Playground Productions.
"So many of the cats grew up playing Backyard Baseball, and we cannot wait for players to experience Backyard Derby's demo," said James Deighan, CEO and Chief Baseball Officer at developer Mega Cat Studios. "The fans have been waiting a long time for Backyard Baseball to come back the right way. Today, we get to prove we heard them. The demo is live, Backyard Derby is in your hands, and this is just the beginning. We built this for the kid who wore out the original disc, and for the next generation discovering it for the first time."
When Backyard Baseball releases in full on July 9th, it will be the first major console release for the franchise in 15 years. Playground has promised that all 30 original characters will be returning to the game, with some surprises in store as well. The game will officially release on Steam (for PC and Mac) as well as all major consoles such as the Nintendo Switch 2, XBOX (Series S and X), and PlayStation (4 & 5).
The new game is the most recent step in Playground Productions’ revitalization of the Backyard Sports franchise. Earlier this year, Backyard Sports: The Animated Special was released to YouTube and has amassed over 1 million unique views on the platform, an incredible feat for an independently produced episode. The special recently became available on Prime Video via their Prime Video Direct submission portal.