Classic Backyard Sports Games Are Coming to Mobile

Backyard Baseball will soon be headed to mobile devices, according to a recent announcement from the official Backyard Sports Twitter account. The unexpected announcement, which not only revealed that Backyard Baseball will be on mobile, but will be a rare mobile game entirely without ads, has led to quite a strong reaction from the gaming community at large.

Backyard Sports publisher Playground Productions first announced the revival of the beloved kid-friendly sports video game franchise in August 2024. After lying dormant since 2015, the announcement of Backyard Sports making a comeback after 9 years caused an uproar of excitement from older gamers, underscored by a teaser trailer featuring fan-favorite characters like Pablo Sanchez and Stephanie Morgan. While the re-release of the inaugural Backyard Sports title, Backyard Baseball ’97, has remained solely available on PC via Steam, mobile devices will soon be up to bat.

Related

Even More Backyard Sports Games Are Getting Remasters

The Backyard Sports revival adds five new games to its lineup after the release of Backyard Baseball ’97 on October 10.

The official Backyard Sports Twitter account made the new platform announcement in a rather simplistic way. Instead of opting for any kind of trailer, a simple static image with childish, all-caps writing stating that Backyard Sports “Is coming to mobile.” The tweet also displays the date of March 27, which could indicate a further reveal or even a release date, as it coincides with the traditional Opening Day for MLB. A follow-up to the post clarified that Backyard Baseball specifically was coming to mobile, fueling the theory of a release date and continuing the momentum of Backyard Sports’ perfectly-timed return.

Backyard Baseball‘s nostalgic and kid-friendly gameplay has led to a successful revival since its relaunch last fall, with its impending mobile release bound to vastly increase the number of people playing the game. Some feel the casual, arcade-like baseball franchise can especially excel in its niche, given the extended absence of similarly popular series. Backyard Baseball can capitalize on a lack of Mario Baseball titles being released, with the last dedicated baseball game featuring Mario and company being 2008’s Mario Super Sluggers.

A Double Play of Baseball Video Games

While the easy accessibility and nostalgia factor are sure to get many gamers to get Backyard Baseball on mobile when it releases, the simplistic, cartoony gameplay isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. Luckily, the premier realistic baseball sim MLB The Show 25 is about to be released, which includes a bevy of new features and improvements over its predecessor. With two vastly different baseball video game franchises offering extremely different gameplay experiences now going strong, it’s a great time to be a baseball fan.

Playground Games

Date Founded

2010

Headquarters

Leamington Spa, England

Parent Company

Xbox Game Studios

Known For

Forza Horizon