Remastered ‘Backyard Baseball '97' Heads to Switch, PS5 (Gaming News Roundup)
A remastered version of the classic '90s kid game 'Backyard Baseball '97' made its console debut across Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 on June 12.
In addition to 'Backyard Baseball '97,' Playground Productions (which acquired the rights to the 'Backyard Sports' franchise last year, and has been remastering the original games in addition to developing new ones) will launch 'Backyard Baseball '01' this summer on Steam and mobile devices, and has slated 'Backyard Football '99' for a fall launch.
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'Whether you grew up playing on a family desktop or are just discovering the magic for the first time, this game's pick-up-and-play charm, funny characters, and nostalgic art style remain unrivaled,' Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barnett said. 'It's an incredible retro game that celebrates the joy of play, and we're proud to bring it to kids and families everywhere – in the living room or on the go.'
See more gaming news from this week in the roundup below.
Developer Netmarble has announced 'Project EVILBANE,' a new co-op multiplayer action title.
Per Netmarble, ''Project EVILBANE' is set in a dark fantasy world inspired by the narrative roots of Netmarble's acclaimed 'Raven' IP. In this new adventure, players will face a vast and brutal conflict where demonic forces, warlords, and opportunistic factions clash for control. Players will form squads of up to four, teaming up to take on dangerous missions behind enemy lines and influence the outcome of a sprawling, interconnected war.
During Apple's presentation at Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, the tech giant announced it is adding to the list of games that will be available on Mac, including upcoming titles 'Crimson Desert' and 'InZOI,' as well as existing games 'Cyberpunk 2077,' 'Blue Prince,' 'Cronos: The New Dawn,' 'Architect: Land of Exiles,' 'Lies of P: Overture,' 'HITMAN World of Assassination,' 'EVE Frontier,' 'Where Winds Meet,' 'Sniper Elite 5' and more.
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'Poppy Playtime Chapter 4' is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox consoles June 25. The game is available for preorder for $19.99.
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'EA Sports FC 25' and 'Need for Speed Unbound' launched on Amazon Luna Thursday. The games join an expanding lineup of Electronic Arts (EA) titles available on Amazon's cloud gaming platform, which also includes 'Dead Space,' 'Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,' and 'Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.'
During WWDC, Apple unveiled the Apple Games app, which it describes as 'an all-new destination designed to help players jump back into the games they love, find their next favorite, and have more fun with friends, turning even single-player games into shared experiences.' The Games app 'makes it easier than ever before for players to enjoy all their games in one convenient place, and see what's happening across their games including major events and updates so they never miss a moment.'
Video game commerce company Xsolla announced the launch of a new podcast content ecosystem designed to 'inform, inspire, and connect the global games industry.' The slate is anchored by Xsolla's 'State of Play' podcast and companion show 'Xsolla Conversations.' The company says its new audio strategy 'seeks to surface meaningful stories, emerging trends, and practical insights from the people building the future of games.'
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Gaming hardware and accessory company Razer and food giant Mars Wrigley have teamed up to grow RESPAWN by Razer, a 'gamer-first snack brand and bold cross-industry collaboration,' which marks the first global joint venture for Mars Wrigley in more than a decade. Co-created with the gaming community, RESPAWN has evolved into a strategic business initiative at the intersection of gaming and consumer packaged goods, per Razer.
'RESPAWN is committed to a gamer-first approach and has actively involved the gaming community throughout the product development process to ensure that every aspect, from ingredients to packaging, meets their needs and preferences,' the companies say. 'With bold flavors and a brand ethos rooted in immersion, energy, and edginess, RESPAWN aims to be a gamer lifestyle essential, and not just a convenience, to the millions in the gaming community.'
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Xsolla has set a strategic partnership with cross-platform game engine Defold which introduces a 'seamless integration' between Xsolla and Defold-built web games that will allow developers to 'easily monetize' their titles on CrazyGames.
FIFA and developer Mythical Games launched new mobile title 'FIFA Rivals' on the App Store and Google Play Thursday. The title 'delivers an arcade-style football experience with gamers building their dream teams and attempting to dominate their rivals by competing in live events and PvP leagues,' per the companies.
'Football is the world's game, and we're thrilled to bring its billions of global fans an experiencethat captures the thrill of the sport, with the accessibility of mobile gaming,' said John Linden,CEO of Mythical Games. 'With FIFA Rivals, we're blending high-energy arcade gameplay withteam-building strategy and actual ownership in gaming. This is just the beginning of what webelieve will become a landmark title in gaming.'
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