After nearly being lost forever, Backyard Baseball 97 is now available on Steam

Usually, when an athlete comes back after more than 10 years away, the results are not great. But Pablo Sanchez is no ordinary athlete. The response to our story about the return of Backyard Baseball indicates you guys are as excited as we are about the classic series making a comeback. The first step in the return is complete, as Backyard Baseball 97 is now for sale on Steam.

Playground Productions explained this re-release was no easy task, as the source code for the classic game was lost back in the 90s. Mega Cat Studios was able to hack the original CD-ROM and develop new builds of the game that are compatible with current PCs. Their hard work has brought the game to Steam. They're working on making it available on other devices including current consoles.

These games were the definition of fun. They started out using characters created specifically for the games. After their success, they began including versions of pro sports stars such as Ken Griffey Jr. Pro athletes are among the many who remember the series fondly. The August announcement of Backyard Baseball's return earned responses from the likes of Jason Kelce and Robert Griffin III.

In addition to being insanely fun to play, Backyard Baseball was ahead of its time with diversity. Boys and girls played together and had the same athletic abilities. Some characters had disabilities, but still got to participate in all the backyard hijinks.

The new Playground Productions plans to use the beloved characters in everything from video games to TV shows celebrating the spirit of play. In a sports landscape cluttered with titles that often feel more pyramid schemes than video games, it's no wonder people are excited to see the Backyard Sports kids.