A few years ago, sports games based on the Backyard Sports franchise were making the rounds, offering kids more user-friendly versions of popular sports that they could enjoy with their friends and family alike. Now, it appears that these games are on the comeback trail.
Day 6 Sports Group has announced that it has teamed up with the National Basketball Association to re-launch the Backyard Sports franchise, which will once again focus on kiddie-oriented sports and feature popular athletes. The line of games is expected to be released for both smartphone and tablet devices.
The first game in the series is expected to be Backyard Sports Basketball, and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry will appear both on the cover and in the game. “I grew up playing Backyard Sports, and having an opportunity to help bring it back to this generation of children is something I’m really thrilled about,” said Curry.
“Re-launching a brand that was so iconic is an exciting step for us,” said Jim Wagner, CEO for Day 6 Sports Group. “And partnering with the NBA and Stephen Curry is the perfect way for us to engage with both our existing community of fans, as well as the next generation of Backyard Sports players.”
No other franchises in the series have been discussed as of yet, but some announcements could come in the weeks ahead, leading to a strong 2015 run for the franchise.
There’s also no word if Day 6 will consider bringing the games back to consoles, as Backyard Sports originally got its start on older game systems. Again, more details should be revealed in the months ahead.
Considering the popularity of mainstream sports games like Madden NFL 15, NBA 2K15 and other titles, this should be a strong move for Day 6 – and it never hurts to have devoted athletes on board to play along with, even if they are in kid form.
