Gaming News - March 2007

New York, NY (March 13, 2007) - Humongous today announced that Backyard Baseball 2007 is shipping to retail stores nationwide.

From Humongous:

Backyard Baseball, now in its fifth iteration, is the best selling youth baseball video game of all time, and the only title to hold the coveted Major League Baseball (MLB) and Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) licenses.

“As a top quality producer of baseball video games, Humongous continues to release the most exciting and innovative MLB-themed titles tailored to today’s youth,” said Howard Smith, Senior Vice President, Licensing, Major League Baseball Properties.  “This new version provides a real-time baseball experience along with cutting-edge graphics and a simplicity that will allow our next generation of fans to easily engage in playing Backyard Baseball 2007.”

The 10-year old Backyard Baseball game franchise, which stars animated versions MLB pros as kids, has undergone a major transformation since its last release two years ago.  Backyard and MLB pro characters have evolved into older, edgier, more believable athletes playing within graphically rich, dramatic and interactive environments.  What’s more, the physics of the game are finely tuned for more precise, authentic gameplay.

“The 5 to 10 year old audience is much more sophisticated than even a few years ago--many kids have been playing baseball and video games for years and their expectations for quality and realism are high,” says Lauren Schechtman Allen, Humongous Co-President.  “Backyard Baseball 2007 provides that authentic baseball experience on a level appropriate for a child.  That means adding lots of humor, increasing the action and pace of the game, and making it easy to jump into the game without complex directions.  We’ve also included multiple levels of difficulty so even seasoned veterans will find it compelling and challenging.”

World Series heavy hitter Albert Pujols happens to be one of those “seasoned veterans” who is a fan of Backyard Baseball 2007. Pujols, six-time MLB All Star and one of the best players in the game, not only plays the game with his son but stars on its cover alongside his Backyard kid alter ego.

 “Backyard Baseball really lets kids see what it’s like to play Major League baseball,” said Pujols.  “It teaches kids the rules of the game, and helps them understand real baseball strategies, like when it’s the right time to steal, what pitches to hit, or when to try for a double play”.

Along with Pujols, Backyard Baseball 2007 features many other top MLB heroes such as Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro Suzuki, Lance Berkman, David Ortiz, and Vladimir Guerrero, to name a few.  The game includes all 30 MLB teams, uniforms, and logos.   It offers single pick-up games, homerun derby, or season play (with all the stats) and varying levels of difficulty. In addition, the game’s kid-friendly, non-violent format, and high level of cultural diversity makes it especially popular with parents.  

Backyard Baseball 2007 is rated “E” (Everyone) by ESRB and has an MSRP of $29.99 for the PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, and Game Boy Advance $19.99 for WINDOWS.   Backyard Baseball 2007 GBA, PS2, and PC will be on shelf this week with the GameCube titles shipping next month.

Backyard Baseball 2007 is the latest entry in the Backyard Sports series, the best selling sports video gaming franchise for kids and the only game brand licensed by ALL professional US sports leagues: Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Players Association, National Football League, NFL Players Inc., National Basketball Association, Major League Soccer, and National Hockey League.  Since 1996 the franchise has sold over 10 million units and has received over a hundred awards.  What’s more, according to an independent study, 15 percent of boys in the United States ages five to 10 own at least one Backyard Sports game.