Latest news with #PabloSanchez
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Backyard Baseball '01' to Re-Release in July From Playground Productions
'Backyard Baseball '01' is back! On July 8, the relaunched version of the classic sports video game will be released on Steam and mobile devices from developer Mega Cat Studios and 'Backyard Sports' rights holder Playground Productions. More from Variety Remastered 'Backyard Baseball '97' Heads to Switch, PS5 (Gaming News Roundup) Next-Gen 'Backyard Sports' Game in the Works Pablo Sanchez Returns! 'Backyard Sports' Video Game Franchise Set to Relaunch and Expand Into Film, Television and More In this remake, 28 of the original 31 MLB Pros who were featured in the original 'Backyard Baseball '01' are returning to the game including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and Cal Ripken, Jr. This announcement comes on the heels of Playground Productions (which got the rights to the original franchise last year and has been working to revive the franchise) and Mega Cat Studios' re-releasing 'Backyard Baseball '97' earlier this year, preceded by 'Backyard Soccer '98' last November. Following the success 'Backyard Baseball '97' saw on Steam and mobile devices, the game also launched this summer for consoles Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. Playground Productions and Mega Cat Studios are currently developing a next-gen 'Backyard Sports' game, though Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barnett won't confirm yet if that title will be focused on baseball, and further the franchise's partnership with the MLB: 'Well, we haven't announced anything about what sport our new title is, or if there are multiple sports, or anything of that nature, so you'll just have to wait and see,' Barnett sid. Per Playground Productions, 'Similar to the remastered '97 game, the 2001 relaunch will include the classic gameplay for touch and modern PC controls. 'Backyard Baseball '01' will include official MLB marks, including usage of individual team logos, names and likeness.' 'It's really exciting, because we had to go through the process of regaining all of the original rights from the game. And so that was the MLB, and then there were 31 professional players, All Stars from that era of baseball,' Barnett said. 'And so we had to get all their rights and likenesses back in the game. And the MLB has been so incredibly supportive of this game, and also of just this partnership, which has been really an exciting thing for us, because, personally, this is the game I really became a Cubs fan from. I had played the '97 version and fell in love with all the characters, but when '01 came out when I was a little kid, then I was like, 'Oh, I want to play as the Chicago Cubs,' and here are all the players that I'm picking on my team. So it's going to be really fun for original fans to play with their hometown teams or their local teams, but also for kids who are coming to the franchise for the first time to be able to have an incredible team that is with the MLB logos and marks.' ''Backyard Baseball' stands out with a special place in so many fans' memories thanks to its endearing qualities and features that were especially rare for a video game of its time,' MLB's senior vice president of gaming and virtual reality Jamie Leece said. 'We are really excited to play a small part in authenticating this revitalization with MLB marks and look forward to the full circle moment where those who played this beloved game as children can bring it to a new generation in their families and friends.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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. More from Variety Summer Game Fest, State of Unreal, Xbox Games Showcase Highlights and More (Gaming News Roundup) Next-Gen 'Backyard Sports' Game in the Works Pablo Sanchez Returns! 'Backyard Sports' Video Game Franchise Set to Relaunch and Expand Into Film, Television and More '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. * 'Poppy Playtime Chapter 4' is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox consoles June 25. The game is available for preorder for $19.99. * '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.' * 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.' * 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.' * Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Observer
04-05-2025
- Climate
- Observer
Europe's firefighters want more funds and staff
Underinvestment in staff means Europe's fire services are overstretched as climate change raises the risk of deadly blazes, firefighter unions in the world's fastest warming-region have warned. Wildfires fuelled by hotter, drier weather and household fires, which unions say are sometimes caused by uncertified installations of solar technology, are straining fire services across the bloc. Firefighters want more funding and better incentives for the millions of volunteers who prop up the system. "We have volunteers doing over 1,000 hours a year," said Pablo Sanchez, policy lead for the European Federation of Public Service Unions' Firefighter's Network (EPSU). "They are using volunteers like they are professionals. The system is not sustainable in the long run," he said. New analysis released by the EPSU ahead of International Firefighters' Day on May 4 showed the number of professional firefighters dropped significantly in several European countries between 2021 and 2023. In Sweden, Romania and Hungary, firefighter numbers shrank two years in a row, declining overall by more than 20 per cent between 2021 and 2023. Germany also experienced a year-on-year decline, with numbers dropping 7 per cent overall. Firefighter numbers in Belgium and Portugal fell 5 per cent and 2 per cent overall, respectively, despite both countries seeing a small boost in numbers between 2022 and 2023. In some countries, the declines were driven by cuts to public services, while in others fire services struggled to replace staff as the profession has become less popular, said Sanchez. Stephan Wevers, president of the Federation of European Fire Officers (FEU), said recruiting and retaining volunteers was becoming more difficult as training gets tougher and work-life balance has evolved. "We have to be more active to get new people in the fire service," he said. Across the bloc, government spending on fire services as a share of total expenditure has not increased since records began in 2001 - remaining roughly at 0.5 per cent - despite increased demand. Revised European Union fiscal rules to prevent excessive government borrowing that entered into force last year will require member states to make cuts, and the EPSU warned the public sector is likely to be hit hardest, further undermining emergency responses. In 2024, the number of wildfires that raged across Europe was slightly below the average of recent years, but the total area burnt was higher, according to EU statistics. Unions have been calling for more investment in equipment and staff since 2023, one of the worst years for wildfires in Europe. A dozen EU countries' fire services shrunk between 2022 and 2023, despite the overall number of firefighters increasing across the bloc. A firefighter handles a wildfire in Videmonte, Celorico da Beira, Portugal. - Reuters file photo More than 360,000 firefighters served Europe in 2023, after numbers dropped by 2,800 between 2021 and 2022. The EPSU is also calling for upgraded protective equipment and mandatory decontamination procedures across services. Volunteering has become less popular as people's work and leisure commitments have evolved. Training is also becoming more intense in response to increasingly complex fire incidents, requiring greater commitment from volunteers, said Wevers. EU legislation should be adapted to attract more volunteers, he added. Members of the European Parliament want firefighters to be exempted from the Working Time Directive that sets minimum health and safety standards for working hours and has affected volunteers' ability to balance paid work with voluntary commitments. Lawmakers and union representatives will attend a public hearing on the effect of the directive and other challenges facing firefighters in May. But more firefighters is not the only answer. Reports from the European Environment Agency, World Bank and independent advisers say EU policies and funding need to boost the bloc's prevention and resilience to climate change. A new EU preparedness strategy, launched in March, focuses on educating populations, improving early warnings and risk assessments and coordinating EU-wide responses, including uniting civil protection units such as firefighters. "We have to learn to live with wildfires," said Wevers, who said the FEU want member states to implement better nature management and building restrictions in high-risk areas. "We can't have a fire station on every corner of the street. We have to have a good response, but you can make a difference if you have good nature management," he said.
Japan Times
03-05-2025
- General
- Japan Times
'Not sustainable': Europe's firefighters want more funds and staff
Underinvestment in staff means Europe's fire services are overstretched as climate change raises the risk of deadly blazes, firefighter unions in the world's fastest warming-region have warned. Wildfires fueled by hotter, drier weather and household fires, which unions say are sometimes caused by uncertified installations of solar technology, are straining fire services across the bloc. Firefighters want more funding and better incentives for the millions of volunteers who prop up the system. "We have volunteers doing over 1,000 hours a year," said Pablo Sanchez, policy lead for the European Federation of Public Service Unions' Firefighter's Network (EPSU). "They are using volunteers like they are professionals. The system is not sustainable in the long run," he said. New analysis released by the EPSU ahead of International Firefighters' Day on May 4 showed the number of professional firefighters dropped significantly in several European countries between 2021 and 2023. In Sweden, Romania and Hungary, firefighter numbers shrank two years in a row, declining overall by more than 20% between 2021 and 2023. Germany also experienced a year-on-year decline, with numbers dropping 7% overall. Firefighter numbers in Belgium and Portugal fell 5% and 2% overall, respectively, despite both countries seeing a small boost in numbers between 2022 and 2023. In some countries, the declines were driven by cuts to public services, while in others fire services struggled to replace staff as the profession has become less popular, said Sanchez. Stephan Wevers, president of the Federation of European Fire Officers (FEU), said recruiting and retaining volunteers was becoming more difficult as training gets tougher and work-life balance has evolved. "We have to be more active to get new people in the fire service," he said. Across the bloc, government spending on fire services as a share of total expenditure has not increased since records began in 2001 — remaining roughly at 0.5% — despite increased demand. Revised European Union fiscal rules to prevent excessive government borrowing that entered into force last year will require member states to make cuts, and the EPSU warned the public sector is likely to be hit hardest, further undermining emergency responses. In 2024, the number of wildfires that raged across Europe was slightly below the average of recent years, but the total area burnt was higher, according to EU statistics. Unions have been calling for more investment in equipment and staff since 2023, one of the worst years for wildfires in Europe. A dozen EU countries' fire services shrunk between 2022 and 2023, despite the overall number of firefighters increasing across the bloc. More than 360,000 firefighters served Europe in 2023, after numbers dropped by 2,800 between 2021 and 2022. The EPSU is also calling for upgraded protective equipment and mandatory decontamination procedures across services. Volunteering has become less popular as people's work and leisure commitments have evolved. Training is also becoming more intense in response to increasingly complex fire incidents, requiring greater commitment from volunteers, said Wevers. EU legislation should be adapted to attract more volunteers, he added. Members of the European Parliament want firefighters to be exempted from the Working Time Directive that sets minimum health and safety standards for working hours and has affected volunteers' ability to balance paid work with voluntary commitments. Lawmakers and union representatives will attend a public hearing on the effect of the directive and other challenges facing firefighters in May. But more firefighters is not the only answer. Reports from the European Environment Agency, World Bank and independent advisors say EU policies and funding need to boost the bloc's prevention and resilience to climate change. A new EU preparedness strategy, launched in March, focuses on educating populations, improving early warnings and risk assessments and coordinating EU-wide responses, including uniting civil protection units such as firefighters. "We have to learn to live with wildfires," said Wevers, who said the FEU want member states to implement better nature management and building restrictions in high-risk areas. "We can't have a fire station on every corner of the street. We have to have a good response, but you can make a difference if you have good nature management," he said.
