It’s been a while since Sega fans have been able to enjoy a new Crazy Taxi or Jet Set Radio game, but both franchises are supposedly returning in a huge way. Sources with Bloomberg have claimed in a new report that Sega is developing big-budget reboots for both properties as part of its “Super Game” initiative, a plan that was set in motion by the company a year ago to create titles that could secure a recurring revenue stream by attracting and maintaining a strong online community of dedicated players. There’s no indication as to whether the new Crazy Taxi or Jet Set Radio games will be anything like their previous installments (e.g., Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller and Jet Set Radio Future), but the new Crazy Taxi will probably be released first, as it’s already been in development for over a year.
Sega Reboots Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio to Chase Fortnite Riches (Bloomberg)
Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. is developing big-budget reboots of its Dreamcast games Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio as it taps its back catalog in search of global hits like Epic Games Inc.’s Fortnite, according to people familiar with its plans.
The new Crazy Taxi has already been in development for over a year and the Tokyo-based entertainment group aims to release it within two to three years, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is not yet public. It was named alongside Jet Set Radio in Sega’s annual report a year ago on a list of intellectual property assets that Sega wanted to recapitalize by bringing them up to date. Both new games are in the early stages of creation and could still be canceled, the people said.
The Super Game project is led by Sega’s video game unit chief Shuji Utsumi, a former PlayStation executive, and currently includes plans for about four such titles, according to the people. The company said last year that its European studio is working on a first-person shooter Super Game and the plan was to offer “contents and services that can create a large community” and as much as 100 billion yen ($780 million) in lifetime revenue.