Sega has announced a major reboot of its beloved Crazy Taxi franchise, signaling a significant transformation for the series.
The new title, led by Sega Sapporo, will be a “massively multiplayer driving game,” bringing the classic arcade experience into an interactive, shared world.
The reboot was introduced through a “recruitment video” from Sega Sapporo, featuring insights from Kenji Kanno, the producer of the reboot and the original Crazy Taxi director.
Kanno emphasized the ambitious shift from a single-player focus to a multiplayer environment, aiming to transform the frantic, fast-paced gameplay into a dynamic, persistent world.
New Crazy Taxi: Features and Plot
Set in a US West Coast-inspired environment, described by developers as “theme park-like,” the game promises a colorful and exaggerated urban playground perfect for Crazy Taxi’s signature chaotic driving.
Sega Sapporo, established in 2021, is using Unreal Engine to bring this vision to life. Job listings confirm that this will be a major online title with an open world.
Despite the multiplayer focus, Kanno reassured fans that the core gameplay of picking up passengers and racing against the clock will remain. However, the appearance of police vehicles in the recruitment video hints at new gameplay modes or roles, potentially adding new player choices not seen in previous versions.
The announcement aligns with speculation that the Crazy Taxi reboot will be a live-service game. There are also unconfirmed reports of a traditional single-player remake preceding the multiplayer reboot.
Sega’s commitment to reviving classic franchises was evident at The Game Awards 2023, where new entries in the Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage series were also announced. Among these, Crazy Taxi seems to be receiving the most radical overhaul.
No release date has been announced yet. Follow Techopedia for updates on Sega’s upcoming Crazy Taxi reboot.
