https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-19/sega-reboots-crazy-taxi-jet-set-radio-to-chase-fortnite-riches
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 two titles would be the first entries in Sega’s Super Game initiative, which the company announced a year ago as an effort to develop recurring revenue sources and build online communities around its software portfolio. Fortnite has become the role modelfor such games: free to play, it’s available across platforms, hosts large multiplayer contests and includes extras like vehicles, construction and social events on top of the usual combat, spurring player purchases of in-game items.
If this article is accurate, we might be playing new versions of these games in a few years. I think both series could be suited to a more open world or multiplayer gameplay compared with what we’ve played in the past. Although we might prefer stand alone single player games, I can understand from a business perspective why Sega would want to shift in a “games as a service” direction.
I think Crazy Taxi should have stopped after the 2nd game. I simply can’t wait for a new JSRF mind, more so with Ueda-san back at SEGA
A new Jet Set Radio is long overdue.
I didn’t play Crazy Taxi beyond the first game, but so much time has passed, there’s an opportunity to do something fresh with modern gameplay elements.
I don’t see what more you can do with Taxi, it was getting boring with the 2nd game. JSRF 2 on the other hand is long overdue and the team can just build on the world they already made with the OG Xbox game. Its nice to see SEGA Japan spending big on its classic IP again.
Still waiting for Skies of Arcadia 2…
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Huge announcement… new Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe, Shinobi, and Streets of Rage games, with these being just the beginning of an initiative to bring back past IPs.
Panzer Dragoon next? It’s starting to seem a lot more likely at this point.
Hold Crap. SEGA won TGA
Shinobi looks crap and like a flash game but Jet Set Radio and Taxi looked amazing and a real shock was the new Golden Axe game and how good it looked.
This is exciting. We haven’t had a new JSR for over twenty years. Jet Set Radio Future came out in 2002.
There was a spin off game that came out shortly after on GBA. Never played that one.
I remember playing the PS2 Shinobi game which was on 3D, so it’s interesting to see that this is reverting to 2D. I guess they are looking at the return of smaller budget 2D games and seeing if they can tap into that market. I don’t have a strong opinion on it so far.
Similarly with Golden Axe and Streets of Rage - no strong opinions there, although I think it’s good that Streets of Rage is attempting to work in 3D, since they just released a 2D sequel with Streets of Rage 4.
It’ll be interesting to see if Crazy Taxi changes up the formula much, or if it will play largely the same as the originals. Game worlds have gotten so much more expansive over the last twenty years; they have the option to open things out more, although that could be at the expense of the fast paced arcade style gameplay of the original.
It sure is nice to see some older Sega franchises receive new instalments besides Sonic. Hopefully we’ll see more classic franchises return - Panzer Dragoon (obviously), NiGHTS, Burning Rangers, Skies of Arcadia, Shining Force… there’s a lot that Sega could pull out of their treasure trove.
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My guess is that they’re outsourcing a lot of these projects. I wouldn’t be surprised, for example, if Lizardcube is behind the Shinobi game. I’m hoping that JSR is being done in house but I wonder if they can surpass Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (or get Hideki Naganuma)
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