The video game company Sega conjures certain imagery in the mind. The Genesis, Yakuza, Sonic the Hedgehog. But if you are a Dreamcast fan, you’ll remember hit series like Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio. These franchises have been dormant for many years. However, Sega is now reportedly interested in creating a reboot for both Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio. Sega would like the titles to be as popular as Fortnite.
Both new entries to the respective IPs would be part of the Super Game initiative, which involves a strategic partnership between Sega and Microsoft to leverage the Azure cloud platform to facilitate game development. (Such games would not be exclusive to Microsoft platforms.) These games are all about a constant stream of revenue and big online communities — live-service games, in other words. The reboots will be big-budget and may embrace the free-to-play model, which encourages players to invest money in in-game purchases.
The Crazy Taxi reboot has already been in development for over a year. Sega is looking to release it in two-to-three years. The Jet Set Radio reboot has less solid information on it but is similarly in an early stage of production. Both titles could still be canceled at any time, so gamers hoping for their resurgence may want to wait with bated breath. Sega has not officially announced either reboot at this time.
Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio are inventive games that are a lot of fun to play, so I hope they make a comeback. However, I am wary of the Fortnite model. It would be a shame for Sega to bring back these beloved franchises only to chase the almighty dollar and take away what made each of them special.
