Sega says the next big-budget return to Crazy Taxi will be an open-world massively multiplayer game.
A new developer interview video released today includes quotes from the Sega team behind the upcoming reboot, as well as brief overlays of in-game footage. There are clips of several yellow taxis racing against each other and being chased by police cars.
Job ad at Sega Recruitment Page Note that the game is being developed using the Unreal Engine and Sega has high expectations for the game’s global success. The publisher has previously described the scope of the project as “AAA”, indicating that it is putting a lot of resources into the project.
According to a translation of quotes from the development team (new video above, in Japanese), Sega is currently testing how Crazy Taxi’s traditional gameplay will work in multiplayer with unspecified new mechanics. (These are game mechanics, not people with wrenches.) The game’s map is once again inspired by the sunny West Coast of the United States, a play area that feels like an amusement park (thanks, the robot)
Sega’s new Crazy Taxi project was among five new titles in the classic franchise announced last December, along with the new additions of Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Ax and Streets of Rage due to be released in the next few years. (I’m pretty sure Skies of Arcadia is right after…right, Sega?)
The publisher says it wants to find the next breakout series from its vast back catalog after turning mascot Sonic into a strong brand.
