Sega confirms Crazy Taxi World Tour for 2027 release with original creator Kenji Kanno
The Japanese publisher is refreshing its greatest hits for a new generation, with original creator Kenji Kanno leading the development of the title scheduled for next year.
Sega has officially announced Crazy Taxi World Tour, a remake of the 1999 arcade racing staple, with a confirmed launch window in 2027. The project is being developed under the creative direction of Kenji Kanno, the original creator of the franchise, who serves as the game’s creative producer. This release forms part of Sega’s broader strategy to revitalise its most iconic franchises for modern audiences, presenting them in widescreen formats that honour their arcade origins.
The core premise remains unchanged, requiring players to transport passengers in the iconic yellow taxi to achieve high scores through unhinged driving. However, the new iteration expands significantly on the original’s scope. The game features a vibrant open world populated by dense traffic and pedestrians, alongside a "nighttime permutation" for each driving region. Kanno has also confirmed the inclusion of a story mode, aiming to provide deeper engagement for fans accustomed to contemporary gaming standards.
New gameplay mechanics introduce a fishing system and a "back dash" ability. In a demonstration of the fishing mini-game, players utilise the taxi’s momentum to cast a line into the ocean, requiring a back dash maneuver to reel in catches ranging from pufferfish to a pirate ship’s wheel. This mechanic serves as a tutorial for the back dash, which is also utilised in other chaotic side quests that draw comparisons to the eccentric missions found in Sega’s Yakuza series.
The soundtrack is expected to be a major selling point, addressing a common criticism of previous console versions that lost key music licenses. The demo featured The Offspring’s track "All I Want," and Kanno has advised players to keep expectations high regarding the full roster of artists. While specific details on the complete lineup remain unconfirmed, the inclusion of licensed music from the original arcade era is central to the game’s identity.
Players will also benefit from an "off the clock" option, allowing them to exit spontaneous activities and resume free-roaming driving without interruption. While some demo activities, such as time-attack speed challenges, were noted to be brief, the final scope of these "mad tasks" remains to be fully detailed. Sega has not provided a specific day for the 2027 launch but has solidified the year of release for this highly anticipated return to form.
