Sega announces new Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage

[Zoyous]

After several years of rumors, Sega released a teaser trailer last night during The Game Awards announcing that new iterations of Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage ("and more") are currently in development.

 

 

New versions of Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Streets of Rage have been rumored for a while now, due in large part to their inclusion in confidential surveys that have leaked as well as scraps of information surrounding Sega's "Super Game" project that was announced a few years back. Leaked images and video from a Sega survey a couple of years ago showed variations of art direction style for a potential Jet Set Radio sequel, asking participants to choose their preferences.

 

The snippets shown in the teaser video seem to show the style they've settled on, with considerably higher poly characters rendered in a more detailed cel shaded style with additional illustrated effects (as seen in the thumbnail). It also looks like characters will be able to climb structures in addition to grinding, as we get a glimpse of Beat grinding, climbing, and tricking through an environment reminiscent of Dogenzaka Hill. We also see the updated DJ Professor K, now appearing once again in his younger form rather than his silver-haired JSRF iteration.

 

In the Crazy Taxi snippet we can see possible multiplayer gameplay and elements as Gina, Axel, and a new cabbie are pursued by a police car through an updated San Francisco-inspired map.

 

Shinobi appears to be 2D and hand-illustrated in a style similar to LizardCube and DotEmu's Streets of Rage 4, while the newest Streets of Rage is in 3D. And Golden Axe is also returning in 3D, reintroducing the multiplayer cast that was omitted from Beast Rider, the last entry in the series.

[Ross PK]

They look really great!

[Metal Ghost]

This was definitely one of my highlights from last night. Short of getting a Skies of Arcadia sequel or Panzer Dragoon Saga remake, this was every bit as good as I could’ve hoped for. 

[Emehr]

That was a really good trailer. I am super excited for a new Golden Axe game. I loved the original in the arcade and it was the first game I bought for my Genesis. That Shinobi game looks cool too.

[Zoyous]

From a Washington Post article today:

 

Quote

Sega co-chief operating officer and Sega of America CEO Shuji Utsumi said this is a strategy he initiated that’s finally bearing fruit. Utsumi was instrumental in launching Sony’s first PlayStation console and Sega’s last console, the Dreamcast.

Utsumi said when he returned to Sega four years ago, he found a “treasure trove” of intellectual property to revisit. Originally for Dreamcast, “Jet Set Radio” (2000) was an experimental game that mixed extreme sports, 3D platforming and graffiti art, a concept so unique it was only replicated earlier this year by another studio. [Referring to Bomb Rush Cyberfunk]
 

Utsumi said these legacy series can find second life now that the games industry has a captive global market large enough to sustain Sega’s weirder concepts. Utsumi has firsthand knowledge of testing strange concepts as co-founder of Q Entertainment, a studio behind games that played with the concept of synesthesia and dance music. [Rez, Child of Eden, Lumines]
 

“The concept of games like ‘Jet Set Radio’ is advanced. The original creators are involved again, and its time is now,” he said. “It’s a good time where people can appreciate all kinds of concepts.”

 

[Hwlngmad]

On 12/8/2023 at 11:51 AM, Zoyous said:

After several years of rumors, Sega released a teaser trailer last night during The Game Awards announcing that new iterations of Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage ("and more") are currently in development.

 

 

New versions of Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and Streets of Rage have been rumored for a while now, due in large part to their inclusion in confidential surveys that have leaked as well as scraps of information surrounding Sega's "Super Game" project that was announced a few years back. Leaked images and video from a Sega survey a couple of years ago showed variations of art direction style for a potential Jet Set Radio sequel, asking participants to choose their preferences.

 

The snippets shown in the teaser video seem to show the style they've settled on, with considerably higher poly characters rendered in a more detailed cel shaded style with additional illustrated effects (as seen in the thumbnail). It also looks like characters will be able to climb structures in addition to grinding, as we get a glimpse of Beat grinding, climbing, and tricking through an environment reminiscent of Dogenzaka Hill. We also see the updated DJ Professor K, now appearing once again in his younger form rather than his silver-haired JSRF iteration.

 

In the Crazy Taxi snippet we can see possible multiplayer gameplay and elements as Gina, Axel, and a new cabbie are pursued by a police car through an updated San Francisco-inspired map.

 

Shinobi appears to be 2D and hand-illustrated in a style similar to LizardCube and DotEmu's Streets of Rage 4, while the newest Streets of Rage is in 3D. And Golden Axe is also returning in 3D, reintroducing the multiplayer cast that was omitted from Beast Rider, the last entry in the series.

Excited to see how the new Crazy Taxi and Golden Axe games turn out to the be.

[Tanooki]

Simple put, I can not remember which year or even decade was the last time I saw a teaser video from a game company where every single last game (or even most) were something I'd pay for and knowingly enjoy if they didn't foul it up in the end.

 

I'm 100% on board with this.  This is the Sega I remember from the non-arrogant Genesis and Dreamcast days, bangers, showing off strong points, no stupid cheap digs and other bs.  The amount of nostalgia and hints in that first 30 seconds in that flat were pretty amusing too.

[roots.genoa]

I'm very cautiously optimistic about all this. The Shinobi game looks like it could be made by Lizardcube, so that's great, but I don't see the point in a new Streets of Rage, especially in 3D. Who's gonna do the soundtrack?? And the last 3D Golden Axe didn't go very well... 😅

[Zoyous]

In a Sega Sammy investor call yesterday, some new images (unfortunately not high resolution) were included as slides:

 

 

[Boschloo]

Sega da yo!

[Boschloo]

On 12/11/2023 at 12:35 PM, Tanooki said:

Simple put, I can not remember which year or even decade was the last time I saw a teaser video from a game company where every single last game (or even most) were something I'd pay for and knowingly enjoy if they didn't foul it up in the end.

 

I'm 100% on board with this.  This is the Sega I remember from the non-arrogant Genesis and Dreamcast days, bangers, showing off strong points, no stupid cheap digs and other bs.  The amount of nostalgia and hints in that first 30 seconds in that flat were pretty amusing too.

What I would love to see even more would be SEGA getting back into the hardware game, coming out with something to blow the PS5 out of the water...

 

...but for now this will do. 

[Tanooki]

Yeah no I most definitely think that is a terrible idea.  They're just not good at hardware, especially home hardware.  Arcade though they were really really good at that, but their chopped down home experience hardware largely just hasn't been as good as their competition, and for years just used the edgy half truth to lying ads and being loud to get people on their side enough to over look things in that space.  They have been largely for better or worse for some stretches of years excellent game makers, even if some had that sega jankiness to it, they were pretty to definitely solid outings.  I've been a second tier fan I guess of theirs for years now, had the hardware, still have the genesis/md stuff and a game gear, but that's it.  I do miss the master system, and the DC too(the only one I ever bought new) but some of their stuff I just would not touch ever again outside of emulation.

[5200Fanatic]

I'd rather see them release new/updated arcade racers.

[Boschloo]

11 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Yeah no I most definitely think that is a terrible idea.

What.

You use a lot of negatively-associated words.

[jerseystyle]

19 hours ago, Boschloo said:

What I would love to see even more would be SEGA getting back into the hardware game, coming out with something to blow the PS5 out of the water...

 

...but for now this will do. 

The hardware business is what nearly killed them. There is no upside for them to try to get back into that, especially now that their software side is on the upswing.

[Boschloo]

6 minutes ago, jerseystyle said:

The hardware business is what nearly killed them. There is no upside for them to try to get back into that, especially now that their software side is on the upswing.

We're living in different times. I think they'd have the hang of it by now. But, I guess not being in the hardware business is what makes it possible for them to be producing way more than just games...they even sell cookies.

[BydoEmpire]

Wow, Golden Axe looks a lot better than I had expected. Definitely interested.

[Austin]

1 hour ago, Boschloo said:

I think they'd have the hang of it by now.

They don't have the money. That's ultimately what it came down to back in the day and why they exited the hardware business.

 

Not to mention hardware costs are astronomically higher today than they were in 1998. To get into it at the same level as Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, you need to have billions of dollars, not millions like Sega is probably worth today (if they are even worth that).

Edited December 22, 2023 by Austin

[Boschloo]

10 minutes ago, Austin said:

They don't have the money. That's ultimately what it came down to back in the day and why they exited the hardware business.

 

Not to mention hardware costs are astronomically higher today than they were in 1998. To get into it at the same level as Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, you need to have billions of dollars, not millions like Sega is probably worth today (if they are even worth that).

If you'll excuse my magical thinking there for a second, it's just that most consoles are just little PCs inside a plastic box. I liked how Sega thought outside of the box, pun intended, with both the Sega Saturn and Dreamcast.

Unfortunately, Elon Musk isn't buying Sega and turning it around.

[GraffitiTavern]

On 12/8/2023 at 12:51 PM, Zoyous said:

After several years of rumors, Sega released a teaser trailer last night during The Game Awards announcing that new iterations of Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage ("and more") are currently in development.

1. Just a great teaser, looking forward to gaming in 2024 between this and the Switch 2

2. Excited to play new versions of the Dreamcast games! I would have preferred the Beat 'em ups be 2D a la Streets of Rage 4, Shredder's Revenge, Castle Crashers etc, but I won't complain

8 hours ago, Austin said:

Not to mention hardware costs are astronomically higher today than they were in 1998. To get into it at the same level as Microsoft, Sony or Nintendo, you need to have billions of dollars, not millions like Sega is probably worth today (if they are even worth that).

Their current valuation is ~$3 billion, but their actual cash on hand is presumably a lot lower. (Persona and Yakuza are very big modern series) Personally I want another player in the hardware business directly competing, and there are plenty of companies which theoretically could, but there are far easier, far less risky ways of making money.

https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/sgamy/market-cap/

7 hours ago, Boschloo said:

Unfortunately, Elon Musk isn't buying Sega and turning it around.

I'm personally quite happy about Musk staying away from gaming, so I don't have to pay $3 a month for SEGA Blue to play Super Monkey Ball

[Astro Rabby]

Never been interested in Jet Set Radio

I LOVE Crazy Taxi but idk if I'd pay $60 for an arcade game, the new one better have a lot going for it, or be a budget title.

Shinobi could be cool

and as for the last two, I've never been a fan of beat em up's but that brief glimpse of Golden Axe looks awesome, maybe more of an adventure game?

[Tanooki]

I don't think CT is an arcade mode game, it may have an arcade mode, but the video also shows a need for speed hot pursuit mode with a rampaging cop car as well.  They've really rounded the game out with some more experiences it seems.  I do agree though if there's not a lot to a game a nice budget friendly $30-40 would be wise.