SEGA of America has recently announced a major initiative to breathe new life into some of its most cherished classic video game franchises. This initiative involves the development of new titles from five of the company’s legacy series: Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe, Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, and Streets of Rage. These iconic games are set to be reimagined for contemporary audiences, promising a blend of nostalgia and modern gaming experiences, and will hopefully serve as fully-fledged sequels or reimaginings than just ports with a little something extra.
Shuji Utsumi, Co-COO of SEGA Corporation and CEO of SEGA of America, highlighted the success of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise as a catalyst for this new direction, sharing:
In recent years, Sonic the Hedgehog has forged new paths for SEGA, bringing the franchise to life and reaching new audiences in ways we had only dreamed of in the past. Building off that success, we are digging into our legacy and reimagining several franchises to bring these games to more audiences around the globe.
Today’s announcement is just the start of our initiative. First and foremost, our ambition will be to create great games with memorable characters and worlds. We hope fans of all ages will look towards our future with anticipation as we release these projects in the coming years.
The upcoming titles span various genres and are in different stages of development, with releases planned over the next few years. For those unaware about some or all of the aforementioned IPs, cross down for quick one sentence summaries of their core gameplay experience:
- Crazy Taxi: Known for its high-energy, fast-paced driving adventures, where players race against time to deliver passengers in a bustling cityscape.
- Golden Axe: A classic “hack and slash” series featuring melee combat in a fantastical world filled with magic and mythical creatures.
- Jet Set Radio: Set in Tokyo-to, combines action, skating, graffiti art, and a strong street culture theme.
- Shinobi: A game that offers a mix of side-scrolling action and challenging environments, where players utilize ninja skills to overcome adversaries.
- Streets of Rage: Known for its “beat ’em up” style, this series pairs intense fistfighting action with distinctive urban settings and music.
SEGA of America plans to share more details about these games, including official titles, release dates, and platforms, in the future.
