Having first appeared in arcades in 1999, 'Crazy Taxi' is breaking a long hiatus to return with a brand-new title. Slated for release in 2027, 'Crazy Taxi: World Tour' inherits the franchise's signature exhilarating driving while expanding the original's short, repetitive arcade gameplay into a larger-scale title, adding a story campaign where protagonist Axel travels across cities worldwide alongside the series' first online multiplayer.

At Gamescom 2026, additional details about the new game were revealed, including a new stage set in 'Germany' and multiplayer supporting up to six players. At the Sega booth during Gamescom 2026, we met Producer Kenji Kanno, who has led the series since the original 'Crazy Taxi', to talk about 'Crazy Taxi: World Tour'—from why the series is being revived after so long to changes in controls and timers, the reasons for setting the game across the globe, multiplayer, and music.

Q: What made you return to 'Crazy Taxi' after all this time?

Kenji Kanno: The biggest reason is that various timings aligned. I personally had the desire to bring back a classic title in this format, and my boss at the time also suggested making it again in a new form.

Around the same time, there was also a movement within the company to revive classic titles. I recall it being around 2022 or 2023, when a lineup of several titles was revealed at TGA. As all these timings lined up, momentum gathered to bring 'Crazy Taxi' back to the world.

What was your highest priority when turning the original's short arcade gameplay into a longer game?

Kenji Kanno: To turn 'Crazy Taxi', which was previously arcade-focused content, into a console title this time, I felt we needed to build a solid story-driven campaign mode.

Until now, 'Crazy Taxi' was a game where players vaguely imagined and absorbed the world while playing. This time, I wanted to provide a concrete background for that world, allowing players to enjoy the world of 'Crazy Taxi' on a deeper level.

How did you maintain the simple feel of the original controls while adding new mechanics?

Kenji Kanno: The old arcade style demanded fairly technical controls. It was a game that required mastery. On the other hand, there were opinions that many modern players want more casual controls, and that feedback came from the younger members of our team as well.

So through much trial and error, we developed the new control scheme. We first recreated the feel of the original controls, and then played together with younger team members to continuously discuss what balance felt right and what control scheme was suitable. Repeating that process brought us to the current form.

Why did you keep the timer even though running out of time no longer results in a Game Over?

Kenji Kanno: Not all content has a timer. For example, if you select a specific mode in the campaign to pick up passengers and drop them off at their destination, a timer appears, challenging you to complete it within a set time limit.

Looking at the game as a whole, players can drive around at their leisure as they wish and explore the city regardless of time to choose what missions or playstyle they want to pursue. We didn't design the game to force players to be bound by time. For content where a time limit adds to the fun, we included a timer, while other content can be enjoyed without worrying about time.

How does multiplayer work? How many players participate, and how do you win?

Kenji Kanno: Multiplayer supports up to 6 players, and we have prepared two main types of content.

One is 'Pickup Race', where the core rules of 'Crazy Taxi' are tweaked so multiple players compete like a race. The other is an asymmetrical mode where players are split between police and taxis to face off.

We are also conducting a cross-network test starting September 13. Since this provides an opportunity to actually play the game, I think playing it yourself will make it much easier to understand than listening to my explanation. Applications are open until August 31, so we hope many people sign up.

What did you consider the core of "Crazy Taxi-style competition" while developing multiplayer?

Kenji Kanno: This doesn't apply only to multiplayer, but even if the game appears on the surface to be very chaotic and wild, it's important that well-designed game rules exist underneath. While it looks like you're playing freely, you are actually enjoying a structured game within clear rules—that is the fundamental design of 'Crazy Taxi'. We prioritized that aspect in multiplayer as well.

Especially in the mode split between police and taxis, we wanted to highlight the fun of team play. It was important to us to create an experience where players can feel the enjoyment of teamwork while competing against each other.

You mentioned that five cities will appear. Aside from West Coast and Germany, what other cities will feature?

Kenji Kanno: We plan to announce those in the future. Please stay tuned and look forward to it.

Why did you divide the five cities into separate regions rather than building one giant open world?

Kenji Kanno: The five cities do not exist connected as a single open world, but rather independently.

What we wanted to convey most was the feeling of traveling all around the world. Because we wanted to deliver that user experience to players, we intentionally refrained from making it a single open world. The main reason was our desire to provide an experience that is hard to find in other games.

Q: The thrill of ignoring traffic laws and driving wildly like in the original seems important. How much freedom will players have to utilize or destroy the cities this time?

Kenji Kanno: Naturally, everything you enjoyed in previous titles can be enjoyed in this entry as well. And I believe even greater fun awaits. To that question, I'd like to answer, "Yes, and even more than that."

Q: Will the original music from The Offspring and Bad Religion return? What will be the ratio between classic tracks and new music?

Kenji Kanno: I'd like to surprise everyone with that a bit later, so I won't comment on it today. When the right time comes, we have details prepared that you'll find quite interesting, so please hang tight a little longer.

(Does that mean there will also be new music?)

No comment. (Laughs)

Q: What was your biggest concern when trying to satisfy both returning fans and first-time players?

Kenji Kanno: Rather than a concern, the hardest part during development was choosing what to keep and what to change.

Our team made the game by engaging in continuous discussions between younger members and older members like myself to polish it into good shape. Through that process, we solved various challenges, but ultimately deciding what to preserve and what to innovate was the most difficult part.

Q: Finally, do you have a message for Korean fans who have been waiting for 'Crazy Taxi'?

Kenji Kanno: Korea and Japan are close neighbors, and while we are making this game in Japan, I truly hope players in Korea will enjoy this title.

To the Korean fans who experienced 'Crazy Taxi' in the past, I want to say thank you for waiting so long. I hope you enjoy this entry to your heart's content. To those encountering 'Crazy Taxi' for the first time, I want to let you know that exciting content like this exists, and I hope you give it a try.

We are also conducting a cross-network test on September 13, so we would appreciate it if you try it out then first.