BODY: Fares, floor it: Sega's arcade-drift comeback is finally letting fans behind the wheel. The publisher has opened recruitment for a closed network test of Crazy Taxi: World Tour, the newest entry in its long-dormant chaos-driving franchise.
The test runs from September 12 to 14, 2026, and participants will get hands-on time with two distinct game modes. The first, Pickup Race, appears to build on the series' signature loop—grabbing passengers and hurtling them to their destinations against the clock. The second, Police Chase, adds a pursuit dynamic that suggests Sega is expanding the formula beyond the classic fare-hunting sprint the series is known for.
Details on platforms and the scale of the network test remain limited, and interested players will need to register during the recruitment window to be considered for a slot. As a closed test, access will be selective rather than open to all comers—so this is a limited early look at how the multiplayer-leaning "World Tour" concept holds up under live conditions.
The return of Crazy Taxi has been one of Sega's more closely watched revival projects, part of a broader push to resurrect dormant Super Games-era brands. A network test at this stage signals the project is far enough along for online infrastructure and matchmaking to be stress-tested—a meaningful milestone for a franchise that has been mostly idle since the mid-2000s.
The insider take
From Tokyo, this reads as Sega hedging its bets smartly. The original Crazy Taxi was a single-player arcade icon, so leaning into "network" modes like Police Chase reflects the reality of the modern Japanese market, where live-service and competitive hooks drive retention. Sega has stumbled before when reviving legacy IP without a clear online hook, and a closed test lets the team gather feedback quietly before the domestic gaming press—and the nostalgic fanbase—render judgment. Expect the mode names to evolve based on what testers report.
Originally reported by 4Gamer.net − 最新記事 (Japanese).