Sega Announces Crazy Taxi World Tour, Sparks Backlash Over AI Use
▼ Summary
– Sega announced the rebooted *Crazy Taxi: World Tour*, launching in 2027 on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.
– The game features the original driver Alex and a San Francisco-inspired map, with side activities like a fishing mini-game and delivering pizzas.
– Sega confirmed on the game’s Steam page that it used generative AI as a development support tool, stating no AI was used for performers.
– Player resistance to generative AI is widespread due to concerns about lack of artistry, environmental impact, and training models on stolen work.
– The reboot is part of Sega’s 2023 plan to revive five classic franchises, including Golden Axe and Jet Set Radio, while a related ‘super-game’ project was recently canceled.
Sega’s big Crazy Taxi reveal at the Xbox showcase has been overshadowed by a major controversy over generative AI use in game development. The newly unveiled Crazy Taxi: World Tour trailer brought a wave of excitement, but a disclosure on the game’s Steam page has sparked significant backlash.
The long-awaited reboot is officially set to hit Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X in 2027. The trailer showcases the familiar San Francisco-inspired map, now rendered in stunning, sun-drenched detail. Players step into the shoes of the original driver, Alex, competing against rival cabbies to earn the biggest fares. A few quirky side activities also made an appearance, with a fishing mini-game and a chaotic pizza-delivery mission standing out as early highlights.
However, the mood soured quickly. On the game’s Steam page, Sega posted a statement confirming that generative AI was used as a support tool during development. The company explained that it uses AI to help developers focus on creative tasks while delivering better content to players. The statement also clarified that no AI was used in reference to any performers in the game.
This places Sega among a growing number of studios experimenting with genAI, even as many others publicly reject the technology. Player resistance remains fierce. Consumers are pushing back against AI-generated content due to concerns over lack of artistic integrity, the environmental toll of AI processing, and the fact that many models are trained on stolen work from artists without consent or compensation.
The Crazy Taxi reboot has been on fans’ radars since Sega announced plans to revive five classic franchises at The Game Awards in 2023. Alongside Crazy Taxi, the list included Golden Axe, Shinobi, Streets of Rage, and Jet Set Radio. While most of these series have seen recent revisits, the ambitious ‘super-game’ announced at the same event was recently shut down internally at Sega.
(Source: Eurogamer.net)
