Crazy Taxi: World Tour shows off multiplayer and opens network test sign-ups

SEGA has released a new multiplayer trailer for Crazy Taxi: World Tour and opened registrations for an upcoming closed network test. The short teaser shows multiple cabs drifting through city streets and launching off ramps simultaneously, giving a first look at how the reboot handles online play.

As previously reported, the game was initially teased during The Game Awards in December 2023 as part of a massive legacy revival initiative. SEGA fully revealed the World Tour title in mid-2026. The new trailer confirms a 2027 release window. It is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Xbox on PC. The Xbox versions will support the Play Anywhere program.

Leaving the solo arcade roots behind

The original 1999 arcade release and its early Dreamcast sequels were strictly solo time-attack games. Directed by Kenji Kanno and developed by Hitmaker, the classic formula was simple. You picked up a passenger, ignored all local traffic laws, and tried to reach the destination before the timer expired. It was a massive commercial success, largely due to its frantic score-attack pacing and a licensed punk-rock soundtrack featuring The Offspring and Bad Religion.

World Tour changes that structure entirely. Instead of a lone driver terrorizing a static map, the new game is an open-world multiplayer experience spanning multiple international cities. Players share the roads in real time. This means you can execute cooperative stunts or actively compete against other drivers for the same fares.

I am curious how the physics engine will handle the inevitable chaos of four cabs fighting over a single pedestrian. The original games were unpredictable enough with just one car bouncing off buses. Adding other humans to the mix changes the math completely.

Network test sign-ups are live

SEGA is preparing to stress test the new multiplayer infrastructure. Players can register for the closed network test at crazytaxi.sega.com right now. The publisher has not announced exact dates for when the servers will actually go live, but the test will be the first time the public gets hands-on time with the reboot.

The trailer features modern renditions of classic character archetypes, heavily inspired by original drivers like Axel and B.D. Joe. The visual style retains the bright, saturated arcade look of the Sega NAOMI era, but updates the lighting and particle effects for modern hardware.

The franchise has been mostly dormant for over a decade, relegated to mobile spin-offs and handheld ports after Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller launched in 2002. SEGA is currently bringing back several dormant properties at once, including Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, and Golden Axe. The 2027 launch is still a ways off, but the upcoming network test will show how the classic arcade driving translates to a modern online environment.