Sega's return to Crazy Taxi got a mixed reception after its reveal at the Xbox Games Showcase on 7 June, ComicBook reports, because the Steam page for Crazy Taxi: World Tour states that generative AI was used in its development. The series started in arcades in 1999 and has not had a new main entry on consoles since Crazy Taxi 3 on the original Xbox; World Tour is also the first in the series confirmed to involve generative AI. The nostalgic trailer landed well; it was fans rushing to wishlist the game on Steam who spotted the notice.
Steam requires developers to disclose generative AI use, and Sega's notice says it treats the technology as a support tool so its developers can concentrate on creative work, adding that no AI was used in connection with the game's performers. When Game Informer asked for more detail, Sega said the tools helped its teams develop background assets and that the team reviewed them, which suggests some generated material will appear in the game. ComicBook notes that, like most such statements, Sega's is vague, and fans were quick to question its wording.
Some fans called it a dealbreaker, with one user on the series' subreddit thanking Sega "for nothing", and several said they would go back to the older games instead; others argued that most studios probably use some AI now and gave Sega credit for saying so up front, when a number of recent games only admitted it after players caught them. Many say they will wait to see how much of the finished game is affected. World Tour is due in 2027 on PC via Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.
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