Reported Jet Set Radio Reboot Sounds like a Nightmare
I was a lazy person who spent a lot of time on Jet Set Radio Future, my original Xbox. The idea of a series reboot is fascinating to me. But the context in which it is supposedly happening gives me cause for concern.
Bloomberg reports that Sega plans to revive Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, and other popular series “search for global hits like Epic Games Inc.’s Fortnite.” Sega’s “Super Game Initiative last year would see these reboots. These are games that the company plans to continue developing with the goal of continued growth. It wants the Super Game brand games to generate 100 billion yen (USD 800 million) each. This is what I have trouble visualizing for Jet Set radio or Crazy taxi. They would at least be recognizable to long-dormant franchise fans in their current forms.
There is a lot to be absorbed here. It is important to remember that any Jet Set Radioreboot expected to bring in such a large amount of money will undoubtedly be rife with monetary schemes to achieve that profit level. It could take the form of microtransactions. However, it could also be where Sega begins putting NFTs into its games to facilitate these numbers. It is hard to imagine a Jet Set radio making that much money unless an NFT apologist offers millions of dollars for a graffiti tag or other bullshit.
Although we don’t yet know the exact form, Sega returning to dormant series like Jet Set Radio and Crazy Taxi to make a profit that could bring in millions feels like it is going back into properties, it hasn’t invested in. It doesn’t care about people’s backlash for using skewed monetary schemes. The Super Game initiative, which centers on brands such as these, sounds like a hit-and-run business model.
It allows for large upfront profits but has fewer long-term implications for big franchises. Imagine a Sonic the Hedgehog (the games may not be great all the time, but the series remains well-regarded by many) or Yakuzagame released under this umbrella, causing damage to a brand with goodwill. Sega’s money machines would suffer a severe blow. This is the worst-case scenario for a return of Jet Set Radio. Bomb Rush Cryptofunk will likely be available.
