Sega confirms Jet Set Radio reboot will bring back original creators

Jet Set Radio reboot news just keeps getting better and better. Not only does it exist, but Sega has revealed that the original creators of the classic games are a part of it.

It has been 20 years since we got a Jet Set Radio game and many fans of the cult classic rollerblading revolution weren’t sure we’d get another. The series was dormant for so long that Team Reptile gave us a spiritual successor to fill the void.

The Jet Set-inspired BombRush Cyberfunk made it onto our list of Game Awards absentees that are still worth a playthrough. So, imagine our surprise when at The Game Awards 2023, we saw an actual Jet Set Radio game thanks to Sega’s Power Surge trailer.

A Jet Set Radio reboot announcement was not on our 2023 bingo card but for fans of the franchise, it’s a welcome surprise. In an interview with The Washington Post, Sega Co-Chief Operating Officer and Sega of America CEO Shuji Utsumi shared even more welcome news by confirming that the original creators of Jet Set Radio have a hand in the reboot.

Utsumi told The Washington Post that he believed there was no better time for a Jet Set Radio revival. In order to do the title justice, Sega has tapped series veterans to keep this newest entry true to the framework that turned the games into the cult classics they are.

“The concept of games like Jet Set Radio is advanced. The original creators are involved again, and it’s time now,” Utsuimi explained. “It’s a good time when people can appreciate all kinds of concepts.”

Of course, The Jet Set radio reboot isn’t the only title on the horizon for Sega. The Power Surge trailer also showed off brief snippets for new incarnations of other company classics like Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe, Shinobi, and more.

Utsumi explained in the interview that Sega has relied on the three core “pillars” of Sonic, Yakuza, and Persona in recent years. While these have served the company well, the games shown off in the Power Surge trailer look to signal potential avenues for expansion.

Little else is currently known about the Jet Set Radio reboot or the other games shown off by Sega at The Game Awards 2023. The massive roster of games coming for the company is certainly good news for fans of these classic titles though.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for more information on the games revealed in Sega’s Power Surge trailer. Expect more news after Persona 3 Reload has had time to settle following its release on February 2, 2024.