Here’s What’s Coming Next For Tokyo Xtreme Racer

Genki reveals exciting plans for Tokyo Xtreme Racer’s future, including new cars, expanded tuning, additional game modes, and possible expansions and sequels.

Highway racing fans were delivered a welcome surprise in late 2024 when Genki announced Tokyo Xtreme Racer’s comeback.

Following an 18-year break, the series returned to the scene soon after with an Early Access release on January 23, 2025.

To the further surprise of many, the initial reception was impressive, especially for a smaller title. Just two days after launch, it peaked at 15,824 concurrent players – an awesome start for a series that’s been dormant for so long.

Since then, series developers, Genki, has been hard at work fulfilling their promises of bug fixes and working with the fans to iron out other issues.

We’ve already seen three updates – Ver.0.10.2, Ver.0.10.3, and Ver.0.10.4 – and it’s clear they’re taking the player feedback seriously, which is always great to see with an Early Access title.

However, while they’ve delivered many improvements, eager players (myself included) couldn’t put the game down, churning through the Early Access content in just a few days.

The lack of content/replayability has recently led to a dip in player numbers, which now average closer to 1,800.

Although this drop from the initial peak might sound disappointing, it’s still almost double the average player count of Assetto Corsa EVO, which currently sits closer to 1,000.

Genki hosted an AMA on Reddit to answer fans’ questions and build excitement for the upcoming content and the full game release. They were fairly open about future plans, although some topics (like the controversial Honda situation) have yet to be fully confirmed.

The team shares glimpses of what’s coming next, from potential new features to the possible return of fan-favorite elements.

Let’s dive into the most interesting talking points from the AMA and see what the near future has in store for Tokyo Xtreme Racer!

Is Honda Making A Comeback?

“Still in negotiation with Honda!”

This has been one of the most frequently asked questions about Tokyo Xtreme Racer and was the subject of early rumors/leaks that made it look likely. However, seeing Genki acknowledge the potential inclusion is exciting news for Honda fans.

Currently, the game features licensed models from the most important JDM manufacturers, such as Nissan, Toyota, and Mazda. This has left Honda’s absence noticeable, with many fans begging for the popular brand to be added.

Hopefully, we’ll soon have the opportunity to once again tear up the highways in the NSX or Civic Type R! While it’s not a done deal yet, the ongoing negotiations are certainly promising.

Other Potential Car Manufacturers/Models

Alongside Honda, Genki is looking beyond Japanese shores to bring more diversity to the Tokyo highways in future updates.

“We are also negotiating with international car brands as well,” they revealed, hinting at some exciting possibilities.

But what about specific models? Genki’s keeping their cards close to their chest for now, but they did drop a few subtle hints.

“The return of R33 GTST and R34 GTT are currently TBD,” they shared, referring to the popular Nissan Skyline models. The unlicensed R33/R34 equivalents were staples in earlier games, and their return would be a nostalgic treat.

VIP enthusiasts could have something to look forward to as well. When asked about including luxury rides, Genki stated that their “addition of VIP style cars and parts are currently TBD.”

We look forward to rolling up in a modified Century or President with perfect stance and a huge selection of custom VIP parts!

They also mentioned, “No cars are planned as DLC at the moment, but we’ll inform the community if this plan changes.”

They’re also considering shaking up the rival system, stating, “There is a possibility rivals return driving different vehicles“.

However, despite a lot of TBDs, a few ideas were dismissed. For example, convertibles are off the table for now, though Genki’s “looking at potentially adding other types of cars to the game.”

Unfortunately for American muscle fans, the Dodge Viper seen in earlier games isn’t likely to make a reappearance. For JDM enthusiasts, it’s the same story for the Nissan Sil80/Sileighty (the Silvia front-end converted 180SX).

New Tuning/Customization Features

Genki’s listening to what the fans want, and they plan to add more tuning and customization options soon.

“Exhaust customizations are being reviewed considering technical feasibility along with workload and dev time.”

They’re also considering adding more options for headlights, taillights, and various aero parts. Plus, pop-up headlights might be coming, too – a feature that old-school car lovers will definitely appreciate.

“Additional aero customizations were part of the original plan and are being looked into,” they confirmed. This includes more options for existing cars like the MK3 Toyota Supra.

In an interesting twist, Genki mentioned, “We are currently looking into allowing players to drive non-drivable traffic cars.”

They’re even thinking about adding roll cages to the mix. They said it “would definitely be an interesting addition to the game.”

While many of these cool features aren’t 100% confirmed yet, it’s fantastic to see Genki considering so many potential options.

Expanding The Rival Roster

As stated since day one, they’re planning to significantly boost the number of competitors in the game. Here’s what they’ve shared about the new and returning rivals so far:

“We are expecting around 200 additional rivals once early access is over”

While not a new surprise, it should add plenty of variety for those who quickly completed the Early Access version. Hopefully we’ll get some insanely challenging rivals (that don’t get nerfed!)

When asked about the return of classic teams like Little Gang and Galaxy Racers, Genki responded: “There is a possibility for older teams to make a comeback, but cannot promise anything at the moment“.

Regarding the return of the “???”/Unknown/Devil Z final boss from previous games, they stated, “Please stay tuned we’d love to see them return too!”

The response leaves the door open for speculation and suggests they plan on bringing back some fan favorites. Here’s to hoping!

The Return Of Time Attack

“We have been looking into a time attack mode, we’ll keep the community posted on the progress we make.”

Finally, some good news without a “TBD” attached! Time Attack seems to be making its comeback, providing the opportunity to battle the clock instead of just rival racers.

Previous titles like Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero and DRIFT 2 featured dedicated leaderboards and record tracking for this mode. Import Tuner Challenge even spiced things up with time-based rival challenges.

We’re looking forward to seeing how Genki implements Time Attack in the new game. Will they stick to the classic format or introduce new twists? Either way, it’ll add some welcome replayability.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer Console Release

“Console version is TBD”

Meh. No further answers here, which will be a blow to console fans.

The series debuted on Dreamcast in 1999, then found a home on PS2 with entries like “Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Zero” (2001) and “Tokyo Xtreme Racer 3” (2003).

The last console release was “Import Tuner Challenge” for Xbox 360 in 2006. Unfortunately, despite many fans requesting it, there has been radio silence on the console front since then.

It would’ve been nice to get a positive answer here, but at least console versions aren’t entirely out of the question. The strong console roots and popularity outside of PC will hopefully encourage Genki to consider bringing TXR to modern-day Xbox and PlayStation consoles.

Many fans (myself included) hope to relive those late-night Dreamcast sessions on modern hardware. Games like TXR are a perfect match for chilling out on the sofa rather than needing to be on the gaming rig.

Day/Night Cycle

“A day/night cycle is being evaluated, but there are technical challenges”

Thankfully, third-party creators have already made this one possible, and you can check it out among our favorite TXR mods.

Oil/Water Temp (And Similar Features)

“We are currently looking into adding oil and water temperature features”

Although it might seem like a minor feature, many fans of the original games have been requesting this addition.

Photo Mode Gets Confirmed

“A photo mode will be added”

Another welcome addition! Photo modes have become a staple in modern games, allowing you to capture and share your favorite moments or customized rides.

Steam Achievements

Genki confirmed that “Steam Achievements will be implemented“. They also assured that “all progress from the early access build will carry over to the final version“.

New Game+ Mode

The team is considering adding a New Game Plus mode for players who complete the main game, allowing them to start over and extending the replayability. This is another feature currently available with third-party mods if you don’t want to wait.

New Areas/Highways

They’re considering “expanding to new areas of Tokyo that connect to the C1“. While they’d “love to expand to other parts of Tokyo,” they aren’t ready to commit to a timeline just yet.

Alongside this, Genki also mentioned, “There are no plans to add Nagoya and Osaka in the current game, but we are looking into adding these locations in future sequels“.

The future of the series seemingly depends on how well the game sells and what players ask for most. Since they also stated, “TXR is selling more than we expected!” it certainly looks promising.

Talking of a possible sequel, there was also another interesting hint…

Promising Signs Of A Kaido Battle Return

Genki stole the words from fans’ mouths by proclaiming, “We would love to see the return of Kaido Battle“.

The spin-off series, known as Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Drift in the West, focused on touge racing (and drifting!) rather than highway battles. Think TXR, but with twisty, narrow mountain passes and plenty of sideways action.

Needless to say – we’re pretty hyped for this one!

However, they emphasized that this depends on “continued support from our fans!” (Hint: make sure you buy TXR if you want more sideways touge action!)

What Isn’t Likely To Feature In The Final Version

As you probably guessed, not everything fans want will make it into the final game, and Genki was pretty clear about some features that aren’t likely to be coming.

“We know our fans want this, but online battle mode will likely not make it in this game.”

This is a hefty blow for those hoping to race against friends.

Despite cockpit teasers in the trailers, they confirmed, “Sorry, as much as we would love to, there is no plan for cockpit view in this game“.

While disappointing, a third-party cockpit cam is included with the VR mod, albeit a basic one.

“No plan for a mobile version of this game“.

Don’t expect to take your highway battles on the go anytime soon – Genki’s focusing solely on the PC release for now. Check out our collection of free mobile games if you’re keen on some mobile gaming action.

Drift Hunters MAX (suitable for premium devices) and Drift Hunters 2025 (suited for lower-spec devices) are two of the most popular choices and are highly recommended!

As mentioned previously, it looks unlikely that American muscle fans will see the iconic Dodge Viper return to Tokyo’s highways. Unfortunately, the same is true for the Nissan Sil80.

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