Core Design originally pitched the game to Sega as a potential fourth entry in Sega's "Streets of Rage" series. Sega declined; according to Core, Sega explained that it had its own plans for continuing the series. Core opted to go ahead with the game as a standalone, multi-platform title, and started work on it. In addition to the PlayStation, Windows, and Nintendo 64 versions, a Sega Saturn version was developed and eventually completed. After Eidos decided against publishing this version, Sega Europe secured the publishing rights and announced a European release date of November 1997, but was cancelled. An early prototype, with older character designs, was leaked in November 2008.