Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Teases Characters from Other “Sega Universes”

During yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play, Sega shared the first gameplay trailer for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, a new entry in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Fans have been eagerly awaiting details about the game since it was announced back in December, and now Sega is starting to reveal a lot more information. While yesterday’s trailer did not showcase any characters outside the Sonic franchise, a PlayStation Blog post from Sega of America associate PR manager Thalia Piedra did offer hope for those wanting to see the company’s other characters show up.

In the post, Piedra says that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is “introducing a unique gameplay mechanic transporting the iconic characters from the Sonic and Sega universes into new dimensions.” That wording seems to suggest that it won’t just be Sonic and friends appearing in the game when it releases later this year. The game’s central hook of crossing between universes would also seem like a perfect way to add tracks from other Sega properties. However, until the developers actually pull back the curtain on some non-Sonic racers, fans should temper their expectations.

In 2010, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing paired Sega’s blue blur with characters spanning Sega’s various franchises including House of the Dead, Jet Set Radio, and Super Monkey Ball. While the game was mostly well-received, Sega refined the formula two years later with Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed added transforming vehicles as a gameplay hook (which Sega is attempting to replicate with CrossWorlds), while greatly expanding the roster of racers. To this day, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed remains the gold standard for Sonic racing games.

Sega is claiming that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will offer the biggest roster ever to appear in a Sonic racing game. Thus far, that roster includes the usual suspects, from fan favorites like Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, and Amy, to more recent characters, like Sage from Sonic Frontiers. If Sega truly is planning to pull from its other franchises, Like a Dragon and Persona would seem like safe bets, since the company considers those franchises its “pillars” alongside Sonic. Hopefully we’ll still get some deeper cuts though, as it would be nice to see favorites like Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, and Skies of Arcadia represented!

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At this time, a release date for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has not been announced. Sega tends to release Sonic games in the fall release window, which is what we saw with last year’s Sonic x Shadow Generations. That being said, a closed beta for the game will take place next week, so it’s possible it could end up releasing a lot earlier. If that ends up being the case, we might be able to expect more roster announcements soon. For now, fans will just have to see what gets announced over the coming months.

Would you like to see Sega guest characters in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds? Did you ever play Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!