Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a kart racer developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. It was announced at The Game Awards in December 2024, where Sega presented it as a new entry in the Sonic Racing series. The game is built around travel between different racing environments: dimensional portals appear during events and transport competitors to a second course, creating a two-stage race rather than keeping every lap on one circuit.

The central CrossWorlds feature is therefore not simply a roster of familiar tracks. Racers choose a route through a starting location, then react when a portal opens. The destination can change the race's setting and hazards, so players need to adjust their lines, drifting, item use, and vehicle control during the transition. Sega has described these paired courses as CrossWorlds, and the title refers directly to that system.

Sega revealed Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, and Metal Sonic among the playable cast in promotional material, with additional characters and guest racers announced later. The roster also includes racers from beyond the main Sonic cast; Sega used its wider catalogue for collaborations, including Hatsune Miku, who appears as a playable guest. The game supports single-player racing and online multiplayer, while local multiplayer options depend on platform and mode. Players can compete in team-based online events and ranked competitions.

CrossWorlds follows Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012) and Team Sonic Racing (2019). The earlier Transformed game let vehicles change between cars, boats, and planes; CrossWorlds instead makes interdimensional course switching its signature racing idea. The game includes a story-driven World Tour mode, in which players clear events across a map and unlock new races and challenges. Sega has also promoted Grand Prix, Time Trial, Race Park, and online races as parts of its broader offering.

At launch, CrossWorlds was released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. The Switch 2 release followed later, giving Nintendo players a version designed for the hardware. The game uses vehicle customization, allowing players to tune machines and select gadgets that affect racing strategy. Its identity rests on Sonic characters, Sega crossover content, and the deliberate surprise of a changing second world during each event.