Takashi Iizuka Explains How Free and Paid Content Will Roll Out for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka has clarified how post-launch content will roll out for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds. Speaking to 4Gamer at Tokyo Game Show 2025, Iizuka said that the game’s free monthly racer updates will focus on characters from SEGA’s own back catalogue, while third-party and broader cross-media guests will appear through the paid Season Pass.

Iizuka explained that the first three free update racers — Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga from Like a Dragon, and Joker from Persona 5 Royal — were chosen because they are “currently active at the forefront of SEGA games.” After that, he said the team is “thinking of selecting from SEGA’s legendary characters, similar to those in Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. We hope you’ll look forward to what’s coming each month.”

For the Season Pass, Iizuka noted that the goal is surprise and spectacle, using globally recognized franchises that suit CrossWorlds’ dimension-hopping concept. This includes major crossovers such as Mega Man, PAC-MAN, Minecraft, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Avatar Legends, each bringing themed tracks and vehicles.

The interview also touched on CrossWorlds’ design DNA — a blend of SEGA’s arcade racing expertise and Sonic Team’s console experience. Iizuka highlighted the new Travel Ring mechanic, which links drastically different environments mid-race, as well as the return of features like Extreme Gear from Sonic Riders and the studio’s commitment to frequent updates that keep the racer feeling fresh.

For Sonic fans, the roadmap is clear:

• Free updates will celebrate SEGA’s history, adding iconic characters from across the company’s catalogue.
• Season Pass content will deliver headline crossovers that expand the game’s world through new tracks and vehicles.

We’ll continue covering each monthly reveal as it arrives. Stay tuned to Sonic City for the next SEGA legend to hit the starting line.