Takashi Iizuka on Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds - IGN Live 2025

Fresh off the track and straight into the spotlight, *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* has made a splash with its grand reveal at Summer Game Fest. Alongside the debut of its exciting new gameplay mechanics, Takashi Iizuka, head of Sonic Team, joined us live at IGN Live to dive deeper into what makes this kart racing title such a massive crossover experience.

Just one day after the big announcement, fans are buzzing about the inclusion of surprise guest characters from some of the most iconic franchises in entertainment. Among those joining the race are Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga from *Like a Dragon*, Joker from *Persona 5*, and Steve, Alex, and Creeper from *Minecraft*. Iizuka shared insights into how the team selected these special additions and what it took to bring them into the world of *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds*.

“We wanted to make sure the second lap around was going to be full of surprises as you're going to a different world that you didn't even think was possible,” Iizuka explained. “When brainstorming ways to make the game fun and exciting, we knew it would be great to visit other IP worlds and really surprise players. As we considered which universes would be the most entertaining, Minecraft and its characters stood out as a perfect fit.”

What sets *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* apart is its unique three-lap structure. The first lap serves as a familiar starting point, but things get dynamic in the second lap when the racer in first place chooses a new world for everyone to race through using Travel Rings.

“The three-lap formula works really well for racers,” Iizuka said. “It’s easy to understand, and we wanted to keep the experience fresh instead of repeating the same track over and over. That’s where the idea for the Travel Ring came in—taking players somewhere completely new during the second lap. But we weren’t done yet. We added more surprises for the third lap too, keeping the excitement high all the way to the finish line.”

During our conversation, we also touched on the game's item system. Iizuka expressed his enthusiasm for how *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* pays tribute to previous titles like *Sonic Racing* with the return of the Rocket Punch and *Team Sonic Racing* with Wisp-based items. However, he revealed that his personal favorite addition is the Monster Truck power-up, which lets players transform their vehicle into a rampaging monster truck—crashing through opponents in a spectacular fashion.

There’s plenty more to look forward to when *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* launches on September 25, 2025. Players can expect the return of hoverboards from *Sonic Riders*, character versatility allowing any racer to use any vehicle, online races supporting up to 12 players, and—most excitingly—full cross-play support across platforms.

The game will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. And good news for Switch fans—owners of the upcoming Switch 2 will also be able to join the race shortly after launch, enjoying the full roster of over 23 racers.

For more details, check out our full preview of *Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds* and stay tuned for more updates from IGN Live.