Following the new gameplay reveal, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka sat down with us at IGN Live to discuss Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and why this massive crossover kart racer is a must-play.

Just a day after the game's major Summer Game Fest announcement, which confirmed guest appearances from Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga from Like a Dragon, Joker from Persona 5, and Steve, Alex, and the Creeper from Minecraft, Iizuka shared insights into the selection process for these unique characters.

"We wanted to ensure the second lap was full of surprises, transporting players to unexpected worlds," Iizuka explained. "While brainstorming ways to make it fun and exciting, we knew featuring Sega IPs would be great, but we also aimed to venture into other universes to truly surprise players. As we explored ideas, Minecraft and its characters stood out as a perfect, fun addition."

For those new to the game, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds features a unique three-lap structure. The first lap is fairly standard, but the racer in first place then chooses a new world for everyone to race through via Travel Rings.

"The three-lap format works well for racing games," Iizuka noted. "It's easy to grasp, and we wanted to keep things fresh instead of repeating the same track. That's how the Travel Ring concept emerged—to introduce something new and unknown in the second lap. We didn't stop there; to maintain excitement, we added more surprises for the third lap as well."

Our conversation then turned to items. Iizuka expressed his appreciation for how Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds honors past games with items like the Rocket Punch and Wisp items from Team Sonic Racing. However, he admitted his personal favorite is the Monster Truck power-up, which "transforms your vehicle into a monster truck, letting you plow through competitors ahead."

There's much more to anticipate when Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launches on September 25, 2025. Features include the return of hoverboards from Sonic Riders, the ability for any character to use any vehicle, online races for up to 12 players, and the highly requested cross-play functionality.

The game will be available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Although it may arrive slightly later, Switch 2 players will also eventually join the race with over 23 featured racers.

For additional details, read our Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds preview and explore our complete coverage of IGN Live.