Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is getting Minecraft characters and Hatsune Miku to make sure people are "not just playing it when it comes out, having fun, and that being it"
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is getting its suite of crossover characters partly to ensure that players don't think of it as a one-and-done title.
Speaking to GamesRadar+ at Summer Game Fest, veteran Sonic series producer Takashi Iizuka explains that the Minecraft and Yakuza crossovers that appeared in the game's most recent trailer (alongside Hatsune Miku and Persona 5's Joker) are there partly to provide a 'Hall of Fame' feel; "we wanted to make this title something that pulled from the best of our previous racing games."
CrossWorlds, he says, borrows from All-Star Racing's broad selection of Sega characters, "so it's not just a Sonic universe game." But more than just providing a wide roster for the sake of it, Iizuka says that they've also been included "to make sure people are playing this game for a long time – not just playing it when it comes out, having fun, and that being it."
"Really, we need to support [it] and make sure people are having fun and getting a fresh experience for as long as possible." To help with that, he drops a reminder about the Season Pass, which will help provide new content "for one year after the game launches," adding new things to the game "continually."
Minecraft will be the first of those big drops, but Iizuka says that "as the year progresses, we'll have new characters coming into the race, new courses that the team is developing that will make it into the game, to make sure we have that long-time experience, and a lot of fun for players that want to continue playing."
It shouldn't come as a surprise that the devs want their game to be played for as long as possible, but it's the kind of thing that isn't often said as loudly as this. New characters and courses – even those being added through a paid pass – are a pretty innocent way of expanding on a racing game, and unless you can shift a Mario Kart-esque number of copies, they're probably a good way of making sure that players do stick around for the longer haul.
Whether Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds can do that with Mario Kart World lurking in the background remains to be seen, but given Iizuka's recent comments about Nintendo's new racer, he does seem to be feeling pretty confident.
Check out our list of the best racing games - does Hatsune Miku deserve a spot?
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Supporters hail it as a fulfilment of Trump's campaign promises and a reset of America's fiscal priorities. With midterms looming, both parties are gearing up to weaponise the bill's impact. Trump is expected to sign the bill on Friday (4 July) with a celebratory flyover. But the real fireworks may come in 2026, when voters weigh in on the consequences. Read on some of the key takeaways and impact of Trump's "big, beautiful bill" here. Singapore's opposition party the Workers' Party (WP) has dismissed People's Action Party's (PAP) criticism of Pritam Singh's podcast interview as baseless. WP insists the interview was candid, constructive and well-received by Singaporeans. The WP said on Thursday (3 July) that Singh's remarks were patriotic and did not denounce Singapore. They say the podcast showcased how opposition voices can engage respectfully on national issues. WP challenged the notion that foreign media engagement is taboo, citing PAP's own history of international interviews. They called out the double standard and demanded clarity on any supposed restrictions. The party also addressed past allegations of foreign influence, reiterating that no promises or deals were made with Malaysian figures. They say the PAP is recycling old controversies for political gain. WP says the podcast episode strengthened democratic discourse, not weakened it. The controversy stems from Pritam's 24 June interview on Keluar Sekejap, a Malaysian podcast, which PAP claims crossed a line in airing domestic issues abroad. Read on WP rebuffing PAP's 'water's edge' doctrine here.
