Some Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds items in development will not be included in the final game due to being recognized as too powerful. Developers are ensuring there are sufficient items while maintaining fair gameplay.

The game’s initial announcement occurred during the landmark Game Awards 2024, highlighted by a teaser showcasing Shadow in a race car, which excited fans despite the limited content revealed.

In a recent Summer Game Fest presentation, it was disclosed that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds would launch on September 25, 2025. Producer Takashi Iizuka emphasized the collaborative aim to foster a balanced competitive experience, focusing on gameplay fairness and removing items that provide undue advantages, while selectively retaining those that promote the right level of chaos in racing.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Team Values Fair Racing Over Overpowered Items

The development team meticulously designed racing courses and vehicles before implementing item designs. Through extensive playtesting, many items that could skew competition in favor of certain players were discarded, with Iizuka affirming that items allowing consistent come-from-behind victories were excised from the game design. He also compared Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds to other racing titles, clarifying its focus on competitive racing and unique features, such as cross-platform play.