SEGA has unveiled a packed Year Two roadmap for Sonic Racing CrossWorlds, revealing new racers, a 1v1 Duel Mode, fresh gadgets and six premium DLC packs featuring collaborations with some major entertainment franchises.
The announcement came during the World Championship Finals in New York, where Mexico’s Exponso was crowned world champion after four hours of intense racing. More than 40,000 players competed in the online qualifiers this summer, with the final 24 racers travelling to New York to compete for the title.
Year Two officially begins on November 3, 2026, with a major update that adds new ways to compete and expands the roster. SEGA has also permanently reduced the prices of the Standard and Digital Deluxe editions, making it cheaper for new players to join the race.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Adds 1v1 Duel Mode
One of the biggest additions is Duel Mode, a new one-on-one racing experience where item tactics and the Duel Boost mechanic could make the difference between victory and defeat.
The Duel Boost gauge fills over time and through frequent item use, allowing racers to unleash bursts of speed at strategic moments. Players can also see their opponent’s items, gadgets and race position, making it important to balance offensive moves with defensive tactics.
Duel Mode will feature several ways to compete:
- Rival Duel: Offline races against CPU rivals, including characters available through free updates and paid DLC. Defeating all rivals unlocks rewards, including a special machine.
- Duel Match – Free Match: Online races against randomly matched opponents.
- Duel Match – Best-of-10: Limited-time online competitions with special rules, Duel Class ranks and medal rewards.
- Friend Match: Online races against friends, with customisable race rules, items and CrossWorlds.
New Gadgets and More CPU Racers
The gadget system is also receiving an upgrade with the introduction of the Grand Master Plate. This new gadget plate adds a seventh slot, known as the Super Slot, which boosts the effects of any one-slot gadget placed inside it.
SEGA will introduce 15 new gadgets on November 3, expanding the options available to players looking to experiment with different builds and racing strategies. Further gadgets are planned for future updates.
Another welcome change means characters added to the roster after the game’s September 25, 2025 launch will now appear as CPU opponents in both online and offline modes. This includes characters introduced through free updates and paid DLC, giving players more opportunities to race against the expanded cast.
Bayonetta, McLaren Racing and Aigis Join Year Two
SEGA has confirmed the first three additions to the Year Two free character lineup, bringing together characters and brands from across gaming and motorsport.
November 3, 2026
The stylish witch from the Bayonetta series joins the starting grid as a free character unlocked through Rival Duel matches.
Later in November 2026
A Speed-type machine inspired by a real McLaren racing car, featuring the team’s distinctive Papaya and Anthracite livery.
Early 2027
The Persona series character arrives with the Palladion Dressy, an Acceleration-type machine.
Each free character release will be followed by a themed, limited-time Festival, offering additional rewards for participating in and winning Festival races. New Festivals will run for ten consecutive days, while returning fan favourites will be available for shorter periods.
Six Season Pass Two DLC Packs Revealed
The second Season Pass will bring six premium DLC packs to Sonic Racing CrossWorlds, with collaborations spanning films, anime, entertainment brands and other SEGA properties. The first pack arrives alongside the start of Year Two.
November 3, 2026
Includes the Godzilla Escape course, Godzilla Cruiser, King Ghidorah Coupe and Mothra Surf, alongside additional Jukebox music and sounds.
January 2027
Adds the Tokyo-III course, Rei Ayanami and Asuka Shikinami Langley, plus three EVA machines, extra music, character emotes and sounds.
Q2 2027
Features the Virtual Sanrio Puroland course, Hello Kitty and Kuromi, with their Apple Kart and Charming Cruiser machines, plus additional music, emotes and sounds.
Q3 2027
Introduces the SEGALAND course and three machines inspired by classic SEGA games: After Burner, OutRun and Super Megalo.
Q3 2027
Based on the FINAL FANTASY VII Remake series. Further content details have not yet been announced.
Q4 2027
A further collaboration with the Persona series. SEGA has yet to reveal the full contents of this pack.
The announced release windows mean the Season Pass Two content will roll out over more than a year, with further details expected as each collaboration approaches launch.
SEGA Consoles and Super Shadow Also Arrive
There is additional content for SEGA fans outside the six main DLC packs. The SEGA Controllers Decal Pack became available on October 9, featuring designs based on the Mega Drive/Genesis controller, SEGA Saturn controller, Dreamcast controller and Dreamcast Visual Memory Unit.
The SEGA Consoles Pack will be available to purchase from November 3. It adds three machines inspired by the Genesis Tower US, SegaSaturn JP and Dreamcast EU.
Super Shadow is also joining the game as bonus content for players who own both Season Pass One and Season Pass Two. The bundle includes the racer and the Super Dark Flare machine, with availability beginning November 3.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Gets Permanent Price Cuts
Alongside the Year Two announcement, SEGA has permanently reduced the prices of the game’s existing editions in the UK.
- Standard Edition: Reduced from £64.99 to £34.99.
- Digital Deluxe Edition: Reduced from £79.99 to £49.99.
- Season Pass Two: Available for £24.99 and includes the SEGA Controllers Decal Pack and SEGA Consoles Pack.
- Year Two Digital Deluxe Edition: Available for £49.99, including the Standard Edition and Season Pass Two.
- Year One Edition (physical): Available at selected retailers for £49.99, including the Standard Edition, Season Pass One, a 35th Anniversary reversible coversheet and a 35th Anniversary logo patch.
Existing owners should take care before buying the Year Two Digital Deluxe Edition, as it includes another copy of the base game. Players who already own Sonic Racing CrossWorlds do not need to purchase this edition to access the Season Pass Two content.
SEGA also notes that the Virtual Sanrio Puroland course will not be available in Mirror Mode, and the Hello Kitty Apple Kart and Kuromi Charming Cruiser will not support customisable machine parts.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Year Two Starts November 3
With Duel Mode, new gadgets, free characters, returning Festivals and six planned premium DLC packs, Year Two is shaping up to be a substantial expansion of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds.
The first major update arrives on November 3, 2026, alongside the Godzilla Pack and Bayonetta’s debut. The permanent price reductions also make the game more accessible to newcomers, while the roadmap gives existing players plenty of new content to look forward to through 2027.
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