Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Lacks Guest Character Voices—SEGA Explains Decision

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, the latest entry in the Sonic Racing franchise developed by Sonic Team and published by SEGA, is generating buzz for its high-profile guest collaborations with iconic characters such as SpongeBob, Steve from Minecraft, and Pac-Man.

Available on platforms including the Nintendo Switch, the game has continued SEGA’s tradition of blending characters from different universes into a single, fast-paced racing experience.

Despite the excitement surrounding these collaborations and the game’s robust roster, one notable omission has been a point of contention among fans: the absence of voice acting for non-Sonic guest characters. Responding to this criticism, SEGA has provided insight into the reasoning behind this development decision.

Speaking in an interview with Destructoid, Takashi Iizuka, the head of Sonic Team, elaborated on the logistical and collaborative complexities involved in voicing guest characters from outside properties.

Iizuka clarified that including dialogue for characters such as SpongeBob, Steve from Minecraft, and Pac-Man would significantly expand the degree of review and approval required from external partners.

He emphasized that by adding voice interactions, the review process with the rights holders for each character would become more complex and time-consuming, potentially complicating collaboration efforts. “Including voices for guest characters would have dramatically increased the oversight necessary from external companies,” Iizuka explained via Destructoid.

“Because interactions between characters are central to Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, each line would demand careful coordination and extensive review.

We made the decision to avoid these hurdles to keep things manageable for all involved.” Iizuka further noted that Sonic Team’s primary development focus remained on creating dynamic and meaningful exchanges among the core Sonic cast.

He highlighted the impressive level of interaction achieved among the 23 Sonic universe characters, stating that the team dedicated considerable resources to these core relationships.

As a result, prioritizing the development of Sonic characters meant the non-Sonic guest collaborations would not feature voiced dialogue.

This decision, according to Iizuka, reflects both the team’s creative priorities and the practical considerations of working with external IPs. The latest guest collaboration was confirmed with the inclusion of Pac-Man, expanding the crossover appeal of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

In a related announcement, Sonic is set to appear in PAC-MAN World 2 Re-Pac, further strengthening the relationship between SEGA and Bandai Namco’s iconic franchises. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds continues to ride high on anticipation following these announcements.

Despite some concerns over voice acting omissions, the game’s robust character roster and ambitious collaborations have maintained keen interest among Nintendo Switch players and longtime Sonic fans.

For more updates and details as development progresses, keep an eye on official SEGA channels and Nintendo’s eShop announcements.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo SEGA Switch Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Sonic Sonic Team Destructoid Pac-Man SpongeBob Minecraft PAC-MAN World 2 Re-Pac