Sega explains the appearance of unusual guests in Sonic Racing: Crossworlds

Sega has revealed Sonic Racing: Crossworlds — a title aimed not just at Sonic devotees or arcade-racing fans. The roster includes a number of characters from other publisher franchises, some of them surprisingly out of left field.

The game launched last month, and Sega intends to support it as an ongoing live service. Players can expect a mix of free and paid updates throughout the year. To attract a wider audience, the developers added characters from Minecraft and SpongeBob, along with Ichiban Kasuga from the Like a Dragon series.

Creative director Masaru Kobayakawa said in an interview that he was aware the Yakuza/Like a Dragon games are aimed at an adult audience. Despite hesitation from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, Sega pushed for Kasuga’s inclusion and secured approval from the series’ creators.

Another unexpected addition is the vocaloid Hatsune Miku. Her appearance came through a collaboration with Crypton, which played an active role in design and music selection. The music team PJ Onsoku recommended emphasizing high-energy tracks to highlight Sonic’s speed and momentum.

Source: iXBT.games