Sega has confirmed that Bayonetta will join Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds as the first free character in Year Two, continuing a monthly roster expansion strategy that featured 13 guest racers during its debut year following its September 2025 release.
The announcement secures a high-profile crossover for the arcade racer, extending a post-launch support model that has combined paid intellectual property packs with regular additions from Sega’s own catalog. According to Video Games Chronicle, the company intends to maintain the monthly cadence that introduced a diverse lineup of guest racers throughout the game’s initial twelve months.
Bayonetta Leads Year Two Free Roster Additions
Bayonetta’s upcoming inclusion marks the opening wave of Year Two content for the title. Official promotional material released by the publisher highlights the character’s arrival with a clear directive for players.
“Brace yourselves, racers, Bayonetta will join CrossWorlds as the first new character in Year Two, bringing her signature non-stop action to the racetrack.”Official DLC description, via Video Games Chronicle
The release strategy follows a blueprint established after the game launched on September 25, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, alongside subsequent digital and physical rollouts for Nintendo Switch 2. The game got a release digitally for Nintendo Switch 2 on December 3, and there is a Switch 2 upgrade pack for owners of the Switch version where progress carries over, while the physical Switch 2 release with the full game on the cartridge shipped on March 26. While paid downloadable content packs introduced external properties, the free tier relied consistently on internal and partner intellectual properties.
Year One Guest Character Roster
During the first year of content updates, Sega distributed a total of 13 free racers to expand the game’s competitive field. That roster reflects a mix of modern franchises, classic properties, and comic collaborations.
- Hatsune Miku
- Joker from Persona
- Ichiban Kasuga from Like a Dragon
- NiGHTS from NiGHTS Into Dreams
- AiAi from Super Monkey Ball
- Tangle from the IDW Sonic comic book series
- Whisper from the IDW Sonic comic book series
- Red from Angry Birds
- Goro Majima from Like a Dragon
- Arle from Puyo Puyo
- ‘Classic’ Sonic from Sonic the Hedgehog
- Axel from Crazy Taxi
- Amigo from Samba de Amigo
That lineup was accompanied by a steady stream of premium expansions. Sega has also released five of its six planned DLC packs for Year One, adding content from Minecraft, SpongeBob SquarePants, Pac-Man, Mega Man and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with the sixth pack based on the animated series Avatar coming in October. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem collaboration debuted in July. Furthermore, an animation project for the game premiered in August 2025.
Upcoming Collaborations and Showcase Details
Beyond the free character updates, Sega has already outlined major franchise crossovers for the game’s second year. Sega also confirmed during Summer Game Fest that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will be getting a Year 2 pass featuring six further DLC collaborations, revealing that the first two will be based on Godzilla and Evangelion. A new trailer dropped by Sega on Tuesday teases the characters and crossovers in Year 2, featuring Godzilla, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and the newly announced addition, Bayonetta.
Additional details regarding the upcoming content roadmap will be broadcast during the Sonic Racing CrossWorlds World Championship Finals livestream scheduled for October 9 on Twitch and YouTube. Year Two will feature new worlds, and the game will also add music from Sega’s Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure, Feel the Magic: XY/XX, The Rub Rabbits!, and Space Channel 5.
VGC’s Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds review called the game a great alternative to Mario Kart’s new open-world focus
, noting that Nintendo’s decision to tweak its formula for Mario Kart World makes Sega’s offering the best option for those seeking a ‘traditional’ karting game.
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