Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds PS5 Controls Fueled by Initial D Expertise

In an interview with 4Gamer (via Automaton), producer Taki Ryuichi and creative director Kohayakawa Masaru discussed the creative process behind Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that developers of Initial D would assist the Sonic team, but according to Taki and Kohayakawa, they played a significant role in developing the control system and ensuring it felt like a “true” racing game.

Kohayakawa noted that the Initial D series has evolved significantly over 20 years, with earlier entries featuring challenging gameplay mechanics. In contrast, the latest Initial D The Arcade installment features surprisingly intuitive controls—gameplay has become more refined over time as developers gained experience. He stated that years of expertise honing Initial D’s gameplay were crucial for the smooth collaboration between both teams on CrossWorlds.

“It was entirely due to the Initial D development team that we could implement their years of refined gameplay mechanics in Sonic Racing—thanks to them, development continued smoothly,” explained Kohayakawa.

Taki added that the Initial D team’s expertise in creating smooth, responsive racing controls was vital for the collaboration. He believes both development teams successfully combined their strengths to create a game that retains Sonic’s signature fun and flair while delivering authentic, highly responsive racing mechanics.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC.