Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Update 2.0 Adds Duel Mode, Bayonetta and 15 New Gadgets

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Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds update 2.0.0 is now available across all platforms, introducing Duel Mode, the Super Slot system and 15 new Gadgets. The update also adds Bayonetta as an unlockable racer through Rival Duel, alongside a new Shop, Play Missions and additional World Match options. Players can now compete in one-on-one races online or offline, while the seventh Gadget slot provides more opportunities to customise racing strategies.

The update also makes substantial changes to competitive balance, including faster Ring respawns in online races, improved recovery for Acceleration Type Machines and adjustments to several powerful Gadgets. Festivals now last 10 days instead of three, with rankings determined by win streaks rather than Festival Points. SEGA has also confirmed plans for six premium DLC packs and eight free updates throughout the game’s second year.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Update 2.0.0 Patch Notes

Update Availability

• Version 2.0.0 is available on:

  • PlayStation 5.
  • PlayStation 4.
  • Nintendo Switch 2.
  • Nintendo Switch.
  • Xbox Series X|S.
  • Xbox One.
  • Steam.
  • Epic Games Store.
• Players must install the latest update to access online modes and DLC.
• Season Pass Two is now available.
• Six premium DLC packs and eight free updates are planned throughout Year Two.

New Duel Mode

Duel Mode Features

• Added Duel Mode, allowing players to compete in one-on-one races.
• Supports both offline and online play.
• Introduced the Duel Boost mechanic.

  • The Duel Boost gauge fills over time and when using items.
  • Players can activate a speed boost once the gauge is full.
  • Strategic use of Duel Boost can help players recover from a disadvantage.

Rival Duel

• Added offline Rival Duel matches against CPU-controlled CrossOver racers.
• Defeating rivals rewards players with unique items.
• Progressing through Rival Duel allows players to unlock Bayonetta as a playable racer.

Duel Match

• Added online one-on-one races against other players.
• Players compete directly against a single opponent.

Best-of-10 Competitions

• Limited-time Best-of-10 competitions are planned for a future release.
• Players will compete to earn the most points within a limited number of races.
• Participating players can earn Duel Medals.
• Duel Medals can be exchanged for exclusive rewards, including:

  • Horns.
  • Auras.
  • Other customisation items.

Two-Player Duel

• Added a two-player Duel option to Friend Match.
• Players can race directly against friends or family members.
• Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 support Local Wireless play for this mode.

Super Slot System

Seventh Gadget Slot

• Added the Super Slot as a seventh Gadget slot.
• The Super Slot increases the effects of equipped Gadgets.
• Players must unlock the Grand Master Plate before accessing the feature.
• Unlocking the Grand Master Plate requires participating in at least 40 races.
• Players who already meet the requirements can access the Super Slot immediately after updating.

Gadget System Improvements

• Rebalanced underpowered and overpowered Gadgets to account for the additional slot.
• Added one-slot variants of existing Gadgets compatible with the Super Slot.
• Introduced Mod Gadgets that provide larger stat bonuses than existing Tuner Gadgets.
• Added new Charge Gadgets.
• Further Gadget and Machine adjustments are planned for future updates.

Play Missions and Shop

Play Missions

• Added missions that players can complete through regular gameplay.
• Missions must be completed before their respective deadlines.
• Available rewards include:

  • Donpa Tickets.
  • Duel Medals.
• An internet connection is required to participate.

New In-Game Shop

• Added a Shop where players can exchange Donpa Tickets and Duel Medals for rewards.
• Available items include:

  • Auras.
  • Horns.
  • Decals.
  • Characters.
  • Titles.
  • Jukebox tracks.
• The Shop’s inventory will be updated over time.

World Match Improvements

Free Match

• Added Free Match as a new World Match option.
• Free Match results do not affect player rankings.
• The existing competitive World Match experience is now available through Ranked Match.

Rivals

• Added Rivals to matchmaking.
• Players can now be matched against Rivals with similar skill levels.
• Defeating Rivals awards bonus Donpa Tickets.

Festival Changes

Extended Festival Duration

• Increased Festival duration from three days to 10 days.
• Players now have more time to participate and earn Festival Point Rewards.

Festival Ranking Changes

• Festival Rankings are now determined by win streaks rather than Festival Points.
• The leaderboard displays each player’s longest win streak during an active Festival.
• Updated win streak rules:

  • First place: Adds one win to the streak.
  • Second place: Preserves the current streak without increasing it.
  • Third place: Resets the win streak.
• Previously, finishing in either second or third place would reset the streak.

Rival Teams

• AI-controlled Rival teams can now appear randomly during Festival matches.
• Defeating these teams awards bonus Festival Points.

New Festival Crowns

• Red Crown:

  • Awarded to every player on the first-place team.
  • Also awarded to the highest-performing player on the second-place and third-place teams.
• Blue Crown:

  • Awarded to the MVP of the first-place team.
  • During the Godzilla Festival, the player with the most Rule Points on the winning team receives the Blue Crown.
• Gold Crown:

  • Awarded to players who achieve a win streak of at least five.

New Gadgets

15 New Gadgets

• Added 15 new Gadgets.
• These become available once players reach Grand Master Plate or higher.
• New Gadgets include:

  • Hit and Run.
  • Lv4 Quick Charge.
  • Boundless Charge.
  • Flawless Counter Drift.
  • Refined Counter Drift.
  • Speed Mod.
  • Acceleration Mod.
  • Handling Mod.
  • Power Mod.
  • Boost Mod.
  • Brake Charge.
  • Mini Quick Recovery.
  • Mini Lv1 Quick Charge.
  • Collision Mini Boost.
  • Power Through.

Returning Festival Gadgets

• Added previously exclusive Festival Gadgets to the Shop.
• Players can purchase them using Donpa Tickets from the Customize Gadgets screen.
• A Master Plate or higher is required.
• Available Gadgets include:

  • Speedy Shortcut Kit.
  • Perfect Charge Kit.
  • 4th Stage Charge Kit.
  • Air Trick Action Kit.
  • Slipstream Kit.
  • Spin Dash Kit.

Competitive Balance Adjustments

Ring Respawn Changes

• Reduced the time required for Rings to respawn after being collected in online races.
• The adjustment is intended to make Rings easier to obtain when racing alongside other players.
• This reduces the advantage of Gadgets that generate Rings independently.
• Ring Engine Gadgets and Ring Evolution have been rebalanced to account for the change.
• The adjustment does not apply to offline modes such as Grand Prix and Race Park.

Acceleration Type Machines

• Reduced recovery time after taking damage.
• The adjustment strengthens the recovery-focused characteristics of Acceleration Type Machines.
• These Machines should perform better on courses with frequent obstacles, enemies and attacks.

Power Type Machines

• Fixed an issue where Power Type Machines had a higher maximum speed bonus cap than other Machine types.
• The fix was originally planned for version 1.4.1.
• Its release was delayed to avoid an issue that could prevent players from updating Time Trial records.

Driving Adjustments

Online Collisions

• Reduced the force pulling Machines back towards their original path after colliding with another vehicle.
• This should reduce the effect of collisions on vehicle movement during online races.

Obstacle Collisions

• Machines no longer lose speed when hitting certain obstacles while boosting from a Dash Panel or Dash Gate.
• This applies to obstacles that normally reduce speed without causing Ring loss, such as shortcut bollards.
• The adjustment is intended to make Dash Gate shortcuts easier to use.

Dash Ring Collisions

• Reduced rebound when colliding with other Machines while passing through Dash Rings.
• This should reduce the likelihood of being pushed off the track in locations such as Aqua Forest shortcuts.

Item Balance Changes

Homing Punch and Slicer

– Players are now immune to their own Homing Punch and Slicer attacks.

Rocket Punch

• Reduced the maximum number of wall bounces to two for both forward and backward throws.
• Previously:

  • Forward throws could bounce up to six times.
  • Backward throws could bounce up to three times.
• The change reduces unintended hits against the user and other racers.

Slicer

– Slicer now breaks immediately when it hits an invincible racer.

Drill, Laser and Warp Ring

• Increased movement speed for all three items.
• The adjustment accounts for higher average Machine speeds resulting from Gadget effects.

Omochao

– Adjusted Ring placement to make Rings easier to collect while jumping.

Boost and Double Boost

• Players holding Boost or Double Boost can now obtain the other item from an Item Box.
• Previously, holding either item reduced the likelihood of both appearing.

Bomb

– Adjusted the explosion effect to better match the duration of its attack hitbox.

Course Adjustments

Frenzy Events

• Frenzy can now activate during the second lap of a Main Course.
• This applies to all modes except Time Trial.

Ring and Item Box Placement

– Adjusted Ring and Item Box placement to improve the balance between risk and reward on:

• Urban Canyon.
• Aqua Forest.
• Eggman Expo.
• Wily Castle.
• Lion Turtle Island.

Additional Double Item Boxes

– Added Double Item Boxes to locations where they previously did not appear during the third lap on:

• Ocean View.
• Sand Road.
• Market Street.
• Mystic Jungle.
• Pumpkin Mansion.
• Northstar Islands.
• White Space.
• PAC-VILLAGE & MAZE.
• New York City.

Additional Dash Panels

– Dash Panels that previously appeared only during the first lap can now also appear during the third lap on:

• Colorful Mall.
• Crystal Mine.
• Urban Canyon.
• Radical Highway.
• Eggman Expo.
• White Space.

New York City

• Mutagen attacks now occur earlier during the third lap.
• This fixes an issue where the attacks did not activate early enough to affect the racer in first place.

Time Trial Adjustments

• Adjusted Ring placement on PAC-VILLAGE & MAZE in Time Trial.
• Ring positions now match those used in other modes.

CPU Racer Adjustments

• Reduced the number of Tap Boosts performed by CPU-only groups.
• The adjustment addresses CPU racers performing too strongly under Tap Boost rules.
• Increased the variety of Gadget loadouts used by CPU racers in:

  • World Match.
  • Legend Competition.
  • Festival.

Gadget Balance Changes

Ring Engine

• Reduced the stat bonus when carrying at least one Ring from +12 to +8.
• Reduced the maximum top speed bonus from +3 km/h to +2 km/h.
• The top speed bonus now scales according to the number of Rings held.
• When equipped in the Super Slot:

  • Stat bonus increases to +12.
  • Maximum top speed bonus scales up to +3 km/h based on Rings held.

Hyper Ring Engine

• Reduced the maximum top speed bonus from +4 km/h to +3 km/h.
• The bonus now scales according to the number of Rings held.
• Removed the additional +2 km/h top speed bonus previously granted when paired with Ring Engine.

Ring Evolution

• Increased the Ring requirement from 10 to 15.
• When equipped in the Super Slot, the requirement returns to 10 Rings.

Perfect Charge

– Perfect Charge is listed as the next Gadget adjustment in the supplied patch notes, but its specific changes are not included in the provided text.

Other Fixes

– Fixed additional minor bugs.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds was released on September 25, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. The game was developed by Sonic Team and published by SEGA.

Have you noticed these changes? Share your thoughts in the comments!