The legendary Sega–Nintendo rivalry just got a new chapter, as Sega publicly called out Nintendo for using the Mario Kart World name to promote its own racing game. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launches September 25, featuring fan favorites from Persona, Yakuza, and more Sega universes.

The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo is one of the most iconic in video game history—embodied by the never-ending console battle between Sonic and Mario. With Mario Kart World now a Switch 2 exclusive, Sega wasted no time reminding fans that they, too, have a major racing game with an all-star cast from multiple franchises. Yesterday, on the Summer Game Fest stage, Sega delivered a not-so-subtle jab at its old-school rival.

During Summer Game Fest 2025, Sega revealed a new trailer for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and announced its release date: September 25. The upcoming Sonic racer brings together characters from franchises like Persona 5, Yakuza, and Hatsune Miku—plus Steve from Minecraft and SpongeBob SquarePants. But the most talked-about moment came when Sonic producer Takashi Lizuka took the stage.

The Japanese developer, speaking briefly, promoted the biggest innovations in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds while taking a pointed shot at Mario Kart World. Lizuka didn’t mention Nintendo’s game by name, but his comment made it clear who he was targeting: “Unlike other racing games, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has cross-platform online matchmaking. You can play with your friends across all platforms.”

Source: 3djuegos