Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Fans Upset Over FF7 DLC, Feel Deluxe Edition Promise Was Broken: ‘Paid $100 for This, Lesson Learned’

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is an exciting racing title that has received a wealth of post-launch support. However, the way new content has been introduced and monetized has left some players feeling frustrated. Recently, there was a hint at a collaboration with Final Fantasy VII, along with plans for year 2 DLC. The catch? Fans who shelled out $100 for the Deluxe Edition will need to pay extra to access this new content.

The year 2 DLC roadmap kicks off on November 3, featuring a variety of crossovers: Godzilla, Evangelion, Virtual Sanrio Puroland, Segaland, Midgar Pack, and Reload Revival Royal. Each pack is set to introduce new stages and character skins, totaling around $40 for players. The idea of Cloud racing against Sonic and SpongeBob is intriguing, but many existing players feel shortchanged.

This situation traces back to a tweet from Sega before Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds launched in June 2025, announcing, “Pre-Orders for the Digital Deluxe Edition are now live! This edition includes: Base Game, Season Pass, All future paid downloadable content, Bonus Sonic Prime characters.” The phrase “all future paid downloadable content” has sparked controversy, as it implies more than just the year 1 DLC, which some players may have expected based on industry trends. One player expressed their disappointment on Reddit, stating, “Paid 100 dollars for this, guess I learned my lesson.” Such DLC surprises have become increasingly common, especially in online games that often serve as platforms for ongoing content sales.

Adding to the frustration, some players believe that many of the crossover characters and stages were intentionally withheld for paid DLC. One fan lamented on the PS5 subreddit, “It still annoys me that the whole point of this game was to be a crossover, yet it launched with only Sonic characters and no crossovers.” While Sega has gradually added more characters, charging extra for anything beyond the initial roster has left a sour taste.

It remains to be seen if Sega will address these concerns or simply move forward. The CrossWorlds DLC packs typically cost $6 each, giving players some time to decide whether to purchase them. The Godzilla pack is set to drop in early November, while the Evangelion content won’t arrive until early 2027, and the timing for the Final Fantasy VII collaboration is still up in the air.