Sonic Racing Crossworlds Open Network Test Date And Time
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is having its Open Network Test right now, and yes, I was the kind of fan refreshing my console this morning to see if the download button magically appeared early. The date kicks off August 29, 2025, at noon UTC+8 (that’s 12:00 PM—right as lunch hits, which genuinely complicated my sandwich plans). It’ll run until September 2, 12:00 PM, which honestly feels just long enough for everyone to get hooked, but short enough that folks will start clamoring for the full release by the end.
It’s kind of wild to see how cross-platform this thing is: PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Epic Games—the whole buffet. I noticed a few friends in my Discord group prepping their Switches for the pre-load as early as August 26, flexing that FOMO muscle hard (tip: pre-loading isn’t mandatory, but it’ll save you some time and potential server jam stress). I’m a PS5 person, so I spent last night deleting old save files so I could squeeze this new racer in. Call it devotion, call it poor storage management, maybe a little of both.
I can’t help but slip in a cheer for the special “Joker Festival,” which drops August 31 to September 1 during the test period. It’s got exclusive events and prizes, and the whole community buzz is that these rewards might give you a head start when the game properly launches—plus, there are titles and decal unlocks for everyone who participates, not just the ultra-competitive leaderboard types.
For anyone in the States (especially you west-coast legends up late), the timing’s a little different. The US Pacific launch hits at 9:00 PM on August 28, so, not bad for a Thursday night grind. East coast players? Midnight, August 29. It’s got that “stay-up-too-late-but-worth-it” energy. UK fans awaken bright and early at 4:00 AM, so, good luck to anyone setting an alarm for a cartoon hedgehog.I’ll be
honest: the last Sonic team racer I played felt a little “safe,” so hearing that CrossWorlds is bringing totally new tracks, speed boosts that feel actually wild, and some kind of festival event during a network test… that’s more than the usual code-stress test. I’m genuinely hoping the game’s online servers hold up to the stampede—no one wants lag when they’re launching Knuckles off a cliff by accident (been there, got the highlight reel).
What’s cool is seeing Sega letting everyone—from console loyalists to PC modders—have a go before release. Makes it less of a secret club and more a global party. And honestly, the hype around test rewards, coupled with the sheer number of platforms in the mix, makes this feel like Sonic getting a bit of his old-school cool back. I’ll probably burn too much time racing over the weekend, swap dumb memes about hedgehog lap times, and end up counting down again for the next reveal.
So if you’re reading this mid-Friday snack break (like I am), there’s still time to join the test. Just jump in—download, hit the tracks, win a decal or two. The test wraps at noon September 2, so there’s a sweet spot window for everyone to throw their blue spikes in the ring. Catch you on the finish line. Or in the pit lane, depending on my form this week.
