Sega ditches Nintendo's controversial Game-Key Cards for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' physical Switch 2 release

In Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Sonic poses to the camera while driving towards the titular kraken of the Kraken Bay circuit

(Image credit: Sega)

Sega will not be using Game-Key Cards for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
The physical Switch 2 release has been confirmed for March 26, 2026
Pre-orders are live now, with an early purchase bonus

Some good news if you were waiting on Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' physical game release on Nintendo Switch 2.

Sega has confirmed, on its official website, that the physical version of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' Nintendo Switch 2 Edition "will feature the full base game on cartridge." And looking at the box art, as we speculated last year when the physical version was initially announced, you'll find that the Game-Key Card logo is nowhere to be seen.

The physical Switch 2 Edition of the game arrives on March 26, 2026, and can be pre-ordered now for $69.99 / £64.99. As was the case on other platforms, players can get the Werehog character and vehicle as an early purchase bonus.

While Game-Key Cards do have certain use cases (they're handy for delivering games that are larger than the 64GB cartridge size, for example), the model hasn't been received warmly by Switch 2 physical collectors. That's largely due to Game-Key Cards downloading the majority of game files; they're not actually on the cartridge.

Naturally that means there are game preservation concerns around the topic. If and when Nintendo discontinues its Switch 2 online services, Game-Key Cards may not be able to retrieve the data they need to complete a game download.

Otherwise, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will have been out for around six months by the time the physical Switch 2 version lands. There's been plenty of additional content since launch in the form of new characters and race courses - including Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga, SpongeBob Squarepants, and Pac-Man.

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Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for over four years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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