SEGA teams up with Waze as Sonic the Hedgehog joins in as a GPS voice assistant

High-speed gaming just collaborated with everyday commuting, as SEGA and Google-owned navigation app, Waze, has launched a Sonic the Hedgehog integration, allowing drivers worldwide to use the blue blur as their personal GPS guide starting October 15, 2025.

The companies stated in a joint announcement, “Get ready to feel unstoppable because Sonic the Hedgehog is taking you on the drive of a lifetime with Waze.”

Waze users can now activate this feature via the app’s sidekick settings, accessed through the hamburger menu on the left side, where Sonic now joins a roster of 50 celebrity voices, including past gaming crossovers like Master Chief from Halo and Thrall from World of Warcraft, to replace standard navigation prompts with his signature, confident quips.

Waze’s Sonic companion is voiced by longtime voice actor Roger Craig Smith in English, with French localization also available. Sonic delivers directions laced with his iconic flair, such as “Alright, let’s roll, keep your eyes on the road, never know when a loop-de-loop or spike trap will be in the way” for general navigation and “Turn right, excellent handling, no notes from me whatsoever” for making turns.

Aside from voice navigation, the partnership enhances the Waze experience with customizable Sonic-themed icons, adding a personal flair to the app’s social mapping features. 

Drivers can swap their in-app vehicle for the “Speedster Lightning” car straight from Sega’s latest title, Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, which launched earlier on September 25, 2025. Selecting the “Energetic” mood option updates their avatar–visible to other Waze users on the community map–to sport a Sonic-inspired face.

This free update is available globally for iOS and Android users who download the latest Waze version. It is spotted via a prominent Sonic banner in the app’s left-side menu and requires no additional in-app purchases, pretty much reinforcing Waze’s community-driven model.

This tie-in arrives as the capstone to Sega’s “Racing Around the World” campaign, a year-long global initiative by Sonic Team to celebrate the franchise’s 35th anniversary in 2026. The campaign kicked off in June 2025, with a multi-year partnership between Sonic and McLaren Racing.

The campaign has also extended to a Sonic-redesigned AirAsia jet interior featuring elements from Sonic Racing: Crossworlds and the upcoming battle royale spin-off Sonic Rumble set for November 2025.