Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown: Release, gameplay, cars, more

A new long-awaited installment in the Test Drive series, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, is returning to the streets after being away for a while. Much has been shared about the game, along with an extensive look at the game’s open world. Here is everything we know about Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, including gameplay, and more.

Once helmed as a pioneer of MMO open-world racing games, the Test Drive series was dormant for nearly a decade. Later, French publisher Nacon acquired the IP rights from Atari in 2016 making the pipe dream of a Test Drive Unlimited game on current-get platforms a step closer to reality. Four years past the acquisition Nacon announced, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is developed by KT Racing, the people behind World Racing Championship. The core team of Eden Games is long gone, with some of the original Test Drive Unlimited dev team now part of Ubisoft’s Ivory Tower, currently working on The Crew Motorfest.

Like the games in the series before Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, developers are trying to make Solar Crown a cut above its contemporaries, like The Crew and Forza, in terms of quality.

So here is everything we know about Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown.

Is there a Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown release date?

a jeep driving off-road in Test Drive Unlimited — KT Racing

Each terrain in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will require a unique technique to drive.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will release sometime in early 2024.

Nacon’s racer was first scheduled for a 2022 release; it would eventually slip to 2023, and just recently, developers shared a new date of early 2024. Although it could get delayed further, optimism is high for an early 2024 release, as a closed beta was held on July 24, 2023, hinting that the game isn’t that far out.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown platforms

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

While the Nintendo Switch was also mentioned early on by developers, it was absent entirely in the latest briefing. The last-gen, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, version was canceled, so uncertainty looms on the possibility of a Nintendo Switch port.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gameplay details

While much of the finer gameplay details about Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown are yet to be revealed, we do have extended footage that has raw gameplay.

To no surprise, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is very much a racing game. Thematically, the focus is on “lavish lifestyle” and car culture.

Based on what we know so far, there are clans all pitting themselves against each other for the Solar Crown. There will be a hub-like system, where you can walk around with your friends and explore on foot.

Much like other racers, it will have activities and races scattered around the open world, with the gameplay said to lean more towards realism than arcade.

There will be dealerships that focus on a particular car brand, say Lamborgini, where you can buy cars from the said manufacturer. These dealerships are in the game to make your car purchase feel “special.”

There are workshops to customize cars and in terms of customization, there will be around a dozen parts that you can tweak, with some locked behind your reputation level. You can also paint your cars with liveries, and like car parts, a higher level means more fine-tuning capabilities.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown map and setting

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will feature a 1:1 scale of Hong Kong Island, covering a distance of over 600km (375 miles).

There are 14 different districts to explore in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, with a good mix of cityscape, off-road mountains, and long highways to test the car’s speed.

What cars are available in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown?

a gun looking at a car in a showroom Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown — KT Racing

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is a mix of original TDU games and modern racing elements.

KT Racing has yet to share details on how many cars will be available on Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. Their official description does suggest there will be licensed cars from big names like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Dodge, and Apollo. Although the developers once said that there will be a “limited” number of cars and emphasis has been put on making players “earn” each of those cars.

Here is a list of cars confirmed so far, as seen in their promotional materials and trailers. By no means this is a complete list.

AC Shelby Cobra 427
Alpine A110 (2017)
Apollo Intensa Emozione
Aston Martin DB11
Aston Martin Vantage (AM6)
Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro
Audi R8 (Gen.2)
BMW i8 Roadster
Bugatti Chiron
Bugatti Chiron Sport 110 Ans
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Chevrolet Corvette (C1)
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (C7)
Citroën 2CV
Dodge Challenger SRT 392
Dodge Viper GTS (VX I)
Ferrari F430 Scuderia Spider 16M
Ferrari LaFerrari
Ford F-150 Raptor (P552)
Ford GT (Gen. 2)
Ford GT40 (Mk.I)
Ford Mustang Fastback 302cid Cruise-O-Matic
Ford Mustang GT (Gen.6)
Jaguar F-Type SVR
Koenigsegg Regera
Lamborghini Huracán Performante
Lamborghini Miura P400SV
Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR (2018)
Lotus Evora GT430 Sport
McLaren 720S
Mercedes-Benz G 65 AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG (2008)
Nissan 370Z (Z34)
Nissan GT-R (R35) (2012)
Porsche 911 R (991)
Porsche 918 Spyder
Porsche Cayenne Turbo (9Y0)
Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo
Volkswagen Beetle 1303 S
Volkswagen Beetle Baja
W Motors Fenyr Supersport

That’s all the notable bits of information about Test Drive Unlimted Solar Crown. For more on racing games, check out:

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