Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

It’s been well over a decade since the last Test Drive Unlimited game, but series fans’ interminable wait for a new instalment will soon be ending. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is right around the corner, and as we prepare to dive into KT Racing Nacon’s open world racer, here, we’re going to go over all the key details that you should know about it.

SETTING

An open world racer’s setting can make or break the experience, and Solar Crown is looking quite promising in this particular area. The game is set in Hong Kong, with developer KT Racing touting a 1:1 recreation of the city, its urban jungle locales, and the actual jungles that surround it. Of course, being set in Hong Kong will also mean we’ll be driving on roads with left-hand traffic, which will be a first for the Test Drive Unlimited line of games.

MAP

Massive open world maps were something that the first two Test Drive Unlimited games prided themselves on, and it looks like Solar Crown is keen to uphold that tradition. As per the devs, the game will feature over 600 kilometers of drivable roads, with the entirety of its map being split into 14 districts, each bringing their own events and activities for players to take on, their own unique atmosphere to enjoy, and different sights and environments to explore.

OVER 30 CAR MANUFACTURERS

KT Racing and Nacon haven’t revealed how large exactly Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s roster of vehicles will be at launch, but from the details that have been revealed, it’s easy to glean that there’ll be no shortage of options. Over 30 car manufacturers will be included, with different vehicle types also being confirmed, including hypercars, offroading vehicles, classics, and more.

SOLAR HOTEL

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is being billed as a social racing experience, and the skyscraper known as the Solar Hotel will serve as its social hub. Here, players will be able to walk around as their created avatar, and will even have their own suite, where you can change your clothes, recharge between races, and more. In the lobby, meanwhile, you can check out clothing stores and show off your cars to other players, among other things.

SOCIAL HUBS

The Solar Hotel is going to be the central social hub in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, but the open world racer will have a few other, additional hotspots for players to gather and meet at as well. Clan HQs, car dealerships, workshops, and other such locations will serve as smaller hubs out in the open world where players will be able to rendezvous with each other. Oh, and speaking of clans…

CLANS

In Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s Hong Kong, two major clans are vying for supremacy- the Streets and the Sharps, both touting different brands of style and luxury that they’re looking to extend across the entire city. As you race through Hong Kong, you’ll be representing one of those two clans, contributing to their success and challenging your rival clan every step of the way throughout the eponymous Solar Crown competition.

THE SHARPS

Of the two clans, the Sharps are much swankier than their rivals, which is reflected in pretty much everything related to them- including their HQ. You’ll find the Sharps at the very apex of a skyscraper. For the Sharps, sophistication and subtle luxury are the name of the game. If, however, you’re looking for something less hoity-toity…

THE STREETS

On the other end of the Solar Crown clans spectrum are the Streets, who – as their name suggests – are much more down to earth than their counterparts. Their underground vibe means they love parties and nightclubs, which, of course, means they’re a much louder and more bombastic bunch. Their HQ is in an old building that they have taken over in its entirety for the Solar Crown competition.

WEATHER AND TIME OF DAY

As a modern day open world racer, it comes as no surprise that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is going to tout a fully dynamic weather system, while KT Racing has also confirmed that there will also be a day/night cycle. Both the weather and the time of day will affect your driving in different (and often subtle) ways as well.

MISSION TYPES

Solar Crown’s open world Hong Kong is promising to be a massive map that’s been densely packed with content, but how varied can we expect that content to be? As per KT Racing, pretty darn varied. On top of multiple different types of races and events, you can expect Wrecks to find and unlock classic cars with, multiplayer events and challenges to take on, and more, with additional content also coming post-launch (more on that in a bit).

CUSTOMIZATION

Customization mechanics are, of course, a key part of any racing game, so what exactly can we expect from Solar Crown in this area? At workshops scattered throughout the map, players will be able to tinker with 13 customizable performance parts for regular cars, and a dozen for electric ones. On top of that, you can choose different liveries, or customize individual elements such as your car’s paintjob, decals, stickers, and much more, with more options being unlocked as your Reputation improves within your clan.

ALWAYS ONLINE

KT Racing and Nacon have stressed on no few occasions that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is being designed first and foremost as a multiplayer experience, to the point of effectively being an MMO. It comes as no surprise, then, that the game cannot be played without a persistent internet connection.

RESOLUTION AND FRAME RATE

Hitting stable performance and resolution numbers can be doubly crucial in a racing game, and thankfully, Solar Crown will feature two different options for players to choose between. A Quality Mode will let you play the game at 1440p and 30 FPS, while a Performance Mode will instead run it at 1080p and 60 FPS. No 4K option will be available on consoles, though KT Racing has said it’s looking to continue optimizing the game further, so hopefully we can expect improvements down the line.

POST-LAUNCH ROADMAP

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is going to evolve and expand following its imminent release, with KT Racing and Nacon having confirmed that across its first year, it will be receiving four seasons of post-launch content, with the first season set to kick off at launch. The second season, which will arrive in December, will bring a new map in the form of a 1:1 recreation of Ibiza, something Test Drive Unlimited 2 fans will be thrilled with, while Season 3, arriving in March, will add Clan War, a new, constantly evolving game mode. Across its four year 1 seasons, the game will also add new player levels and clan levels to progress through, while the first two seasons will also come with free battle passes (called Solar Passes here).

NOT CROSS-GEN

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown was originally supposed to be a cross-gen release, but over the course of multiple delays, plans have obviously changed. The open world racer is now set to launch on September 12 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with KT Racing and Nacon having cancelled plans for PS4 and Xbox One versions a while back. Funnily enough, officially, the game’s Switch version still hasn’t been cancelled- but it has no release date or window, and hasn’t been officially mentioned in forever. At this point, it seems safe to assume that it’s probably going to be replaced with a Switch 2 release (once the console has been announced, that is).