Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Release Date, Gameplay Features, Platforms, and more

Are you a fan of the long-standing racing game series Test Drive? If yes, then this latest game from this legendary racing game series will indeed have you intrigued and excited about it.

Since releasing their first game in 1987, the Test Drive Series has been one of the mainstay racing game series in the gaming world, and although they took a little break that went on for far longer than what the developers had initially anticipated.

Nevertheless, it looks like they have finally struck gold with their latest entry in this popular game series, and we are pleased to see that the initial hype and fanfare around the upcoming game sounds extremely promising, but only time will tell whether this game has substance underneath all its eye-catching sparkle or not.

So without much ado, let us dive into all the details that we currently have regarding this upcoming racing game developed by KT Racing.

Before we jump into any specifics regarding this game, let us first address the question fans of this series have been eagerly waiting for.

At the time of writing this article, an exact release for this game has not been provided by the developers as of yet. So far, only a tentative release window of 2024 has been provided to the public, but we are certain that it is only a matter of time before a concrete release date will be provided for this game.

Official Trailer

The release date of the game may be kept under wraps at the moment by the team behind the impressive-looking Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, but what they haven’t held back on is showcasing what the game is all about and what cool new features will be available for players to experience in this upcoming title.

So, first things first, here, take a look at the official reveal trailer of the game:

Gameplay Features

Whenever a new game releases, fans are always on the lookout to know about what new and exciting gameplay additions and changes have been implemented into the game to elevate it from the previous games in the series, and this latest racing game from KT Racing is no different.

Since the last Tets Drive game, Test Drive Unlimited 2, was released way back in 2012, no new Test Drive game was released due to some behind-the-scenes issues, but now through Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, the developers of this game hope to recapture the essence of what made their previous games so good among players worldwide.

Racing games today, in general, have improved leaps and bounds compared to games from yesteryears, but through Solar Crown, the developers want to give gamers a taste of what an old-school Test Drive game feels like with the addition of modern gameplay mechanics.

In terms of the game’s core gameplay, it is set in a real-life recreation of Hong Kong on a 1:1 scale, with various beautifully created locations to drive through and smooth roads to drive on.

Just like the other games in the ‘Unlimited’ reboot of this franchise, players once again have the opportunity to drive around some of the best and fastest vehicles known to man through the picturesque in-game recreation of Hong Kong.

Players will have to be ready for a lot of in-game grinding, however, as various rumors/leaks suggest that they will have to approximately put 100 hours into the game before the top-tier cars are unlocked for use.

Car customization will also be making a return to the game, and it will take place in a workshop. Customization this time will also be more expansive than before, giving players the option to fine-tune their vehicles exactly to their liking with various decals and cool stickers.

Moreover, players will also be able to visit 14 dealerships located strategically around the city of Hong Kong where players can browse through all the official cars available for purchase, while also interacting with other players in its social hub.

Players will be able to use a wide variety of cars from well-known brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Dodge, Apollo, etc., to enjoy and live the lavish life you had always dreamed of.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is designed to be an MMO this time around to stay true to the games in the series, so players will find lots of other enthusiastic racers roaming within the city for them to challenge to various events and challenges.

Playing a highly competitive MMO game mode is quite taxing, so to counter this, the game allows players to seamlessly switch between MMO mode and single-player exploration mode.

Here check this trailer out to learn more about this feature in more detail:

Additionally, as stated by the developers themselves, the game will feature a left-hand drive system since the game has to comply with Asian driving rules. Also, players will have around 600 Kilometers (around 375 Miles) of roads that players can utilize to satisfy their speed thrill fantasies.

Moreover, while traversing through the attractive locations within the game, players will also be able to enjoy various catchy and trending tunes in their vehicles, thanks to the music system installed in them that plays a large selection of songs from across 6 themed radio stations and more.

Enthusiasts who enjoy the buzzing sounds of their car’s engines and the screeching sounds of its wheels, however, will be able to turn off the music with a press of a button.

Here is the official tweet confirming this addition to the game:

Also Read: Interested in playing games racing games? Check out our post on the best futuristic racing games to dive into to experience some high-octane thrills.

Closed Beta

Initially, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown was estimated to be released in 2024, but due to some unknown reasons, the game was delayed until 2024.

Players who had been eagerly waiting to sink their teeth into the latest Test Drive, however, need not worry, as a couple of rounds of closed beta tests have already been carried out, with the first one having taken place on 24 July 2023, and the second one on 27 October 2023.

We are sure a few more beta testing sessions will be held before the actual release of the game, so if you are interested in taking part in this game’s closed beta testing, just hop on to Test Drive Unlimited’s Official Website and subscribe to their newsletter to stand a chance of getting selected and receiving the beta codes.

Rumored Platforms

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown looks to be an interesting game to check out for gamers worldwide, but on which platforms will players get to play it? As per various reports circling the web, we can say for sure that the game will be released on PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X and Series S.

Reports were signaling not too long back that this game would be released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One users, but unfortunately, that is not going to be the case anymore, if recent news is to be believed, then the release of this game on these select platforms is canceled as of right now.

Although extremely speculative, one of the possible reasons for the cancellation amongst gamers is believed to be that the game is going to be quite demanding to run, and older systems like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One might not be powerful enough to do so.

Rumored System Requirements

By looking at the game’s official gameplay, there is no hiding around the fact that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown looks set to be a beautiful game with breathtaking picturesque locations and eye-catching visuals. All this graphical fidelity, however, will not take place in the game if it is not supported by some seriously capable hardware.

So without beating around the bush any longer, come take a look at the speculative system requirements of this game to give gamers an idea of what kind of system they must have with them to be able to enjoy the game at its absolute best:

(Please Note: For reference, this speculative system requirement table is made by consulting with other racing games that have been released in the last 3 years on PC like Forza Horizon 5, Assetto Corsa, Need For Speed Unbound, F1 2023, etc.)

Conclusion

This was all the information we could gather so far regarding the next game in the extremely popular Test Drive Unlimited game series. Games belonging to this series have always had a unique feel about them, and we are sure the upcoming game has all the elements in place to be one of the best hybrid racing games that players will remember for years to come.

Please keep coming back to this post from time to time, as we’ll make sure to update it with all the latest news and updates as and when they are released to the gaming community.