Shop sim racing equipment
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown received a substantial update last week, with Season 3 bringing car delivery missions and a host of community-requested features, including a solo mode. While it’s another step in the right direction after the disastrous launch, more updates are planned throughout the year in response to player feedback.
We already know the casino is planned for Season 4. Beyond that, KT Racing has announced that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will receive a “major” graphics update in Season 5 that will “improve the visual experience.”
“We know there are graphical and optimisation issues that are within TDUSC. Things like this can hinder the experience for players,” KT Racing wrote in a post on Steam discussing Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s future. “We would like to confirm to you that in Season 5, we will have a KT Engine major enhancement that will improve the visual experience for players.”
Visual updates are set to include optimisation, rendering and lighting improvements, as well as enhanced water surface reflections, shadow management and cockpit lighting. Hopefully, this visual makeover will make the graphics look less dated and resolve the graphical glitches and performance issues that still plague Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown six months later.
Alongside the graphics update, Season 5 will also improved network stability.
“Despite the past, the future road ahead for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is bright”
“We would like to assure you that despite the past, the future road ahead for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is bright. Season 3 was a curation of what the players have requested to see, and we aren’t done yet either,” KT Racing wrote.
“Of course, Season 4 will introduce the Casino, but after Season 4, we have many ideas and plans that not only will excite players, but also bring back many other requested features and improvements to the game, and we are very committed to bringing you the best Test Drive Unlimited game ever. The journey ahead won’t be quick, but we promise it is achievable.”
Season 5’s graphical update doesn’t have a release date yet. Originally, Season 4 was set to release on 25th June before Season 3’s Clan Warfare mode was postponed, so it will likely arrive later this year.
KT Racing is “committed to bringing” houses to Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown
The post also addresses other commonly requested features. A staple of Test Drive Unlimited that’s absent in Solar Crown, buyable houses are expected to arrive sometime in year two: “We know the players want to see this, and we are committed to bringing this feature into TDUSC.”
Elsewhere, KT Racing plans to improve the matchmaking and online PVP experience, rework live events and introduce more mission types alongside car deliveries. The French studio is also discussing “cross-region and cross-play functionality.”
As for new cars, KT Racing is teasing we can expect “many surprises” in year two, including more Asian cars. Currently, the Nissan Nissan 370Z and Nissan Skyline GT-R are the only Asian models in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s car list.
Notably, there’s still no word about an offline mode, which is one of the most requested features. While the new solo mode lets you race with AI opponents instead of waiting in lobbies, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown still requires an online connection to access.
Responding to concerns about the game being inaccessible if the servers are shut down, KT Racing told Traxion last year that it’s “already working on a solution” for the end-of-life phase.
More details about Season 4 and beyond will be revealed in an upcoming developer diary.
KT Racing is clearly committed to improving Solar Crown and listening to community feedback. Let’s hope it isn’t too little too late, with Forza Horizon 5 set to give the open-world racer some fierce competition next month on PlayStation 5, which is Solar Crown’s most popular platform.
What are you hoping to see in future Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown updates? Let us know in the comments below. You can also watch our review of the original TDU above on YouTube.
Chat with the Community
Sign Up To CommentIt's completely Free
I would like to see more players freely roaming the roads. So that I can travel with them freely like in Forza 5 and not just when I invite friends. Because it’s really boring that there are no random players in the game that you can meet randomly on the roads like it should be in an open world.