Back in 2020, France-based publisher Nacon announced a brand-new entry in the open-world racing series, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. The developer behind the wheel of this game is fellow French developer Kylotonn, responsible for other racing games such as the WRC series, which was also published by Nacon. Unlike most racing games, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown's premise is focused on a high-class lifestyle, especially in regard to fashionable appearances and luxury car brands. These include Ferraris, Bugattis, and Lamborghinis, which give players a chance to be sleek and stylish car owners.
Last year's trailer of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown focused on these aspects, with emphasis on the stylish painted cars, the luxurious setting, and the lifestyle that people of this caliber would participate in. In a recent blog post by the developers of the game, it details that the player will be participating in a clan war on Hong Kong Island, where they will choose to align with either the Streets or the Sharps. These two clans will clash in the Solar Crown competition, the goal being to impose their own lifestyle over the other. The same blog post confirms a number of other details, including its release window.
One of the most important details that the Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown team notes is that Nacon would be dropping development on the PS4 and Xbox One platforms. According to the blog post, this was due to the team wanting to take advantage of the technology that is available on the next-gen consoles and "maximize" the game's quality. The Switch version seems like it's still being developed, though it could be a more compressed version in order to fit the portable hybrid console.
Another big announcement however would be that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will now be aiming for a 2023 release date. The team said since the game was getting a lot of support from fans, this delay is to polish it to a degree that the many fans will be able to enjoy it. Not to leave fans disappointed, however, the team states that this extra development time will allow fans to become involved with a series of beta tests.
The team notes that the schedule for these closed beta tests of Test Drive Unlimited is being worked on, with more ardent fans getting the chance to test the game way before it releases. This phase will allow for developers to take on feedback from fans so that the racing game can be improved further.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will launch in 2023 for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: Steam