Test Drive Unlimited, the long-awaited next-gen entry in the venerable racing series, is gearing up for release in just a few weeks. Ahead of its launch, the developers at KT Racing have laid out their roadmap for the first year of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown.
Much like most other modern open-world racers, TDU is set to focus on live service content. Thus, players can expect a consistent rollout of new features and improvements post-launch.
The road ahead
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is described by its own studio as having been in development for “many years. “Yet, this is only the beginning for the vision KT Racing has. It will be continuously updated “for years” to come.
In Season 1, a new competitive season will begin with a variety of live events to keep players engaged. There will also be the first Solar Pass; new ones will come along with each subsequent season. While they’ll eventually be locked behind a paywall, the first two across Seasons 1 and 2 will be available for free while the seasons are active.
Season 2 is described as the “first major update.” It kicks off towards the end of December and will introduce a new island map, the Spanish island of Ibiza in the Mediterranean Sea. Ibiza featured in TDU’s prequel, Test Drive Unlimited 2, all the way back in 2011.
This will serve to complement the default map of Hong Kong. Both maps will be high-quality recreations of real-life locales, to the point where players will recognise points of interest and areas. Each island has a different vibe from the other, to provide different experiences. Ibiza will be accompanied by a new competitive season and more live events.
Season 3 releases in late March 2025, and is headlined by the introduction of the Clan War between racers in Hong Kong and Ibiza. More new live events will be added in this update, as well.
Finally, the last revealed season for now is Season 4. This will launch in late June 2025 and will feature even more events and features.
Throughout the game’s life, KT Racing promises to gradually add more major features. This includes elements like real estate ownership, motorcycles, and more. Other areas that will be polished up are quality-of-life features, bug fixes, optimisation, visuals, and more.
A closed beta build of the game was released a few weeks ago for a limited period. Reactions were quite mixed; some loved it, while others found it underwhelming. Consequently, KT Racing’s commitment to working on the game well after launch is intriguing, yet does make one wonder how it will play in its early days.
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will be speeding to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on September 12. Pre-orders for the game are live now, and there are several different editions to choose from. Gold Edition buyers will be able to play the game as early as September 5.
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