The game from Nacon and Kylotonn (KT Racing) still has no release date.

In a trailer called The Explorer, we’re shown getting off the tarmac to drive around Hong Kong in a Ford Raptor F-150, a Lancia Delta Integrale and a Porsche Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo. There will be over 300 collectibles (such as solar coins, reputation, clan influence, special items, and the radar will also show you the parts of the cars so you can build two exclusive cars). Kylotonn’s goal is to strike the right balance between particle effects and performance, and while they’ve achieved this in the WRC series with the KT engine, the representation of other players and the more detailed environment in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown make it more challenging for them.

The community experience will also be felt in the shops, where you can chat about your next purchase or how to tune your car. The Solar Hotel and Clan HQs are also designed as living areas. Community features require a constant connection to online databases (leaderboards, tournaments, inventories, moderation, live events, anti-cheat methods…), so the game will always be online.

Let’s take a look at Kylotonn’s explanation for why the new Test Drive is still not released: “Most of the gameplay of Test Drive Unlimited has been implemented and is currently being finalized. But there are a lot of big challenges that the development team is working on. To give you an idea of the work involved, it took over three years to create the 1:1 scale Hong Kong Island and its road network, including all the details in the off-road areas and hidden corners of the island. As another example, the full integration of a car model with Test Drive Unlimited’s level of detail can take up to four months. This includes detailed modeling to manufacturer specifications, adding details for maximum immersion while driving (including interior lighting for some models), unique animations (such as retractable roofs for convertibles), physics for each road surface, engine sounds, upgrades… It’s a huge amount of work to make the game as fun and authentic as possible. Each car model is evaluated and tested multiple times to ensure that each car provides specific sensations and a unique driving experience.

We have made significant progress over the past few months, thanks in large part to your participation and feedback/suggestions in response to our communications (Test Drive Unlimited Connect, trailers, Solar Club Letters, Discord discussions, social media). We have continued to test the performance and stability of the servers, so that we can begin to mirror real-world launch conditions. The server infrastructure for an MMO like Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is a huge challenge. Hundreds of thousands of players are expected, and we are working hard to mitigate the risks associated with technical issues.

We also know that you want a launch date, and we understand your eagerness. We share your eagerness. Although a launch date has been considered several times, we want to take the time necessary to ensure that your experience with Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is as smooth, stable, and fun as possible. Many of you have told us to take the time to release a game that meets your expectations. That’s why we’re working hard on several aspects, including the stability of the server infrastructure and the optimization of the game’s performance. When we feel these two areas are stable, we’ll be happy to share the long-awaited launch date with you, then cross the finish line and begin our long adventure together. In the meantime, more testing will begin soon, including Closed Playtest 3, which will be larger in scope and territory,” Kylotonn wrote.

Last summer, the release was delayed to early 2024, but now it’s just official that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown will be released in 2024 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store). So, quietly, the game has been delayed again.

Source: Gematsu