Publisher Nacon and developer KT Racing have just announced their upcoming open-world racing simulator Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown for the PC via Steam. No additional platforms, or even a release date, have been announced as of this writing.
KT Racing creative director Alain Jarniou provided a glimpse into the game in an overview. Jarniou started off by explaining the origins of the name “Solar Crown,” which came from the name of a competition which was in the previous Test Drive Unlimited game. Jarniou expanded on it further by saying, “We wanted to reuse this name and the championship’s concept, which is not a closed championship where the player is restricted to doing certain things.”
This move is expected to be more in line with the modern standards of today’s racing games and what players are more likely to find fun. Over the past few years or so, we’ve seen the evolution of racing games from being restricted to race tracks whether in career or multiplayer modes, to a much more free, open-world experiences that let the players soak in the game’s graphics, scenery, driving mechanics, and progress through the game at their own pace. The first Test Drive Unlimited is a great example of this, with its exceptional usage of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, plus the added extra activities scattered around the map.
Jarniou has worked on the first two Test Drive Unlimited titles, which should speak volumes about his experience regarding the racing simulator genre. However, the resurrection of the series is a daunting task, with its last title being released way back in 2011. He added that “there’s no real equivalent” for the game at the moment and that it’s something that they want to fill out.
So, what else should players expect? Jarniou has said that more customization options will be available, both for the player avatar and vehicle. He has also said that “for authenticity and game experience”, they would be adding real life places in the game world that can be visited. Finally, he has said that no release date can be provided right now since “we want to spend time perfecting the game, improving the technology and game experience, and listening to the fan community after the game’s announcement”. Let’s hope, at the very least, we'll get a ball park of the date soon, like maybe early 2021, or holiday 2020. Fingers crossed.
