Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown
| Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | KT Racing |
| Publisher(s) | Nacon |
| Director(s) | Alain Jarniou[2] |
| Series | Test Drive |
| Engine | KT Engine |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is an upcoming racing video game developed by KT Racing and published by Nacon. It will be the twenty-first game in the Test Drive series, the first title in the series since 2012's Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends, and the third game in the franchise's open world Unlimited sub-series, following 2011's Test Drive Unlimited 2. The game was teased on 3 July 2020 on Twitter[3] and was officially revealed during the Nacon Connect event on 7 July.[4][5] Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is set to be released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on 22 September 2022.[6][7][1]
Development and marketing[]
It was reported in December 2016 that French publisher Bigben Interactive (now called Nacon) acquired the Test Drive intellectual property from Atari, with plans to reboot the franchise.[8] In 2018, Bigben announced the acquisition of French game developer Kylotonn, with Roman Vincent, president of Kylotonn suggesting they were working on the next installment of Test Drive.[9]
In April 2020, Nacon filed a trade mark to the Intellectual Property Office for Test Drive Solar Crown,[10][11] the last two words referring to the Solar Crown in-universe racing competition series featured in 2011's Test Drive Unlimited 2.[12]
On 3 July 2020, the official Test Drive Twitter account tweeted a twelve-second video clip of a crown-shaped logo with the letters "SC" in it forming, announcing a full reveal during the Nacon Connect video event on 7 July.[3][11] The game was officially announced on that date during the event with a 25-second teaser trailer,[13] with Kylotonn (under their KT Racing brand) developing.[5][2] Based on copyright text at the end of the video, the game will feature vehicles from (among others to be announced) Bugatti, Dodge, Ferrari, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini and Porsche.[13]
The game will feature a 1:1 recreation of Hong Kong Island as revealed from the Nacon Connect trailer,[5][1][2][14] and will run on WRC 8's framework and handling model.[5] Unlike its two predecessors of both Oahu and Ibiza, the road will be left-hand traffic, a first in the series. Creative director Alain Jarniou, who worked on the first two Test Drive Unlimited games, stated in the Nacon Connect video that Unlimited Solar Crown has only been in development for "several months" by that time.[15][16] In April 2021, Nacon published a second teaser trailer that confirmed the game will be released for Microsoft Windows (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, with a new trailer to be released in July 2021.[17][6][7] The trailer shows an Aston Martin DB11 and a customized Land Rover Range Rover SVR, along with the hands of a male driver and a female driver driving those respective vehicles and gambling in a casino, indicating that the casino feature found in previous Test Drive Unlimited games will return.[17][12] The trailer also shows the key fobs of several vehicles, including those from Audi, Bentley, and Mercedes-Benz, placed in a pot, indicating that players can gamble for vehicles in the game.[17][12] The game's Steam page was also updated to confirm that Apollo will be among the car makes featured in the game.[6]
References[]
- ^ a b c Holt, Kris (6 July 2021). "'Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown' arrives September 22nd, 2022". Engadget. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ a b c Prescott, Shaun (7 July 2020). "Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is an open world racer where 'social status is everything'". PC Gamer. Retrieved 9 July 2020.