Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown was announced three years ago today. Since then, Nacon’s open-world racer has only been shown in CGI trailers and we’ve yet to see any gameplay footage. Thankfully, the wait for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gameplay is nearly over.
Amid rumours of a delay until early 2024, we might finally get our first glimpse of actual Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gameplay next week.
First “gameplay images” to be shown at TDU Connect
Announced in a video featuring presenter Melek Balgun playing Solar Crown competition organiser Vivian Hughes, Nacon and KT Racing will present the first “gameplay images” of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown next week.
Presented by Creative Director Alain Jarniou, our first look at Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown gameplay will take place during a special TDU Connect presentation on 12 July 2023 at 6 pm BST/7 pm CEST.
Nacon teases that fans will be shown “unforgettable images and some real surprises” during the 30-minute-long livestream.
Although Nacon refers to “gameplay images” instead of gameplay footage or video, the publisher has clarified to us that gameplay footage will be shown in the presentation and not just screenshots. We can’t wait to see how TDUSC’s 1:1 recreation of Hong Kong Island looks in motion.
Delayed until early 2024?
We’re also hoping to get a firm release date during the livestream. TDUSC is set to release later this year, but rumours are swirling that the open-world racer has been delayed again.
A Nacon financial document lists TDUSC with a Q1 2024 release window in February or March. This suggests it will come out in the 2023 financial year ending in March 2024 but will no longer release this year.
At the time of writing, the official TDUSC website says the game will be “available in 2023.” Hopefully, the TDU Connect presentation will clarify the release window.
While the PS4 and Xbox One were listed as release platforms in the financial document, a press release for the TDU Connect presentation says “prepare to live the Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown experience on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.”
Notably Nintendo Switch isn’t listed as a platform despite the console's logo being shown on the official website, so it seems that the Switch version has been silently scrapped after the PS4 and Xbox One games were cancelled.