In the run-up to Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s eventual launch, Nacon is releasing monthly newsletter updates focusing on specific features.
The first update gave us a deep dive into dealerships and car customisation, while the second focused on Hong Kong Island.
In the third newsletter update, Nacon introduces us to a new central hub in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown called the Solar Hotel where you can meet and interact with other players, buy clothes, and change your character’s appearance.
Solar Hotel revealed
Located in Victoria Park in the heart of Causeway Bay, the Solar Hotel is your personal HQ in TDUSC for members of the Solar Crown race competition invited by the “little-known but highly influential organisation” Radiant.
At 1,772 ft. high and with 120 floors, the Solar Hotel is one of the tallest buildings on the map. This is where you can change your character’s clothes and view weather updates, upcoming challenges, your profile, and progress details on an augmented reality screen.
You'll unlock more luxurious suites as you rank up and earn reputation.
Social hub
As well as your personal HQ, the Solar Hotel serves as a social hub where you can meet and chat with other players. It also “showcases the best drivers” presumably in leaderboards and displays current activities.
Nacon will reveal more details about how you can interact with players in a future newsletter.
Character customisation is also returning in Solar Crown. A clothing store will let you buy hundreds of fashion items and there’s even a hairstylist and cosmetic surgery service to change your character’s appearance.
Up to four players can display their favourite car at the Solar Hotel, while a valet service delivers your requested car to the front of the hotel to explore the city.
“The lobby of the Solar Hotel illustrates our desire to get players together and help them interact,” Creative Director Alain Jarniou explained.
“TDUSC is not just a racing game, it's a game for fans of beautiful cars, for racing or cruising around with friends, so it was essential for us to provide a place for players to meet up."
"The most obvious way to do this was with social hubs where players move around with their avatars rather than at 300km/h on HKI behind the wheel of a hypercar.”
No buyable houses at launch
Houses were a staple of the first two Test Drive Unlimited games. As you acquired cars, you could buy lavish houses to store them and show them off to other players.
Sadly, this popular feature won’t return in TDUSC – at least not at launch. Jarniou hinted that buyable houses may be added after launch.
“We know that houses made an impression on TDU players,” he said. “While this feature is not in the game when TDUSC launches, it is part of a long list of features we have already researched for future content in the medium and long term."
We still don’t have a firm Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown release date and Nacon has yet to show off proper gameplay footage. However, the end of the newsletter says that “reservations and the first tours will open soon,” suggesting the planned beta test will start soon.
Nacon usually hosts its annual Connect show in July, so we’re expecting to find out the release date and hopefully see some actual gameplay at this year’s show. No date has been announced for Nacon Connect 2023 yet, but last year’s Nacon Connect took place on 7 July last year.