Test Drive Unlimited SC Closed Beta Test Announced for July 24

Publisher Nacon and developer KT Racing have announced that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, the highly anticipated racing game, has been delayed to an early 2024 release date. The game will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. However, the developers have revealed that a closed beta test will begin on July 24 and last for three days across all platforms, which users can register for via the official website.

The news was announced during TDU Connect, a 30-minute showcase of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown featuring the development staff and racing game content creators. The gameplay reveal of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown was also showcased during the TDU Connect premiere, where the closed beta for the title was announced.

The game is set on the island of Hong Kong, and the team has created a 1:1 scale recreation of the area. Players will take on the challenges as either a Street or Sharp member, the two opposing clans of the title. Online multiplayer, either in races or traversing in groups across the map, is a significant gameplay focus.

Directed by Alain Jarniou, co-creator of the original Test Drive Unlimited games, Solar Crown focuses on the eponymous in-universe racing tournament and sees players compete across a gigantic, open-world map based directly on the real Hong Kong Island. The game will feature a social hub that can be accessed on foot as players exit their vehicles to explore some of the glamorous interiors dotted around Hong Kong.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown aims for a more plausible simulation than some of its distant predecessors, and there is an eye for environmental detail. The game features real-world branded cars, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bugattis, and the occasional Dodge. Cars do take damage, but based on the first footage, it appears to be purely cosmetic and not consistent with the actual collisions.

While the release date for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown has been delayed, fans can still get a taste of the game through the closed beta, which will last for three days from July 24. The beta will only be available to select players, but hopefuls can sign up via the official Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown website.