Solar Club Letter: March.4 - Season 6 & Future Outlook

[p]Season 6 releases next week, but we want to discuss the future too! Season 6 releases on March 25, 2026, and it will bring a wide array of bug fixes and improvements! To help showcase this, you can also expect a Season 6 Feature Showcase livestream where Guillaume, Alain, and Alex will show you everything going on in TDUSC’s Season 6 while answering questions about the next updates too![/p][p][/p][p]Of course, some of the things mentioned in this letter you’ll also find more details on in that showcase, so don’t miss it! For now, let’s talk about everything TDU![/p][p][/p][h2]What’s In the Letter?[/h2]

• [p]Season 6[/p]
  • [p]Release Date[/p]
  • [p]Main Features[/p]
    • [p]Detective Missions[/p]
    • [p]Clothing Stores[/p]
    • [p]HKI Rework[/p]
  • [p]Car List[/p]
    • [p]Pagani Huayra Roadster[/p]
    • [p]Alpine A110 R Ultime[/p]
    • [p]Lamborghini Temerario[/p]
    • [p]Pininfarina B95[/p]
    • [p]Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series[/p]
    • [p]Bentley Continental GTC Speed Edition12[/p]
    • [p]Dodge Viper SRT Coupe VR Kit[/p]
  • [p]Quality of Life Improvements[/p]
  • [p]New Customisation & Licensed Items[/p]
    • [p]BMW M Performance[/p]
    • [p]Audi Sport Performance Parts[/p]
    • [p]Michelin[/p]
    • [p]Liveries[/p]
    • [p]Spoilers[/p]
  • [p]Network Improvements[/p]
  • [p]Sound Improvements[/p]
  • [p]Patch Notes[/p]
• [p]Roadmap Timeframe[/p]
  • [p]New Roadmap[/p]
  • [p]Upcoming QnA[/p]
• [p]Season 7[/p]
  • [p]Live Enhancements (Solar Pass/Live Events/Daily Challenges)[/p]
  • [p]Official Racing Center[/p]
  • [p]Car List Tease[/p]
• [p]Season 8[/p]
  • [p]Real Estate[/p]
    • [p]Houses[/p]
    • [p]Garages[/p]
    • [p]Real Estate Agency[/p]
    • [p]Customisation & Furniture[/p]
  • [p]Team Quotes[/p]
• [p]Community Spotlight[/p]
  • [p]Winners[/p]
  • [p]How To Enter[/p]
  • [p]April Theme[/p]
• [p]Season 6 Feature Showcase[/p]

[p][/p][p]Season 6 arrives next month with more content, features, quality of life improvements, and more! Let’s take a look at this in more detail.
[/p][h2]📅 Release Date[/h2][p]The update is planned to release on March 25, 2026.[/p][p][/p][p]As for the maintenance, it will be mentioned in the Patch Notes, which will arrive on March 25, 2026. Expect the server maintenance at 9:30am CET and last up to 8:00pm CET. As usual, we will keep you updated on our progress during the day too.[/p][p][/p][p]Make sure to stay tuned for all the details on the release by following us on social media![/p][h2]
🆕 Main Features[/h2][p]Let’s take a look at the main features arriving in Season 6![/p][p][/p][h3]Detective Missions[/h3][p]Detective Missions were a mission type voted by the community in our Year 2 Developer Diary. The team at KT wanted to create something that isn’t just like TDU2, but rather a full improvement.[/p][p][/p][p]It’s worth noting as we’ve now added more missions, we’ve also changed how many appear on the map at once. You’ll now find 2 Taxi Missions, 1 Car Delivery Missions, and 1 Detective Mission on the map at once. There’s a lot to talk about, so let’s start about how missions will work, but first, here’s what Jessica has to say about the story behind Detective Missions![/p][p] [/p][p]“Detective Missions were a great opportunity for us to explore another side of the TDUSC universe. Each mission tells a short story, and together they reveal more about the people and personalities you can encounter across Hong Kong Island and Ibiza. Some investigations are quite light-hearted, such as paparazzi assignments, while others dive into more mysterious situations involving disappearances or suspicious activities. There are also more personal stories, like cases of adultery. It was also a chance for us to expand on characters players already knew, including some of the challengers and reveal a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes of their lives.”[/p]

• [p]Jessica (TDUSC Game Designer)[/p]

[p][/p][p]Upon approaching a Detective Mission, you’ll find all of the mission information available to you. The vehicle you have to target, the weather, the traffic density, and the road conditions. You’ll also find information about the target which will help give you a bit of lore before starting the mission.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Once you start the mission, the Fixer will explain to you briefly why you’re tailing the target, and what journey you’re about to partake in. This is where the first large difference between TDU2 is, as you’ll find no mission is the same, each with their own story to tell. You’ll start tailing the vehicle, but be careful not to get too close! The target will traverse throughout the roads towards their destination, by dynamically changing their driving style, so sometimes you’ll see them calm, and sometimes you’ll find them speeding![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Throughout each mission, you’ll have to wire tap the vehicle, yet another big difference from TDU2’s tailing missions and it's why we wanted to call these Detective Missions instead. During this process, you have a set amount of time to complete the wiretap by staying within the area (without being detected). Once complete, the Fixer will be able to play the audio of the successful wiretap. This will give you more lore behind the target you are tailing! Some missions may require you to wiretap once, but some may require you to do it 3 times! Once you reach the destination of the target, you’ll take a picture and the Fixer will confirm your findings! Be careful though, to get the maximum amount of money from these missions, you must successfully capture all wiretaps![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]In S6, there will be 15 missions day one and another 15 others will come in the Season 6 mid-season update. It will follow the same rules as the other contracts and drop rate depends on the rarity of the contract and the level you are. With 15 missions, you might see the same missions. We will rebalance this in the next update too.[/p][p][/p][p]There is a bit more we want to tease though, so to explain this more, here’s what Guillaume has to say![/p][p][/p][p]“Ah yes... Forgot to tell you, the team came up one day with a GOOOOD idea. I was like we have to put this in the game. I can't tell you what it is and I think you won't find it before a long time or at least S6P1, but can't wait for you guys to find out about it! [/p][p][/p][p]This initial version of the Detective missions captures everything we wanted to focus on. As Jessica mentioned, our goal was to offer deeper immersion and storytelling than the original "Tailing" mode in Test Drive Unlimited 2. It was essential for us to preserve the essence of that classic mode while pushing the boundaries of the experience.[/p][p][/p][p]However, even though we’ve reached our initial goals, we want to go even bigger. We loved developing this mode, but we felt it was still missing a certain edge. While we’ve ticked all the boxes regarding immersion, we believe the tailing mechanics themselves can be further refined. That is exactly what we are doing for S6P1. [/p][p][/p][p]Two major workstreams are underway:[/p]

• [p]Advanced Detection Parameters: Currently, only distance affects suspicion. We feel this lacks the "Role Play" depth expected of a Test Drive title. We are adding new parameters that the suspect will detect: accidents, driving the wrong way, using the horn, drifting,  over-revving your engine, etc.[/p]
• [p]Detection States: The vision for Detective mode is to make you feel undercover, not in a police chase. To maintain this immersion, we previously lacked the tools to keep the difficulty high without being frustrating or weird. In addition to the new detection parameters in S6P1, we are introducing a Detection State system, allowing us to create a more challenging and nuanced experience.[/p]

[p][/p][p]These improvements will significantly transform the gameplay between S6 and S6P1. If you enjoyed the mode in S6, just wait until you see this new version! Furthermore, all S6 contracts will be updated with this system and rebalanced for the new difficulty.[/p][p][/p][p]One last thing, the team came up with a brilliant idea one morning. It was so cool that I insisted we add it, no matter what. It’s a subtle feature, but keep your eyes peeled! Prove to us that you’re a true detective, and not just someone completing contracts.”[/p]

• [p]Guillaume (TDUSC Game Director)[/p]

[p][/p][p]You’ll be able to find gameplay of Detective Missions here! You’ll see it in more detail in the upcoming Season 6 showcase which we’ll detail in this letter later too![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][h3]Clothing Stores[/h3][p]The TDU DNA is something we’ve been working hard on improving since the launch of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. Walkable clothing stores arrive in Ibiza for the Streets and Sharp clans. You can also see your vehicle parked outside of the store, just another step towards improving the TDU lifestyle! We’ve shown screenshots of these already, but here are some more screenshots of the interior and exterior of the buildings![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]We have added a clothing store to the clan HQ’s too! The clothing store and vehicle accessory store are at the entrance of the HQ, to be more visible/accessible to the players. The RNG Chest from leveling up your clan is not removed, but you can only get money from it now. [/p][p][/p][p]All clothing and car customization content have been dispatched into the clothing and Car Customization store in the HQ’s. We didn't have time to equally distribute clothes from the chest into the Ibiza clothing stores so everything is currently in the HQ stores. This will be fixed in a future update though![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Hong Kong Island Rework[/h3][p]We revealed this before, but since Season 5’s Hong Kong Island southern district rework, we went over the northern districts while also reviewing intersections in the southern areas of Hong Kong Island! You’ll be able to find more traffic lights throughout the southern areas which create a much more improved feel to the game.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We want to give a huge thanks to Huy, our main procedural building artist for the work they’ve done on improving our procedural generation on Hong Kong Island, and the building assets and intersection work![/p][p][/p][p]“My current role involves reviewing urban areas (known as 'parcels') across the various districts of Hong Kong Island in order to correct them (by realigning their shapes with sidewalks and roads around them), rectify them (by resolving various issues with the generated elements, whether these be bugs or errors) and adapt them to the various updates to the urban generation tool used to create buildings and skyscrapers.[/p][p][/p][p]To meet production constraints, this tool was designed to randomly generate urban areas based on a number of parameters, thereby sparing artists the tedious task of manually decorating these areas and their buildings.[/p][p][/p][p]This procedural tool has been significantly improved by the tech artist team since the game's release. Better distance mesh/LOD meshes generate from the base mesh, improved breakdown layout to create buildings, optimised assets spawning on the building facade, as examples.[/p][p][/p][p]However, in order to achieve the objective of optimising performance and improving roads and junctions to accommodate the current and future activities in it, it has been necessary to adjust the previous work on urban areas as well as their credibility.[/p][p] [/p][p]As reducing the number of random parameters in the generation of urban areas appears to be the most suitable solution to strike a good balance between visuals and optimisation. By adjusting the height, the density of the buildings and the layout of the skyscrapers, more sunlight is allowed to pass through and light the way for the player as they drive their way through the city streets during the day. It's a long process, but I'm confident that it can only improve the player experience in this updated version of Hong Kong's districts.[/p][p][/p][p]In the current retake work in Wanchai, it seemed necessary to add and increase the number of advertising billboards in an attempt to capture one of the district's distinctive features. These serve quite well to illuminate the streets.”[/p]

• [p]Huy (TDUSC Senior 3D Environment Artist)[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h2]🚗 Car List[/h2][p]Do you remember what Tess Wintory said in TDU2? The competition is heating up? Well, that describes our car list for Season 6, as we think this is our best yet! Let’s take a look at the confirmed vehicles arriving in Season 6 of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown![/p][p][/p][p]“For Season 6, the Vehicle Artist team has gone even further with the vehicle customization options, particularly with the Pagani Huayra Roadster and the Lamborghini Temerario. Both cars offer an extensive list of manufacturer possibilities. It was important for us to capture that range of choice, even though we had to be selective with the final customizations provided. Between them, there are over 130 customization options across the interior and exterior! We have a great car lineup this season, and we hope every player finds something they love in this diverse selection.”[/p]

• [p]Carl (TDUSC Lead Vehicle Artist)[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Pagani Huayra Roadster[/h3][p]Yes, Pagani returns to TDU! The Pagani Huayra Roadster is the first Pagani to arrive in TDUSC, but as we confirmed in the dedicated Pagani letter, it isn’t the last, and players can expect to see another Pagani in Season 8! You’ll be able to find this vehicle in the Italian Car dealership on Hong Kong Island, with an incredible amount of vehicle spec options - 36 manufacturer exterior paint options, 32 interior options, and 6 rim options![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We’re also improving the sound of this vehicle. Although it will not arrive for the launch of Season 6, you will be able to find gameplay of the sound improvement in a future Solar Club Letter! We’d like to hear your feedback on this sound so the team can continue to find and tune it to meet the expectations of the community![/p][p][/p][h3]Alpine A110 R Ultime[/h3][p]French rejoice! The track focused Alpine A110 makes its open world racing game debut in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, and we’re sure the players will enjoy this one! This car will be available as a level 1 reward in the Season 6 Solar Pass.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Lamborghini Temerario[/h3][p]One of Lamborghini’s newest poster child, this vehicle arrives as a level 15 reward in the Season 6 Solar Pass. Similar to that of the Pagani Huayra, you can find this vehicle with 7 different manufacturer rims, 29 different manufacturer interior colour options, and 39 different manufacturer exterior paint options. Truly, every player will be able to make their Temerario feel unique![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Pininfarina B95[/h3][p]When you think of Pininfarina, you think of the beautiful designs they’ve contributed to the car scene in the past decades. When you see the B95, you know their design philosophy hasn't changed yet, and won’t anytime soon. The Pininfarina B95 arrives as the level 50 reward in the Solar Pass (available to all players)! This electric car is based off the Battista, but some may say it looks better! A fitting vehicle to cruise through the sunshine in Ibiza![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series[/h3][p]Players have mentioned their excitement for this vehicle quite a few times already, but it finally arrives next week! The SLS AMG Black Series arrives in the Season 6 online store with a Michelin bundle! In it, you’ll be able to find the:[/p]

• [p]Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series[/p]
• [p]‘Race with Michelin’ livery for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series[/p]
• [p]‘Race with Michelin’ racing outfit[/p]
• [p]‘Race with Michelin’ racing helmet[/p]
• [p]‘Race with Michelin’ racing shoes[/p]
• [p]‘Race Finish’ emote[/p]
• [p]‘Race with Michelin’ jacket[/p]

[p]We can’t wait to see the images players create of this![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Bentley Continental GTC Speed Edition 12[/p][p]You’ve seen this vehicle in a Car Delivery mission before, but it finally arrives in Season 6 of the online store! In this bundle, you’ll be able to find:[/p]

• [p]Bentley Continental GTC Speed Edition 12[/p]
• [p]‘British Gentleman’ outfit[/p]
• [p]‘British Gentleman’ paint[/p]
• [p]Umbrella emote[/p]
• [p]Beige Tartan license plate[/p]
• [p]‘Break a leg!’ license plate text[/p]
• [p]Satin Metal Diamond car paint[/p]

[p][/p][p]Dodge Viper SRT Coupe ‘VR Kit’ (S6P1)[/p][p]Arriving in the Season 6 mid-season update, the Dodge Viper gets a bespoke bodykit created by the vehicle artist team at KT! The vehicle features a moulded wide body kit, custom wing, custom front good, and custom rims! The vehicle artist team is also reworking the rear tail lights of the Dodge Viper, which means both the vehicle found in the dealership, and the vehicle found in this bundle will have an improved tail light that looks more accurate to the real life model. That said, in this bundle, you’ll find:[/p]

• [p]Dodge Viper SRT Coupe ‘VR Kit’[/p]
• [p]Livery for the Dodge Viper SRT Coupe ‘VR Kit’[/p]
• [p]Le Millionaire outfit[/p]
• [p]Millionaire emote[/p]
• [p]Gold license plate[/p]
• [p]‘Golden’ license plate text[/p]
• [p]Carbon Gold car paint[/p]

[p] [/p][h2]⌛️ Quality of Life Improvements[/h2][p]We have done quite a few quality of life improvements in Season 6, so here’s everything you can expect![/p][p][/p][p]Casino NPC Voices[/p][p]The team has gone and added new voices to the NPC’s around the Casino! This means a more immersive experience, whether you exchanging your Casino Chips, heading to the Poker room, or even playing Poker! [/p][p][/p][p]Alyss GPS Voice[/p][p]The sound design team also worked on naturalising the GPS voice! This better aligns with the future of the TDU DNA, and it’s something we’ve seen players request often![/p][p][/p][p]Increased Outfit Slots[/p][p]Another player request, we’ve increased the amount of outfit slots possible! This means you can now save up to 6 outfits for your character![/p][p][/p][p]Increased GPS Destination Points[/p][p]We’ve seen players use this for their group cruises, and even mini-races, so we decided to increase this! You can now select up to 10 GPS points within a route, meaning the possibilities of custom group races and even larger cruises are now possible![/p][p][/p][p]Improved Thumbnail Generation[/p][p]We’ve improved the look of the vehicle thumbnails in your garage, but also how they look in the workshop and dealership too! You’ll find body customisations now showcase the item, and they have an improved visual experience.[/p][p][/p][p]Improved Ibiza Workshop (Selene HQ) Lighting[/p][p]We’ve improved the lighting when in the Selene HQ workshop menu. Similarly, this will bring a better visual experience for the player.[/p][p][/p][p]Dirty Air Overhaul[/p][p]We’ve improved how dirt air works in the game based on player feedback. There is now up to 0.3% to 0.5% of less drag behind a car and we added a linear progression from 100 meters to 0 as it was previously an on/off trigger. This should improve how players race at high speeds. We are curious to hear your feedback on this improvement, and we’ll be watching out socials regarding this.[/p][p][/p][h2]⚙️ New Customisation & Licensed Items[/h2][p]In Season 6 you can find a wide array of vehicle customisation improvements with licensed items, new licensed clothing, licensed liveries, and much more! [/p][p][/p][h3]BMW M Performance[/h3][p]BMW M Performance license arrives in Season 6! This starts with the BMW M Performance livery for the BMW M4 Competition. This will be available in the online store in the rotational section.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Audi Sport Performance Parts[/h3][p]As showcased a few weeks ago and also in the February Solar Club Letter, players can find this new licensed customisation in the Season 6 Solar Pass complete with a spoiler, side skirt, rear diffuser, and front splitter, all fully licensed for the Audi R8 RWS (coupe only)![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We saw the reaction from the community, and it seems they look forward to this style of customisation, so be sure it's something the team will look into improving in the coming Seasons![/p][p][/p][h3]Michelin[/h3][p]In last week's letter we showcased the collaboration with Michelin! To quickly recap, in Season 6 you’ll have a Michelin branded live event, a Michelin x Mercedes-Benz bundle in the online store (which was discussed earlier in this letter), and many Michelin licensed clothing items![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You can also learn more about the Michelin collaboration in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown in the Solar Club Letter March.3, linked below![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]We can also confirm that Michelin will feature in Season 7, and we are working on some really cool things with Michelin for the future too![/p][p] [/p][h3]Liveries[/h3][p]The team worked hard on some incredible liveries this Season! For example, you can find these liveries for the Ford Mustang and the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT in future live events in Season 6![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]In the online store, you can also find this livery for the Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1 in the online store rotational section in Season 6![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Spoilers[/h3][p]You can also find some new spoiler options available in the online store for the Ford Mustang, BMW i8, and much more! We’ve gone for a more sleek style on these spoilers based on some feedback from the community too! You’ll be able to find the spoiler on these cars, and more, available in the rotational section of the online store![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]🌐 Network Improvements[/h2][p]We’ve been saying this for a while now, but the network team is hard at work improving the network infrastructure and future content of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. To recap what players can expect to see in Season 6, here is a quote from the lead online programmer, Sylvain, in the last Solar Club Letter:[/p][p][/p][p]“PlayStation Plus was a huge milestone for us, especially following the initial release of TDU. We worked hard the last few months to make sure that anything works as expected and that our infrastructure will be able to handle every new player. It also gives us a lot of new data and insights to check regarding our applications! In Season 6 we will introduce several fixes regarding our session management system, mostly linked to what players see as "Lobby Error" or group errors. [/p][p][/p][p]Now the team is fully focused on the ‘Servers v2’ part of the job, where we will rewrite a lot of our algorithms to improve stability of network connection, reduce the latency, and make sure that players will be able to see each other a lot more in the open world part.”[/p]

• [p]Sylvain (TDUSC Lead Online Programmer)[/p]

[p][/p][p]We can also confirm the recent server issues players have experienced in the past week will be much improved in the Season 6 update. We’ll be sure to include the specific network improvements in the upcoming Season 6 Patch Notes so stay tuned![/p][p][/p][h2]🔊 Sound Improvements[/h2][p]Season 6 brings many other sound improvements! Here’s what the sound team worked on for Season 6![/p][p][/p][p]“S6 comes with new features like the detective missions and some brand new cars that we greatly enjoyed to sound design! Beside that you will also found some new shops owned by the Streets and the Sharps. It was obvious for us to create for each shop a sound ambiance respectful with the clan's lifestyle and the country where the store is located. I hope you will enjoy strolling in these new places to shop for some clothes and to listen to the new dedicated playlist music that we set on each of them.”[/p]

• [p]Willmyth (TDUSC Lead Sound Designer)[/p][p][/p]

[p]Season 6 brings new features, but we also worked on fixing some past issues. We’ve worked on many sounds and you’ll be able to find some of the following in Season 6, and Season 6’s mid-season update.[/p][p][/p][p]Season 6 Day One:[/p]

• [p]Overall Sound Balancing - Improving the sounds in cockpits of some vehicles such as the Agera RS for example and working on the balancing of AI drivers in races[/p]
• [p]BMW M4 Pops/Bangs - We’ve fixed this as the sound was currently weird when upshifting[/p]
• [p]Evija, Battista and Taycan Are Missing Sounds From Other Players/AI In Freeroam/Events - just as explained![/p]
• [p]Alfa Romeo 4C Spider - sound clipping at redline has been fixed[/p]
• [p]And more which will be announced in the upcoming patch notes! [/p]

[p]After Season 6 Day One (S6P1):[/p]

• [p]LeFerrari Aperta - We’re currently working on fixing this sound based on player feedback[/p]
• [p]Koenigsegg Regera - We’ve fixed the missing engine sound at low RPM[/p]
• [p]Pagani Huayra Roadster - We are working on fixing the sound of this vehicle to better match the player expectations[/p]
• [p]Car Sounds For Other Players In Freeroam - When cruising or driving around with other players in freeroam, the audio of the other player's cars are incorrect. This is something we are working to fix[/p]
• [p]Community Sound Improvement List - Mclaren MP4-12C, and other various vehicles from the communities requests on sound improvements[/p]

[p][/p][p]We of course have many other sound improvements and fixes coming in future updates, and you keep up to date with those in future Solar Club Letters.[/p][p][/p][h2]📋 Patch Notes[/h2][p]The Patch Notes for Season 6 will arrive on March 25, 2026 at 10am CET, just after the servers go under maintenance for the update. [/p][p][/p][p]Of course, it isn’t a Solar Club Letter if we don’t mention some of the big patch note improvements arriving in Season 6, so let’s go over some important ones![/p]

• [p]Controller/Keyboard visual steering tyre sync - players who use controller and keyboard will no longer see a slow turning speed, and the visual dynamics of the tire now match the physics of the vehicle.
  Note: We still want to improve this so that the actual interior steering animation can keep up with the input in certain conditions, but it requires further testing and code work. We’ll update you when we have more news on this.[/p][p][/p]
• [p]Live Event spoilers equipable - the live event spoiler rewards are now equipable on their associated vehicle[/p]
• [p]Aston Martin Vantage GT3/Vulcan FFB/input delay - the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and Vulcan FFB delay have been fixed. Players will no longer find a delay in the dynamics of the car[/p]
• [p]Alyss wheel navigation binding option - players on wheel can now head to the settings, and bind left/right to be able to navigate through the alyss wheel[/p]
• [p]Mouse look navigation in freeroam - players on keyboard can now use their mouse to look around their vehicle in freeroam by holding the left mouse button and dragging[/p]
• [p]Wheel desync with multiple bindings - players will no longer have a desync between the in-game wheel and the wheel input they have, especially when using multiple bindings[/p]
• [p]Waiting in Race Setup lobby will change the weather - players can no longer wait in a race setup lobby to change the weather, and possibly get a better time[/p]
• [p]Hood/Dashboard camera look left/right fix - players who use the hood and dashboard camera can now look left and right correctly[/p]
• [p]Xbox Series X Performance - Increased default upscaled resolution to 1440p in performance mode. (Note: We are working hard on bringing this to PS5 soon too!)[/p][p][/p]

[p]And of course, much more to be announced in the upcoming Patch Notes![/p][p][/p][p]Don’t worry, the content inside each season isn’t changing, and we’ll be delivering our entire Year 2 roadmap this year as promised, but we will increase the time of each Season. Let’s discuss why.[/p][p][/p][h2]New Roadmap[/h2][p]To enhance the quality and polish of each seasonal release, we are adjusting the duration of each Season. This decision was made back with the release of Season 5 to allow us more time to develop features and ensure every update is as refined as possible.[/p][p][/p][p]Our goal is to deliver an ever-richer and more immersive gameplay experience. For example, it gives us the possibility to add even more Quality of Life features, further bug fixes to previous and new features/content and game improvements like in Season 6’s mid-season update with the improvement of Detective Missions. We also have great ambitions for Season 8 and the highly anticipated arrival of houses, and this extended time lets us make sure we meet and try to exceed player expectations with our efforts.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Here is what the Head of Nacon Racing has to say about the future of TDUSC.[/p][p][/p][p]“Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is an important game for Nacon and the Test Drive Unlimited franchise. This is a strategic move we made before the release of Season 5 to improve the overall QA and polish of the game's releases.We also wanted to ensure the content within each season is improved not just by polish, but by its actual strength.[/p][p]This can be seen in the future seasonal and mid-season update releases, and you’ll especially see this with Season 8, the most awaited update in TDUSC, being houses and garages. We thank you for your continued passion and support.”[/p]

• [p]Sébastien Waxin (Head of Nacon Racing)[/p][p][/p]

[h2]QnA[/h2][p]Of course, we expect there to be many questions on this subject, and after you read and see our Season 7 and Season 8 content in this letter, we expect you to have more! [/p][p][/p][p]During the Season 6 Feature Showcase stream, we will have time to answer questions directly about Season 6 (because of course that’s the main focus), but we’ll also give some time to answer any questions about the roadmap timeframe and any questions on Season 7 and Season 8![/p][p] [/p][p]To make sure we have the best answers, we will be taking questions prior to the stream, to then answer for the stream. Submit and vote for your favourite question on the official Test Drive Unlimited Discord in the #community-qna channel![/p][p][/p][p]JDM cars, massively improved end-game content and replayability, and a much needed improvement to the PvP system in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. Very important topics of community feedback are tackled here, so let’s talk about it![/p][p][/p][h2]Live Enhancements (Solar Pass/Live Events/Daily Challenges)[/h2][p]Live game interactions (Solar Pass & Live Events) play a crucial role in the end game content for TDUSC and we want for people to have new and cool things to do when they connect to Test Drive.[/p][p][/p][p]We know that Solar Pass progression and Live Event experience aren't perfect for now. Live Events only offer you new races each week,which is something cool but it doesn’t match the Test Drive DNA. On the other hand, the Solar Pass progression gives you beautiful rewards, but the way to acquire them can be grindy and repetitive.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We believe Season 7 is the perfect moment to enhance the Live Experience and make it feel more like an authentic Test Drive experience. We will change how things work by adding a specific 'Live' tab to the World Map. It will be your new go-to spot for fresh content, featuring Daily, Weekly, and Live Event Challenges to keep you busy during the season![/p][p][/p][p]To go deeper in the system, we will let Thibault explain it![/p][p][/p][p]“For Season 7 we wanted to offer our players new ways to play and earn rewards. TDUSC is a unique game where racing is an important part of the experience, but it’s not the only one. To ensure the experience truly reflects this philosophy, we are introducing a new system based on a variety of challenges.[/p][p] [/p][p]To access this new content, we have created a centralized tab where you can quickly view all the challenges. A new “Live” tab will be added and will be accessible from the game’s map menu. This menu will feature Live Events, Weekly Challenges, and the revamped Daily Challenges.[/p][p] [/p][p]We are introducing Weekly Challenges, a series of weekly tasks you can complete at your own pace throughout the season. Each challenge earns you Solar Coins and experience for your Solar Pass. With this system, we aim to provide a clearer and less repetitive path for your progression in the Solar Pass. Bonus rewards also await our most dedicated players.[/p][p][/p][p]For Live Events, we introduce Live Event Challenges, a new way to complete a wide range of activities: do races and fulfill contracts, but also complete your wardrobe and drive specific vehicles. Completing these challenges will always grant access to exclusive rewards. This system allows us to make each event more unique and offer you a truly immersive experience.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]About Daily Challenges, we wanted to make them more engaging and part of the Test Drive DNA. Three new categories form the basis of the daily activities: Exploration, Racing, and Lifestyle.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]If you prefer a theme over another, you will now be able to reroll up to 3 challenges per day. This will let you complete the activities that best match your mood and playstyle"[/p]

• [p]Thibault (TDUSC Lead UI Designer)[/p][p][/p]

[p]Thanks Thibault! To give you some final details, here is what Guillaume has to say![/p][p][/p][p]"So happy with this redesign of the Live Events, the system is cool with a lot of different challenges to do, the UI is beautiful and intuitive. I'm really proud of what the guys have done so far![/p][p][/p][p]So now Live Events will be bi-weekly at least. Some of them will last longer than others. Other things to know is that we will have the possibility to have multiple live events at the same time giving the players more time to get their rewards when they matter, like for Partnership Live Events.[/p][p][/p][p]Can't wait to see you guys give us your feedback about it!"[/p]

• [p]Guillaume (TDUSC Game Director)[/p][p] [/p]

[h2]Official Racing Center (S7P1)[/h2][p]We mentioned PvP in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is something that needs a massive improvement, and that starts here! Aiming for Season 7’s mid-season update, the Official Racing Center arrives on Hong Kong Island with a dedicated walkable interior space, and an improved race track exterior design; yes, we’re adding a pit lane too![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Here, players will be able to drop into a matchmaking group of other players to do PvP races on Ibiza and Hong Kong island. Although the ORC’s main HQ is on Hong Kong Island, there will also be a presence in Ibiza at the Selene HQ to launch PvP races from there too![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]To explain this feature, and how we will make it more exciting for players to play PvP, here is what Guillaume has to say![/p][p][/p][p]“The Official Racing Center (ORC) is a social hub where you can meet fellow players interested in PvP. It was essential for us to create a dedicated space for this to respect the TDU DNA: if you want to do something, you have to drive there.[/p][p][/p][p]As you can see, we went big with this hub. Instead of a simple stand in the Solar Hotel, we’ve built a massive facility right next to the track on Hong Kong Island, specifically designed for competitors. The team has already done an amazing job and is keeping up the momentum![/p][p][/p][p]Beyond being a meeting point, the ORC allows us to create a dedicated PvP gameplay loop: by competing in PvP, you earn specific PvP currency (in addition to other rewards) that can be spent in an exclusive shop. We want the PvP experience to be truly rewarding; we know that facing other players can be intimidating, and those who take the risk deserve special rewards.[/p][p][/p][p]Regarding the mechanics: you will be able to sign up for one ranked or one unranked race per rotation (the duration of these rotations is still being finalized). This ensures that you will always find opponents to play with.[/p][p][/p][p]There is much more to share, such as the impact on the various event spots, but we will dive deeper into the details in the next Solar Letter dedicated to the ORC.[/p][p][/p][p]Just so you know, we are working hard on the ORC right now. This isn't just a small feature; it's a major undertaking involving multiple developers with diverse expertise, as it fundamentally changes how PvP matchmaking works.[/p][p][/p][p]PS - The name "ORC" might change slightly in the coming season to better fit our branding. So, don't be surprised!”[/p]

• [p]Guillaume (TDUSC Game Director)[/p][p][/p]

[p]We cannot wait for players to see this in more details, stay tuned for future Solar Club Letters![/p][p][/p][h2]Car List Tease[/h2][p]So this season brings JDM cars, and Guillaume already teased in the last latter, a 6-cylinder vehicle, that is also a JDM, will arrive in Season 7. Also we’ve moved one JDM vehicle to Season 8, and brought a Season 8 car to Season 7. More details on that soon, but a tease of the vehicle wouldn’t hurt, right?[/p][p]
[/p][p]The most awaited Season in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, which we will make sure to exceed expectations on! Let’s talk about Real Estate in TDUSC![/p][p][/p][h2]Real Estate[/h2][p]A core feature associated with the TDU DNA. We’re sorry we missed the mark on this for the launch of the game, but we are going to make it up to the community, because we are already exceeding what was done in the previous Test Drive Unlimited game, TDU2. The update will feature houses, garages, a real estate agency, and more! We won’t reveal everything yet, but let’s discuss some important topics![/p][p][/p][h3]Houses[/h3][p]Players will be able to find houses on both Hong Kong Island and Ibiza scattered throughout the island. These houses will be completely customisable, which we'll get into later. You’ll be able to find houses of varying aesthetic designs such as modern, Victorian, etc, and unlike TDU2, houses will be architecturally correct. Every room, every space, you can visit it all. There won’t ever be a house with a missing room… take that TDU2![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]To explain houses in more detail, here’s what Alain has to say![/p][p][/p][p]“The return of houses and garages in Test Drive Unlimited marks a major milestone for the game. It is undoubtedly the most iconic and highly anticipated lifestyle feature for fans of the TDU franchise. Our teams have been working tirelessly to deliver an even more engaging and immersive experience than anything seen before—whether in TDU or any other game.[/p][p][/p][p]The interior customization options are incredible, allowing players to truly create their own universe. This makes sharing the experience with friends even more meaningful, as the community aspect has also been significantly enhanced. I can’t wait to share more details on this in our upcoming newsletters.”[/p]

• [p]Alain (TDUSC Creative Director)[/p]

[p][/p][h3]Garages[/h3][p]Garages are just important. In Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, you’ll be able to find a wide array of garages with each house. We don’t want to share too much on this specifically yet, but you can expect your wildest dreams to come to life with garages in TDUSC![/p][p] [/p][h3]Real Estate Agency[/h3][p]It isn’t housing if you don’t have the immersion to go with it. In TDU1 and TDU2, you had real estate agencies where you could view the house before buying, see pictures of it and more. We’ve heightened the immersion with this feature to make you really feel like you're signing your life savings away for your dream home! Not every house will be expensive though![/p][p]P.S - Cutscenes matter, and we’ll make sure we deliver on this![/p][p][/p][h3]Customisation & Furniture[/h3][p]We’ve touched on it a bit before, but customisation is going to be a big factor in Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, just as it was in Test Drive Unlimited 2. As expected, you’ll be able to customise with furniture, paintings, accessories, and more! This includes being able to customise your floor and walls with certain materials too.[/p][p][/p][p]We know what you want, and we have so much to share, but as we said before, we don’t want to go into too much detail on the whole system yet. We’ll make sure to showcase housing in its full form closer to the release. A real reason for TDU Connect to return in a much improved form, learning from our lessons of the past![/p][p][/p][h2]Team Quotes[/h2][p]Houses is a big project at KT, and a lot of the team is working on it. Here’s what some developers working on housing have to say to the community![/p][p][/p][p]“We aim to offer a wide range of architectural styles TDUSC houses, from traditional Spanish haciendas to contemporary architect-designed villas and designs inspired from the East.[/p][p]The housing system has been more complex than we had anticipated, requiring a sustained effort in research. We are fully committed to launching this feature in Season 8 and we hope you will like housing as much as we love working on that feature!”[/p]

• [p]Stephane (TDUSC Art Director)[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]“We're working hard to bring you a wide range of attractive furniture to decorate your newly acquired homes.[/p][p]From rustic sofas to designer armchairs, everything is here to help you express your style. Every detail counts when it comes to impressing your friends and enriching your roleplay on TDUSC.”[/p]

• [p]Victoire (TDUSC Environment Artist)[/p]

[p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]“With the housing system, our goal is to provide a diverse range of materials inspired by various architectural styles, allowing players to express their creativity and design homes that reflect their personality.[/p][p]We've also made slight adjustments to the material art direction to better suit the first-person view, enhancing readability while adding richer, more engaging detail.”[/p]

• [p]Robin (TDUSC Material Artist)[/p]

[p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]We know the community wants to know everything about houses right now, but we really want to save all of the communication for this when we are much closer to the release of the Season, and as we said earlier, the possibility of even having a dedicated ‘TDU Connect’ to explain everything in detail![/p][p] [/p][p]Yup! It’s time to announce the winners for the month of March![/p][p][/p][h2]Winners[/h2][p]Last month we asked you to take photos in your garage wearing an outfit that goes with the vehicle for the theme ‘Paris Fashion Week’! There were A LOT of good entries but here are the top 3 voted photos of the month by the TDU team![/p]

1. [p]Discord member yungprodigy01 wins this month's Community Spotlight with a classy outfit to match their Aston Martin!
   [/p]
2. [p]Discord member UG-Smokey3 wins second place with their very creative livery and outfit. Even the use of the emote was a great idea for their theme![/p][p][/p]
3. [p]Discord member GoldieUK wins third place with their army themed AMG GT Black Series! Nicely themed out with the outfit too![/p][p][/p]

[p]Congrats again to the winners! You all win 2,500,000 Solar Coins and 100 diamonds![/p][p][/p][h2]How To Enter[/h2][p]First, join our Discord which can be found at Discord.gg/TestDrive. Once you join our Discord, you’ll see a channel called ‘tdusc-photos’. Here, you can send the best pictures you've taken in TDUSC, but make sure to put %communityspotlight3 in your message post![/p][p][/p][p]Here are the rules:[/p]

• [p]Each month there will be a theme![/p]
• [p]Pictures must be high quality and not edited outside of the game or taken with tools that are not native to TDUSC's in-game photo mode[/p]
• [p]Only 1 picture is allowed[/p]
• [p]You are only allowed one post per month; however, you can delete your post and make a new one to replace it.[/p]
• [p]3 photos will be selected by the TDU team to win each month[/p]
• [p]The best picture will be showcased in the in-game news section in TDUSC[/p][p][/p]

[p]Note: Posting in this channel means you allow your picture to be used by Nacon/KT for promotional use.[/p][p][/p][h2]April Theme[/h2][p]Pagani Is Life - Your photo must feature your Pagani Huayra Roadster, in either Hong Kong Island or Ibiza! Good luck![/p][p] [/p][p]We’ll be going live with Guillaume, Alex, and Alain for the Season 6 Feature Showcase stream! Here you’ll learn everything about Season 6 while we also host a quick QnA and mention some stuff about Season 7 and Season 8![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Alain Jarniou has a special message for the community regarding the future of TDU! Here’s what he has to say:[/p][p] [/p][p]“First and foremost, I would like to thank Alex and the Nacon communications team for all their hard work in providing our player community with comprehensive and regular updates on the development of TDUSC.[/p][p][/p][p]Thanks to the support of a community of racing enthusiasts and TDU fans, our team at KT Racing is doing extraordinary work to deliver the most authentic and thrilling Test Drive Unlimited experience possible. The return of missions, Ibiza, and the Casino—along with all the improvements made since launch—are a testament to this, and player feedback confirms that our efforts are paying off.[/p][p][/p][p]Our work continues, and our goal remains to offer the best experience imaginable for car lovers. I hope that everything we are revealing about the future of TDUSC resonates with our players; we look forward to your feedback, as it is vital to us.”[/p]

• [p]Alain (TDUSC Creative Director)[/p]

[p][/p][p]Thanks Alain! We’re sure the players are very excited for the future of TDUSC! 🙂[/p]

• [p]The TDU Team[/p]