Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown News

[p]Here’s all the fixes coming to Season 5’s first content update![/p][p][/p][p]Season 5 launched a few months ago and we’re here for the Update 1 content. Here’s all of the fixes and new features arriving on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.[/p][p][/p][p]Maintenance Confirmation: We will be starting the server maintenance at 9:30am CET and the maintenance will last up to 6:00pm CET. We will keep you updated on our progress during the day.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]🆕 New Features & Content[/h2]

• [p]Online Store[/p]
  • [p]Purchase new vehicles[/p]
  • [p]Purchase previous Solar Pass rewards[/p]
  • [p]Purchase previous Live Event rewards[/p]
  • [p]Purchase licenced clothing[/p]
• [p]New Features[/p]
  • [p]Furniture can now be interacted with[/p]
• [p]New Cars (added in online store rotation bundle)[/p]
  • [p]Nissan GT-R (R35) - The Tyger[/p]
  • [p]BMW M4 Competition - Puma Go Wild[/p]
  • [p]Ford F-150 - Adventurer Edition[/p][p][/p]

[h2]🛠️ General Fixes & Improvements[/h2]

• [p]Updated the world generation system for improved performances[/p]
• [p]Fixed performance issue when going to the Social menu with too many friends[/p]
• [p]Fixed poker hands sometimes displayed to the player before the hand is dealt[/p]
• [p]Fixed not added / deducted chips from the total chips balance after leaving the Poker table[/p]
• [p]Fixed Poker game failing to continue when a player leave the table during the card distribution phase[/p]
• [p]Fixed straight flush sometimes labelled as regular flush during poker[/p]
• [p]Fixed unfair traffic light penalties sometimes occurring in Taxi missions[/p]
• [p]Fixed automatic configuration not working for Live Events[/p]
• [p]Fixed flickering effect sometimes appearing on the side of the screen[/p]
• [p]Fixed wrong animation playing during poker[/p]
• [p]Fixed Poker personal countdown sometimes freezing[/p]
• [p]Fixed several cases of poker animation retriggering themselves[/p]
• [p]Fix DriftThresholdValue criteria so the starting burn is not seen as a drift[/p]
• [p]Fixed overlapping poker UI[/p]
• [p]Fixed some cases of levitating objects[/p]
• [p]Fixed favourites photos not being displayed in the  'My Favourites' tab[/p]
• [p]Updated all licensing locks on Horns and Licence plates (backgrounds & texts)[/p]
• [p]Fixed clothing item's description UI box appearing cut-off during transition screen.[/p]
• [p]Fixed loading UI for triple screens set up[/p]
• [p]Fixed various cases of overlapping or cropped UI[/p]
• [p]Replaced Horn input with auto play in workshop / solar pass / online shop screens[/p]
• [p]Fixed poker cards sound being heard from other tables[/p]
• [p]Fixed default PR value displaying in the 'Car Sale' menu for a car with performance upgrades[/p]
• [p]Fixed render of S5 Solar Pass legendary outfit[/p]
• [p]Removed Gas Station AR when disabled in game settings[/p]
• [p]Fixed custom ‘Quality Level’ setting for any upscaling method reverting to its default value at every game start[/p]
• [p]Fixed too low mouse sensitivity when rotating the character model inside the Wardrobe[/p]
• [p]Fixed wrong GPS marker's distance after failing a 'Car Delivery' contract[/p]
• [p]Fixed missing localization[/p]
• [p]Fixed missing texture on some concrete surfaces[/p]
• [p]Fixed overlapping vegetation[/p]
• [p]Fixed issue where player is unable to start live event races with the stock restrictions after auto-configuring the eligible cars[/p]
• [p]Fixed the application crashes when the player adjusts the 'Custom' slider of the 'Quality Level' for the 'XeSS' Upscaling method[/p]
• [p]Fixed the application crashes during the loading screen on selecting the 'Continue' option after the Initial Interactive Screen, when the user travels to the solar hotel and re-launches the application[/p]
• [p]Fixed the cursor shifting from the left or right when using the 'A' and 'D' keys while renaming a personalized outfit[/p]
• [p]Fixed AI traffic cars drive inappropriately near the 'Central District' workshop[/p]
• [p]Fixed Casino clothing items that are missing in the 'Casino Clothing Store'[/p]
• [p]Fixed rewards failing to be awarded upon completing any secondary task.[/p]
• [p]Fixed misplaced sign In front of Lippo Centre[/p]
• [p]Fixed Stanley area road clipping/flickering issue[/p]
• [p]Fixed cone in middle of road in HKI[/p]
• [p]Fixed a rock asset is present in the middle of the tarmac road at the 'Stanley' district (The Tortoise and the Hare Race)[/p]
• [p]Fixed a tree is implemented on the road near the 'Talamanca Gas Station' in the Ibiza Island[/p]
• [p]Fixed an invisible collision occurs when returning from the 'Exploration' help menu and driving for a certain distance[/p]
• [p]Fixed the player is unable to scroll past level 36 when navigating the S5 Solar Pass rewards timeline in reverse[/p]
• [p]Fixed FRIM fails to end on colliding with specific assets in the game[/p]
• [p]Fixed Foliage from median strip extends onto the drivable road surface in the 'Wan Chai' district[/p]
• [p]Fixed the turtleneck tops are clipping into the watches on avatars[/p]
• [p]Fixed multiple inconsistent textures are present on the soccer ground[/p]
• [p]Fixed intermodal container is clipping with the boundary wall during the clan race 'Trip Around the Peninsula' in the Ibiza island[/p]
• [p]Fixed the right stick simultaneously controls both car rotation and list scrolling in the car sale menu[/p]
• [p]Fixed metal I-beams of a roofed shelter are clipping with the trucks in the 'Aberdeen' district[/p]
• [p]Fixed the plants are misaligned with the planter bed near the 'Cycle of life' circuit race in the 'Aberdeen' district[/p]
• [p]Fixed random AI traffic cars create needless congestion when the roads are clear[/p]
• [p]Fixed small trees lacking sound effects when destroyed[/p]
• [p]Incorrect translation of Ui for 'remove' on the UI for map customisation; changed to ‘minimize’[/p]
• [p]Fixed player glasses are removed when driving above 40kmph[/p]
• [p]Fixed light pole placement on Ibiza near Selene HQ (Avinguda de Santa Eulària des Riu)[/p]
• [p]Fixed the horn preview audio fails to play inside the Casino Cosmetics Store[/p]
• [p]Fixed AMD cards creating colourful dots which can also lead to white screen[/p]
• [p]Fixed random shadow appearing on the highway[/p]
• [p]Fixed pixels on screen often found on Hong Kong Island highways[/p]

[p][/p][h2]🚗 Vehicle Fixes/Improvements[/h2]

• [p]Fixed number of gears on Dodge Hellcat[/p]
• [p]Fixed displayed specs of R8 Decennium and Green Hell[/p]
• [p]Fixed too high gear ratio on Lamborghini Huracan[/p]
• [p]Fixed "Ford Mustang Anniversary" livery being blurry in performance mode[/p]
• [p]Improved DeLorean DMC12 dashboard sync[/p]
• [p]Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is now able to reach its max speed[/p]
• [p]Corrected the Audi R8 Decennium and Green Hell performance[/p]
• [p]Fix on CSR260 gearbox so it can reach its max speed when fully upgraded[/p]
• [p]Fix on dashboard cam for Nissan 370Z[/p]
• [p]Fixed Diablo VT exhaust pipes aren't in the center of the vehicle[/p]
• [p]Fixed the handbrake warning symbol on the dashboard of the 'DeLorean Alpha 5' where it fails to illuminate when the handbrake is engaged[/p]
• [p]Fixed the Ferrari Portofino sound cuts and strange noise when making a burn out[/p]
• [p]Fixed livery of the BMW M4 Competition where it can't be changed back from the TDUSC Anniversary livery[/p]
• [p]Fixed some licence plates showing incorrectly when certain text is selected[/p]
• [p]Fixed various pixelated liveries when driving in free roam or using performance mode[/p]
  • [p]Aston Martin DB11 Volante Taxi[/p]
  • [p]BMW M4 Competition Puma Go Wild[/p]
  • [p]DeTomaso P72 LeMans[/p]
  • [p]Lotus Emira Taxi Racer[/p]
  • [p]Porsche Cayenne Black Diamond Private Hire[/p]
  • [p]Alpine A110 Legende US Racing[/p]
• [p]Fixed headlight illumination reveals partial details of the insides of the body of adjacent cars in front of the player's car[/p]
• [p]Fixed multiple inconsistent statistics on the acceleration gauge when changing some Citroën 2CV (1967) parts[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Fixed PS5 DualSense controller failing to work or misidentified as a different controller[/p]
• [p]Added FSR3.1.5/FSR4 for compatible AMD devices[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Fixed Multiple performance drops during the race Frictions in Causeway Bay.[/p]
• [p]Fixed Endless Vibrations when invoking pause menu on Redline[/p]
• [p]Fixed global illumination drastically shifting to green or red entirely during races and in free roam on both Hong Kong and Ibiza Island[/p][p][/p]

• [p]No Xbox specific fixes[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Better Stability and Performance[/p][p][/p]

[p]Below is a list of known issues on the current build, and their status in development. This list does not include previous bug reports that the players have reported, and only includes new issues.[/p][p][/p][p]We are hard at work on the next patches to arrive, that being Update 2 in February which will focus on console performance stability and optimisation (though PC can see some improvements too), and Season 6 in March, all of which will have a vast amount of bug fixes relating to vehicle dynamics and modelling issues, network fixes, UI issues, wheel input issues, map bugs and much more. We’ll detail the next fixes closer to the release of each seasonal update, but the longer Season 5 is proving to be worth the time to help us prioritise and fix many areas of the game that need bug reports dealt with![/p][p][/p][p]Rest assured, we will continue to keep watch on our social media pages and Discord for your feedback. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thanks to our TDU supporters, and although we have a long road ahead, we are excited to show everyone the big strides we are making with TDUSC over the coming months. See you again soon![/p]

• [p]The TDU Team[/p]

[p]Discord Instagram Twitter/X Facebook Subreddit Website[/p]

[p]Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday’s TDU fans! This letter is a short one, but that won’t stop us from making sure our community gets a cool Christmas car reveal! Let’s go over everything you need to know before 2025 comes to an end![/p][p][/p][p]Swipe to see more pictures below![/p][carousel][/carousel][h2]What’s In the Letter?[/h2]

• [p]Season 5 Update 1 Details[/p]
• [p]Season 5 Update 2 Details[/p]
• [p]Season 6 Vehicles[/p]
  • [p]Pagani Huayra Roadster[/p]
  • [p]Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series[/p]
  • [p]Lamborghini Temerario[/p]
• [p]Online Store[/p]
  • [p]Where To Find It[/p]
  • [p]Screenshots[/p]
• [p]Networking Improvements[/p]
  • [p]Overview[/p]
• [p]Test Drive Community Week Winners[/p]
  • [p]Livery Vote[/p]
  • [p]Race Vote[/p]
• [p]Community Spotlight Winner - December[/p]
  • [p]Winners[/p]
  • [p]How To Enter[/p][p][/p]

[h2]📄 Season 5 Update 1 Details[/h2][p]The next Season 5 update is planned to release within the first two weeks of January. We will have more news on this release date early next year to confirm. There may be a missed live event during the release schedule of the update.
[/p][p]As usual, the maintenance for the release date will be announced in the Patch Notes post which will arrive a day or two before the release of the update.
[/p][p]Make sure to stay tuned for all the details on Update 1 by following us on social media!
[/p][h2]📄 Season 5 Update 2 Details[/h2][p]The Season 5 update after Update 1 is planned to release in February. As usual, we’ll have more details on this in the next Solar Club Letter.
[/p][h2]🚗 Season 6 Vehicles[/h2][p]Season 6 is bringing brand new vehicles to TDUSC, and it's time we recapped what we have revealed so far, and tease a little more…[/p][p][/p][h3]Pagani Huayra Roadster[/h3][p]Pagani returns to TDU! Season 6 will be the first season to bring Pagani to TDUSC, but it will not be the last. The iconic Pagani V12 sound is currently under development and our sound design team are really excited to show this off!
[/p][p]The Pagani also has a new type of aero system. The active aero works as intended, but when turning the vehicle, the active aero should apply more angle to the left or right side of the vehicle. This new system is what we are currently developing, but it may not be ready at the launch of Season 6, which if it isn’t, players can expect this to be fully working in a later update.
[/p][p]Oh, we can’t forget to mention, this car will be available in the dealership! 
[/p][h3]Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series[/h3][p]The king of Mercedes-Benz makes its debut in Season 6. This vehicle will be exclusive to the online store, but will feature additional licenced items in its bundle. We hope you’re ready to experience the aggressive V8 howl from this vehicle in Season 6![/p][p][/p][h3]Lamborghini Temerario[/h3][p]Merry Christmas! We were originally just going to tease this car, but its unique angles make it very easy to guess, so here it is in its full form! One of the newest Lamborghini’s arrives in TDUSC during Season 6 as a part of the Solar Pass! This vehicle also boasts many manufacturer options, in fact, the most ever. You can customise the car with the following options:[/p]

• [p]7 different manufacturer rims[/p]
• [p]29 different manufacturer interior colour options[/p]
• [p]39 different manufacturer exterior paint options (with some paint options allowing for carbon parts package, carbon roof package, or matte paint options)[/p]

[p]For now, enjoy the beautiful photos of this car![/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][h2]🏪 Online Store[/h2][p]As we finalise the Online Store, let’s see what it looks like!
[/p][h3]Where To Find It[/h3][p]The store can be found when opening the settings menu and navigating to the ‘Store’ tab. Here you’ll be able to buy everything using the Diamonds currency.[/p][p][/p][h3]Screenshots[/h3][p]Let’s take a look at what the store looks like. Keep in mind, the pricing and items that are seen may not be final.[/p][p][/p][p]Bundles[/p][p][/p][p]Rotational Store[/p][p][/p][p]Permanent Store[/p][p][/p][p]Free Diamonds[/p][p][/p][h2]🛜 Network Improvements[/h2][p]Networking is a big part of TDUSC, and we know it isn’t perfect which creates a frustrating experience for our players, so let’s discuss what’s next for improvements.[/p][p][/p][h3]Overview[/h3][p]The network team is hard at work on many projects regarding TDUSC. The most important one of course is cross region, but there are other things such as 8 player groups, Official Racing Center and the matchmaking playlist it will have, improving the instancing and matchmaking, and more![/p][p][/p][p]To discuss this in more detail, here is Guillaume to discuss it all!
[/p][p]“We’re working on a lot of things to improve the online experience—specifically making sure players actually run into each other more in free-roam. We know that right now, even on populated servers, it feels empty. It’s an algorithmic issue that we are completely overhauling. It’s a major project that will take several months, but we’re confident it will lead to something great. This step forward will allow us to tackle cross-region play.[/p][p]In parallel, we’re still working on the Racing Center, the matchmaking rework, the 8-player groups, solar pass & live event enhancement and improving general server stability for a smoother experience.[/p][p]It's also important to note that every feature in TDU Solar Crown relies on online systems. As a result, the online team is working across the board, since they are affected by every single deployment and feature update! They are doing their best everyday to provide you the best experience.[/p][p]Send them love!”[/p][p]- Guillaume Guinet / TDUSC Game Director[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]🎁 Test Drive Community Week Winners[/h2][p]In Season 6, we are creating a community week live event! In the last letter, we had users submit and vote for their favourite fan made livery and races for us to add to the live event. That said, here are the winners![/p][p][/p][h3]Livery Vote[/h3][p]Congrats to faucheureuse for winning the livery vote! They gave their Bugatti Veyron a nice Sharps style livery which you can see below![/p][p][/p][p]We also want to give a huge shoutout to SylFR as our honourable mention with their amazing livery designs![/p][p][/p][h3]Race Vote[/h3][p]There were many races that players submitted for this event. Here are the 5 races which we will be choosing for the live event! [/p]

1. [p]Zworg’s ‘Crown Jewel Garnet’ [/p]
2. [p]Flaw’s ‘Joyaux De La Couronne’[/p]
3. [p]MrToadfun’s ‘Meeting Is At the Other Dealership’[/p]
4. [p]Watch Man’s ‘Ap Lei Chau Special’[/p]
5. [p]Takamisakari’s ‘Rollercoaster’[/p]

[p]We had to make some tough choices here as we used both the vote system and the understanding of developing the races sent with both development time and AI racer capability in mind. We will have more news on the arrival of these live event at a later date. Thank you to everyone who participated![/p][p][/p][h2]🖼️ Community Spotlight Winners - December[/h2][p]Yup! It’s time to announce the winners for the month of December![/p][p][/p][p]First, the winner of the Alpine community photo goes to The Horizon Vault from Reddit! Congrats, and you win the exclusive Alpine clothing! [/p][h3]Winners[/h3][p]There have been some amazing pictures sent in for this month's Community Spotlight, but here are the top 3 voted photos for the month of October![/p]

1. [p]Discord member Shmoogan wins this month's Community Spotlight with their amazing photography of the Alpine A110! Congrats, and your reward is 600 diamonds and Alpine clothing!
   [/p]
2. [p]Now this is a bit weird, but we have a 3 way tie, so we’ll disturbed these winners as one! Congrats to Axis-, SylFR, and Night Raven for your photos! You all win 300 diamonds each and Alpine clothing![/p][p][/p]

[p]Congrats again to the winners![/p][p][/p][h3]How To Enter[/h3][p]First, join our Discord which can be found at Discord.gg/TestDrive. Once you join our Discord, you’ll see a channel called ‘community-spotlight’. Here, you can send the best pictures you've taken in TDUSC! You aren't limited to cars, too. Feel free to send pictures of your liveries, cars, sceneries, garage, etc. The community will vote for the best photo to be featured in-game and win some prizes![/p][p][/p][p]Here are the rules:[/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 in a post[/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]The top 3 voted posts in the month will win prizes[/p]
• [p]The most voted picture in the month will be selected to showcase in the in-game news section in TDUSC[/p]
• [p]The thread will be wiped on the release of every Solar Club Letter[/p]
• [p]Users can only win once every 2 months (including podium spots 1st, 2nd, 3rd)[/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]❤️ Final Message[/h2][p]Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays TDU fans! We are getting close to the next chapter of TDUSC in 2026, and we can’t wait for the road ahead. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far, see you again soon![/p]

• [p]The TDU Team[/p]

[p]Discord Instagram Twitter/X Facebook Subreddit Website[/p]

[p]Last month we released the largest content update to arrive since TDUSC’s release. Season 5 brought Poker, Taxi Missions, new economy, vehicle bug fixes and more. We then followed up 2 weeks after the season release to bring an important hotfix!
[/p][p]That said, Season 5 is going to be the longest season in the game's roadmap, with a duration of 5 months, meaning Season 6 is planned to release in March. Before then, there will be 2 major updates. In this letter, we will discuss this in more detail.
[/p][h2]What’s In the Letter?[/h2]

• [p]Update 1 Details[/p]
  • [p]Release Date[/p]
  • [p]Online Shop[/p]
  • [p]Bug Fixes and Improvements[/p]
• [p]Update 2 Details[/p]
  • [p]Release Date[/p]
  • [p]Optimisation & Performance[/p]
• [p]Sounds[/p]
  • [p]Upcoming Updates[/p]
  • [p]What’s Next?[/p]
• [p]Our Stance On Cheating[/p]
  • [p]Recent Reports & Actions[/p]
  • [p]Improving Our Tools[/p]
• [p]Test Drive Community Week[/p]
  • [p]Livery Vote[/p]
  • [p]Race Vote[/p]
• [p]Meet the Team Series[/p]
  • [p]What Is It?[/p]
  • [p]When Will It Arrive?[/p]
• [p]Community Spotlight Winner - November[/p]
  • [p]Winners[/p]
  • [p]How To Enter
    [/p]

[h2]🆕 Update 1 Details[/h2][p]It’s time to recap and learn everything coming day one in Season 5![/p][p][/p][h3]Release Date[/h3][p]Season 5’s Update 1 is planned for early January 2026. With the release of Season 5’s launch and the hotfix that arrived soon after, we want to make sure the next updates are polished, this meant that the release of Update 1 was pushed back a bit, however another reason is because to publish the update on consoles, we have to submit the update to the console platforms for certifications, which follows a Christmas holiday closure. This delay of Season 5’s first full update will not affect the release schedule for Update 2, or the release of Season 6.[/p][p][/p][p]That said, we want to remind you that Season 6 will be released in March 2026 and we will have a larger communication on the next Season release dates before the release of the Season.
[/p][h3]Online Shop[/h3][p]Although Update 1 will have various bug fixes and improvements, it will be also adding the online shop. In next month’s letter, we will be able to share screenshots of the store and explain how it works in more detail. However, we can discuss some of the content you will see in it, as well as some rules of how content will be added to the store.[/p]

• [p]Bundles[/p][p]Each season, we will have bundles to sell in the store. These bundles will include the vehicle, a livery, and more! With bundles, they will be on a rotation in the store, and will be rotating between each set that is available.[/p][p][/p][p]To note, all of the vehicles can have their livery removed, and instead, players can choose to create their own livery or use a custom colour at the Workshop. We also know that some players may only want the vehicle itself, and not the bundle. We are currently working on developing a system where players can purchase the items in the bundle individually, but this will not arrive on day one of the Online Store, as we need to make sure the bundle is discounted based on what individual items you buy from the bundle.[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve revealed what these 3 are, so here are more details about them![/p][p][/p][p]This vehicle brings an exclusive livery and widebody kit to the current Nissan GTR in the game as well as a new sound file. What do you think?[/p][p][/p][p]PUMA arrives in TDUSC’s online shop in the next update. This bundle brings a new sound file, a widebodykit, and more to the reimagined BMW M4 Competition! You will also be able to find some nice sets of PUMA clothing in the rotational store, which we will discuss a bit later.[/p][p][/p][p]We haven’t forgotten about the offroad fans! The Ford F-150 gets a lift kit and livery with some vehicle accessory modifications for that complete look! The outfit of course is here to compliment your adventures that can be found on Hong Kong Island and Ibiza! We think you’ll enjoy those hidden offroad paths more now![/p][p][/p]
• [p]Rotational Store Page[/p][p]This is where you will see timed items for sale in the store. Sometimes, licensed clothing or items may have a limited time to be sold, and for compliance, we cannot add things to the permanent store, only to remove them later.[/p][p][/p]
• [p]Permanent Store Page[/p][p]The permanent store is where you will find a wide variety of previous Solar Pass vehicles and cosmetics (rims, clothing, emotes, etc), previous Live Event rewards, and more. There is however a rule regarding this system, and when these items get added to the permanent store. This is how it works.[/p][p][/p][p]Solar Pass Vehicles - 1 season timed exclusive (example: Season 3 Solar Pass cars available Season 5, Season 4 Solar Pass cars available Season 6, Season 5 Solar Pass cars available Season 7)[/p][p]Previous Solar Pass Rewards - 1 season timed exclusive[/p][p]Previous Live Event Rewards - no season timed exclusive, will be added in the following season[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You can also find other exclusive content added to the permanent store exclusively.[/p][p][/p][p][/p]
• [p]Free Diamonds Claim[/p][p]Another part of the online store is the ability for players to gain free Diamonds weekly. On the store’s front page, there will be a box selection where you can claim 10 Diamonds each week.[/p][p][/p]

[p]We understand there are also many questions regarding the pricing of the vehicles and other items in the online store. We want to assure you that we will make sure the pricing is an appropriate price for the players.[/p][p][/p][h3]Bug Fixes and Improvements[/h3][p]Of course, the online store isn’t the only thing to expect coming in Update 1. We are working very hard on the next bug fixes to arrive not only in Update 1, but also Update 2 and Season 6 of TDUSC. Here are some examples of fixes you can expect to see.[/p]

• [p]Fixed Lamborghini Diablo VT exhaust placement[/p]
• [p]Dodge Hellcat SRT now has the correct 8 gear transmission[/p]
• [p]Removed Gas Station Augment Reality (when you have AR feature off)[/p]
• [p]Fixed The Tortoise and the Hare Race (removal of rock in race/freeroam)[/p]
• [p]Fixed the custom ‘Quality Level’ setting for any upscaling method where it reverts to its default value every time the player restarts the game[/p][p][/p]

[p]And much more! We will have the patch notes arriving before the launch of the Season as usual. We expect much more bug fixes leading up to and in Season 6, especially those from the community reports such as Taxi Mission issues, Poker, map issues, vehicle and dynamic reports and more.
[/p][p]Another thing arrives in Season 5’s Update 1, and that’s the ability to interact with the furniture in the world. Perfect for a real estate teaser![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]On the topic of fixes and this week's live event reward being the Alpine A110 ‘US Racing 2023’ livery, we want to let you know we are looking to give the possibility of appearance liveries to be customised with spoilers, rims, etc. just as seen in the screenshot below in a future update! We’ll hopefully have more info on this soon![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]📈 Update 2 Details[/h2][p]Similar to Update 1, Update 2 will feature bug fixes and improvements, but the main goal of it is to improve the performance and optimisation of the game further. Let’s discuss more about this!
[/p][h3]Release Date[/h3][p]Season 5’s Update 2 is planned to arrive early February, 2026. As usual, a patch notes and more information on the game’s maintenance on this update will be provided close to the release.
[/p][h3]Optimisation & Performance[/h3][p]We know optimisation and performance is a big discussion amongst the TDUSC community, and it’s something we continue to actively work on since the integration of the KT Engine update, which helps us achieve a better rendering pipeline, and in turn, helps us further optimise the game. Update 2 brings some more of these improved optimisations. We still plan to continue the optimisations of the game over the course of the new year, and as said before, we want to be able to release a new minimum recommended specification for the game when Season 8 arrives.[/p][p][/p][p]To let you know what you can expect on both PC and consoles for Update 2, Guillaume Guinet has this to say:[/p][p][/p][p]“As you may have noticed, the performances have slightly improved since the S5 release, especially on console; the Xbox and PS5 version has been stabilised. [/p][p]We continue searching for every team's solution to continue to improve the performances in various areas of the game such as map optimisation, AI, vehicle, traffic, KT Engine, etc. Everyone is on board, and we are putting all our effort on this subject.[/p][p]We can divide this task in two parts : [/p][p]- Stabilize the version as it is for now (Target: S5P1 - S5P2 - S6)[/p][p]- Redefine the renderer for each quality preset (PC & Console) to work with a target performance/configuration for each preset (S7+)[/p][p]Just a note: We apologize for the technical issues you have encountered at S5 release due to our work on our engine (HDR problems, reflection parameters, etc.). Changing the render pipeline on our engine was a lot of work on our side and we had a lot of things to fix. Some of them have not been seen. We are currently working to improve our QA testing.”
[/p][p]TDUSC Game Director - Guillaume Guinet[/p][p][/p][h2]🔊 Sounds[/h2][p]Sounds! We’ve heard some feedback on this, and we want to talk about it more again since the last letter.
[/p][h3]Upcoming Updates[/h3][p]The Aston Martin Vantage GT3 gets improved interior cockpit sounds, and the De Tomaso P72 receives an improved startup sound.[/p][p][/p][h3]What’s Next?[/h3][p]We have seen recent player reports regarding the sound changes of the BMW M4 and the LaFerrari Aperta. We want to mention these vehicles recently had a change in vehicle dynamics, which seem to have affected the sound of the vehicle. We will work on fixing it in a future update. A reminder that based on the feedback from the community in a vote a few months back, these were the cars we think we can look into next:[/p]

• [p]Mclaren MP4-12C[/p]
• [p]Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato [/p]
• [p]Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody[/p]
• [p]Lamborghini Aventador SVJ[/p]
• [p]Ferrari 488 Pista[/p]
• [p]With more to be announced in the future 
  [/p]

[p]Just as we said in the last letter, we can’t commit to a specific update date on when these will be fixed, but we will let you know in a future letter when we are working on them, and of course, when they’re ready!
[/p][p]Currently, the sound design team is working on the new balancing of the sounds in the game. To detail this further, here is what Guillaume Guinet has this to say:
[/p][p]“For now, we have a lot on our plate with the new content coming; the new cars, the detective mode and housing are taking a big part of the time of the Sound Design team.[/p][p]I really think you will love what is coming! Especially the return of a V12 on a Pagani...[/p][p]For now, we want to take our time to deliver good new content on S6.[/p][p]However, fixing the existing problems is still on our pipe and we will continue to deliver as many improvements as we can among the different patches in S5.[/p][p]We are looking at the mixing of the player with AI or other players. We are also looking to fix some car sound bugs like the DBS Superleggera one where the sound is very low when accelerating.[/p][p]We will take time later to work on redesigning some cars too, but as we said, it's a lot of work that we don't have for S5 or S6 but it's still something we have in mind. [/p][p]So no, don't worry, we haven’t forgotten the SVJ and the MP4-12C 😉! We love these cars, so how can we!?”
[/p][p]TDUSC Game Director - Guillaume Guinet[/p][p][/p][h2]👎 Our Stance On Cheating[/h2][p]Cheating is not something we stand for in TDUSC. Cheating is something that has plagued previous TDU games, especially TDU2, and we want to assure the community that we are taking the correct steps to prevent and action players who are ruining the game experience of others in TDUSC. Let’s discuss more about this.
[/p][h3]Recent Reports & Actions[/h3][p]There have been recent player reports that the community has submitted, and we have acted on all of them so far by banning the players from the multiplayer experiences of TDUSC, along with removing their times from the leaderboard. If any members of the community see something that is suspicious, use the in-game report function, and if you’re on our social media channels, be sure to let us know and we will look into it too.[/p][p][/p][p]A reminder, TDUSC is not the place to cheat, and we will act accordingly to those who go against this stance.
[/p][h3]Improving Our Tools[/h3][p]Another thing that we need to work on is improving our internal tools to catch cheaters more easily, and create a better flow for reports so we can more accurately track and action those who are cheating. This is something we are hoping to have ready for Season 7’s Official Racing Center release, and we will make sure to discuss this in more detail when we can.[/p][p][/p][h2]🎁 Test Drive Community Week[/h2][p]In Season 6, we are creating a community week live event! For this event, we will be choosing 5 community created races for players to try out, and 1 community created livery for players to win as the reward! Let’s talk about this in more detail!
[/p][h3]Livery Vote[/h3][p]We’ve seen some incredible liveries the community has made over the past year since TDUSC has released, so it’s time we shed some light on that! Send us your best livery design in the Discord channel #community-week-livery and vote on which player has the best! We’ll have this as the reward for the live event!
[/p][p]Important Note: The livery must NOT be a replica of a real life livery nor include real logos, however, a referenced recreation or individual creation is allowed. We will be moderating the submissions and any liveries that may not be allowed will be removed from the channel. A good example of a referenced recreation is below… hey, maybe you will see this reward soon too...[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Race Vote[/h3][p]A livery isn’t the only thing we want to have you vote on! We want you to create a race design too! This can be done using the in-game multi-route GPS system, or create a route with the below high-res images of Hong Kong Island or Ibiza! There’s no limits to how long your race can be, or how crazy it is. Give us your best shot! Just don’t forget to give it a name and let us know how many laps you want it if it isn’t a point A to B race. Submit your race design in #community-week-race in the Discord![/p][p][/p][p]Discord.gg/TestDrive
[/p][p]Winners will be announced in next month's letter![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]Thanks to the community for the HKI screenshot!
[/p][h2]🫂 Meet the Team Series[/h2][p]We have an amazing team at KT Racing dedicated to working on Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s updates, and we think it is something that should be highlighted more! With that, we’ve thought of the idea to create a new series within each monthly letter called ‘Meet the Team’. Let’s talk about it![/p][p][/p][h3]What Is It?[/h3][p]Each month, we would like to introduce you to developers who work on TDUSC at KT Racing. This can be vehicle artists, level artists, gameplay programmers, UI designers, engine programmers, network developers, technical artists, sound designers, community managers, producers, graphical designers, animation artists, and much more! We want to highlight some of the great work our developers are doing, and we think this is a great opportunity to show it.[/p][p][/p][p]Side note, who knows, it may be possible to even get some behind the scenes looks at some future seasonal content that the developers are working on… so stay tuned![/p][p][/p][h3]When Will It Arrive?[/h3][p]The first Meet the Team will arrive in a future letter, likely in February, but don’t worry, the next letter we plan to have ready for you around Christmas… and we of course, will make sure to leave a nice present for those TDUSC fans who want to learn more about Season 6…[/p][p][/p][h2]🖼️ Community Spotlight Winners - October[/h2][p]Yup! It’s time to announce the winners for the month of November![/p][p][/p][p]An honourable mention for the stunning De Tomaso P72 group photo by AndyGilbert![/p][p][/p][h3]Winners[/h3][p]There have been some amazing pictures sent in for this month's Community Spotlight, but here are the top 3 voted photos for the month of October![/p][p] [/p]

1. [p]Discord member Watch Man wins this month's Community Spotlight with… yeah, the team was not expecting this, but by popular vote, the screenshot of an in-game ad poster for Solar Cream wins... So congrats and your reward is the exclusive Alpine clothing hat, shirt and pants, which won’t arrive to all players until a later season, and 2,000,000 Solar Coins!
   
   [/p]
2. [p]Discord member Leon_JHK takes second place in this month's Community Spotlight with their Aston Martin DBS Superleggera photo! Congrats! Your reward is the Alpine clothing shirt, pants and 1,000,000 Solar Coins!
   
   [/p]
3. [p]Discord member Cake comes third in this month's Community Spotlight with their La Ferrari! Congrats! Your reward is an Alpine shirt and 1,000,000 Solar Coins!
   
   [/p]

[p]Congrats again to the winners! By the time you see this letter, restart your game if you’re already logged in, and you will see your rewards! Post you outfits [/p][p][/p][h3]How To Enter[/h3][p]First, join our Discord which can be found at Discord.gg/TestDrive. Once you join our Discord, you’ll see a channel called ‘community-spotlight’. Here, you can send the best pictures you've taken in TDUSC! You aren't limited to cars, too. Feel free to send pictures of your liveries, cars, sceneries, garage, etc. The community will vote for the best photo to be featured in-game and win some prizes![/p][p][/p][p]Here are the rules:[/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 in a post[/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]The top 3 voted posts in the month will win prizes[/p]
• [p]The most voted picture in the month will be selected to showcase in the in-game news section in TDUSC[/p]
• [p]The thread will be wiped on the release of every Solar Club Letter[/p]
• [p]Users can only win once every 2 months (including podium spots 1st, 2nd, 3rd)
  [/p]

[p]Note: Posting in this channel means you allow your picture to be used by Nacon/KT for promotional use.
[/p][h2]❤️ Final Message[/h2][p]We are getting close to the next chapter of TDUSC in 2026, and we can’t wait for the road ahead. Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far, see you again soon![/p]

• [p]The TDU Team[/p]

[p]The first hotfix for Season 5 is here and it brings some very important fixes to the game since the launch of the Season. The update will be live on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. All the details can be found below.
[/p][p]Maintenance Confirmation: We will be starting the server maintenance at 9:30am CET and the maintenance could last up to 6:00pm CET. We will keep you updated on our progress during the day.
[/p][h2]🛠️ General Fixes & Improvements[/h2]

• [p]Fixed HDR settings not working as expected[/p]
• [p]Added optimizations to reduce GPU hang issues[/p]
• [p]Re-enabled claiming the Solar Pass using tokens[/p]
• [p]Ensured the Lamborghini Urus is added to the inventory after claiming the Solar Pass[/p]
• [p]Fixed live event rewards not being added to the inventory properly (Solar Coin Bonus)[/p]
• [p]Changed the date of the end of the season displayed in the Solar Hotel[/p]
• [p]Fixed crash when starting game on Ibiza between 12 am and 12:30 am on some timezones[/p]
• [p]Fixed time when returning to freeride after Taxi mode[/p]
• [p]Fixed crash when a remote player opens his vehicle window[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the application crashes during the loading screen on selecting the 'Continue' option after the Initial Interactive Screen, when the user travels to the solar hotel and re-launches the application[/p][p][/p]

[h2]🃏 Poker[/h2]

• [p]Fixed crash when joining poker room during a reveal action on any table[/p]
• [p]Fixed action buttons being displayed while watching own cards or board cards[/p]
• [p]Fixed action timer freeze when stop watching own cards or board cards[/p]
• [p]Fixed possible crash when entering poker room[/p]
• [p]Fixed crash when leaving table while second player has been kicked out of table[/p]
• [p]Fixed dealer button not moving between players[/p]
• [p]Fixed reveal camera not switched when player folds during reveal[/p]
• [p]Fixed timer synchronization between client and server[/p]
• [p]Fixed wrong token count when leaving poker table[/p]
• [p]Fixed token count in rebuy popup[/p]
• [p]Fixed being able to rebuy when having no tokens left[/p]
• [p]Fixed poker chips balance display not being updated after exiting from a table[/p]
• [p]Enhanced player experience during poker sessions[/p]
• [p]Fixed multiple possible crashes during poker sessions[/p][p][/p]

[h2]🖥️ PC[/h2]

• [p]Added vram usage table for fidelityFX (FSR3)[/p]
• [p]Added vram interpolated calculation for fidelityFX custom mode[/p]
• [p]Added support for FSR3 in settings screen[/p]
• [p]Fixed DLSS option not being active[/p]
• [p]Moved dynamic probe from high to ultra in "SSR" option[/p]
• [p]Fixed a crash when using AMD graphics cards from series 9000[/p][p][/p]

[h2]🌐 Network[/h2]

• [p]Better Stability and Performance[/p][p][/p]

[h2]🏗️ Other Details[/h2][p]More details on the next fixes will arrive in the November Solar Club Letter. This letter will discuss the release date for Update 1, as well as some planned fixes we have for it.[/p][p][/p][p]There are some bugs we could not yet fix in time for the hotfix, some of this including the Poker gameplay freeze and the PS5 random crash (however, some may experience a crash fix based on 'Fixed an issue where the application crashes during the loading screen on selecting the 'Continue' option after the Initial Interactive Screen, when the user travels to the solar hotel and re-launches the application'). You may also see the following issues as well:[/p]

• [p]An overall illumination problem that dyes the screen green or red can always happen rarely. In some cases, a workaround for this can be opening the photomode, and closing. This should however, be fixed on XSX/S and PC.[/p]
• [p]When a player leaves a poker table during the card dealing phase, the other players are stuck on that phase of the game (you have to leave the table when this happens).[/p]
• [p]On PC, the option that uses the XeSS causes the user to crash when selecting an upscaling value.[/p]
• [p]On PC, selecting a value for all upscaling modes is reset to 50 at launch of the game without saving the chosen value[/p]

[p]Please continue to report any issues you have on the MyNacon Support Page and we will make sure to follow up with any other issues you are experiencing. Update 1 and Update 2 are planned to have more bug fixes, with Update 2 focusing a lot on optimisation for all platforms.[/p][p][/p][h2]❤️ Our Final Message[/h2][p]We thank you for your patience and understanding with the release of this hotfix. We are continuing to work on improving the release of the next Seasons. See you soon in the November Solar Club Letter![/p]

• [p]The TDU Team[/p]

[p]Season 5 is the largest content update to arrive in TDUSC so far, so let’s recap all of the details we discussed on the recent showcase stream, and more![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]What’s In the Letter?[/h2]

• [p]Season 5 Details[/p]
  • [p]Release Date / Maintenance Details / Length[/p]
  • [p]Stream Recap[/p]
  • [p]Taxi Missions[/p]
  • [p]Poker[/p]
  • [p]Before/After Map Changes[/p]
  • [p]KT Engine Improvements[/p]
  • [p]Construction Sites[/p]
  • [p]Economy[/p]
  • [p]Vehicle Improvements[/p]
  • [p]Live Events[/p]
  • [p]Update 1 Details[/p]
  • [p]Update 2 Details[/p]
  • [p]Known Issues[/p]
• [p]Sounds[/p]
  • [p]Upcoming Updates[/p]
  • [p]What’s Next?[/p]
• [p]Community Spotlight Winner - October[/p]
  • [p]Winners[/p]
  • [p]How To Enter[/p]
• [p]Coming Up Next[/p]
  • [p]November Solar Club Letter[/p]
  • [p]December Solar Club Letter[/p][p][/p]

[h2]🚕 Season 5 Details[/h2][p]It’s time to recap and learn everything coming day one in Season 5![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h3]Release Date / Maintenance Details / Length[/h3][p]Season 5 is releasing October 29, 2025. We will be starting the server maintenance at 10:00am CET and the maintenance will last up to 6:00pm CET. We will keep you updated on our progress during the day.[/p][p][/p][p]Season 5 will also have a 5 month length, with Season 6 releasing March 2026. Before Season 6 releases, we will have a larger communication on the next Season release dates. The content of each Season will however remain unchanged.[/p][p][/p][p]This change also means Season 5 will get 2 updates. This longer period will help us focus on polishing and bug fixing various areas of the game that the community have mentioned, as well as creating a dedicated update for optimisation within Season 5. Details on Update 1 and Update 2 will be discussed in the letter below.[/p][p][/p][h3]Stream Recap[/h3][p]On October 23, Community Manager Alex VII and Game Director Guillaume Guinet went live on the Nacon Racing YouTube channel to showcase all of the features coming to Season 5, as well as answering some questions from the community. Below you can find the following details[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]We also created a gameplay only video showing off the game in a stream highlight fashion with timecodes, so if you’d like to watch gameplay without the talking from the stream and see the game in it’s max quality, check the link below![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]There were many questions asked during the stream, and we wanted to clarify our answers on some of these subjects. Let’s take a look at some of the most common questions asked![/p][p] [/p][p]Q: Will we expand Ibiza?[/p][p]A: Ibiza is something a lot of the community is asking for, and we know it is something that we want to bring in the future, but we don’t want to make any promises on this until we have a dedicated team working on this. At the moment, our art teams are working on year 2 features, the most important one being Season 8 Housing. This feature requires a lot of work from our level designers and environmental artists. Another reason why we aren’t working on this is that right now we're focused on optimization. Optimisation means to create new processes to build the world. We cannot work on new processes while adding areas to the world using the old ones.[/p][p][/p][p]Our plan on this would be to update Ibiza in sections, rather than the entire island at once, especially as we want to add content to the expanded areas of Ibiza as they arrive. When we have a dedicated team working on the expansion of Ibiza, we will be able to communicate this with you.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Will we implement DRL’s/high-beam/low-beam?[/p][p]A: We’ve seen this request a few times, and it’s something we think we can integrate into TDUSC, but it requires a new lighting structure to set up the differences between all 3 light modes, as well as integrating the feature into the KT Engine and following each car's DRL setup. That said, we can’t communicate on this improvement yet until it’s something we start working on, but we believe it fits TDU perfectly![/p][p][/p][p]Q: When will crossregion/crossplay arrive?[/p][p]A: We have currently prioritised crossregion over crossplay. It will require a lot of work on our network to adapt for this system, but we have a dedicated team working on this feature. We do not have an update on specific ETA for this feature, but we hope to have it completed by the end of 2026.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: When can players expect more optimisation for TDUSC?[/p][p]A: Our next large optimisation update will arrive in Update 2 of Season 5. We will detail this in this month’s letter in the ‘Update 2 Details’ section![/p][p][/p][p]Q: When will steering animation delay be fixed?[/p][p]A: This is a bug report we are currently working on. We have found the issue with the system, and we hope to have this solution by Season 6.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: What are our plans for customisation for TDUSC? (rim size, rim colour, bodykits, spoilers, brake calipers, etc)[/p][p]A: We already have more customisation options arriving in TDUSC in future updates. We think it’s something that can help elevate the personalisation aspect of TDUSC, however we also know a lot of the TDU fanbase prefers more TDU-DNA derived customisation options like just simply changing caliper colour, or rim size, rim colour, etc. We’ll keep you in the loop on these improvements throughout Year 2.[/p][p] [/p][p]Q: What are our plans for a realistic tachometer UI (like TDU2)?[/p][p]A: This is something we’d love to have in TDUSC. We have made a few samples of this concept to get approval from manufacturers on the design. Once we have feedback, we will evaluate our next steps on this feature. We can’t confirm for sure we’ll be able to bring this feature into TDUSC yet, but if it is something we can do, we will look into adding it into our roadmap plans.[/p][p]
Q: Can we see GPS navigation added into vehicles?[/p][p]A: Similarly, this feature will require feedback from the manufacturers. When we know the next steps on this feature, we will be sure to communicate to you on it![/p][p][/p][p]Q: When can players expect 8-player groups?[/p][p]A: We have made progress on this feature since we last communicated it to you, but we want to make sure this feature arrives well polished.[/p][p][/p][p]We are aiming to have this ready for Season 6 but we will confirm with you closer to the launch of Season 6 if this feature will be ready.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: When can players expect a photo mode update?[/p][p]A: Good pictures from the community can write a game's success itself, and we know we can do better with the photo mode in TDUSC. We don’t have any plans to work on this feature soon, but we think it’s something that could go well with housing. It’s a big work though, because it requires taking the KT Engine a step further in how photo mode renders and works. When we have better visibility on this, we’ll let you know![/p][p] [/p][p]Q: When can players expect a livery editor update (grouping of stickers, sticker material, etc)?[/p][p]A: There is a lot to do to the livery editor in TDUSC, and we don’t think we will be able to do a complete overhaul in Year 2, but we are looking into bringing some QoL features to the editor in 2026. We’ll communicate this when we have better visibility on the subject.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: When can players expect more details on camera improvements (seat height, turning off camera shake, etc)?[/p][p]A: Camera improvements in TDUSC will arrive in the future for sure. We know players want to customise this experience of TDUSC, but similarly we cannot provide a concrete date on this feature.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: When can players rotate the camera during rim purchases/vehicle purchases?[/p][p]A: This is a feature we hear often from the community. We believe it is something we should work on for TDUSC, and we’ll share news on this in a future update.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Can players expect to see more weather scenarios added to TDUSC (rain on Ibiza/thunderstorms with lightning)?[/p][p]A: We have worked on improving many scenarios of weather in the Season 5 Hong Kong Island timecycle update, but we have not added a scenario for severe thunderstorms with lightning.  [/p][p][/p][p]We think the addition of rain to Ibiza would be nice, and we have also thought of adding a cycle in Ibiza called ‘Calima’ (learn more about it here), but we have a lot of other things to focus on at the moment.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Can players expect more Casino game modes in the future?[/p][p]A: Before bringing more gamemodes to the Casino, we want to focus on features that all players can enjoy, as there are restrictions for many countries that prevent players from accessing the Casino in TDUSC. We are also going to look into the possibility of opening up the Casino to more countries where government rules may be discussed further. More news on this will arrive when we have more to share.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: When can players expect JDM vehicles? Sedans? Wagons?[/p][p]A: Players can expect a JDM filled Season in Season 7. All vehicles both in the dealership, online store, and Solar Pass will be JDM.[/p][p][/p][p]Recently, we also had the community vote on a vehicle which fits such description, so we know its something you all want to see! We don’t want to reveal too much yet though![/p][p][/p][p]Q: Will other TDU2 features be returning?[/p][p]A: There are many gameplay elements to TDUSC so far from TDU2, but we think there is always room to improve and adapt more. We cannot comment specifically on what we plan for the future of TDUSC outside of the already communicated Year 2 content, but we have some great ideas to evolve TDUSC in the future.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Are there plans to change the design of dealerships and workshops?[/p][p]A: This is something on our minds as it helps us reach the end goal of a more realistic and cinematic experience with TDUSC. We however are not working on this yet, as the art team is working hard on the ORC, houses, race layout improvements, and more! Rest assured, it’s something we want to bring to the world of TDUSC in the future.[/p][p][/p][p]Q: Are there plans to add a police mission system to TDUSC?[/p][p]A: Adding a police system for TDUSC would be nice, however we don’t think it is something we can commit to yet. Such a feature would need to be like TDU2’s. Both singleplayer and multiplayer, the feature where it calls other people on the map to join the session, associated licenced police themed vehicles with the livery/appearance being rewarded to players, and more. This making the feature complex would take us some time to create, and we are currently full on our Year 2 roadmap. This is something we could discuss for an update after Year 2, possibly bringing back another ‘Community Voted Season’ concept.[/p][p][/p][h3]Taxi Missions[/h3][p]The flagship feature arriving in Season 5 is Taxi Missions! This feature previously in TDU2, was given immense depth for its reveal in TDUSC. In Season 5, you’ll be able to pick up and drop off passengers in 50 different scenarios. Within each of these are different client profiles, and within that, different questions and requests from them! Let’s quickly recap everything you need to know about this feature![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Private Driver[/p][p]Taxi contracts are driving missions in which you need to fulfill the needs of clients to earn a good final rating. Depending on the client profile, you also need to arrive at the destination by a certain time. The difficulty of this will also change depending on the mission. Get a 5 star rating to achieve the maximum earnings, but be careful, once you reach 0, the mission ends, and you cannot restart![/p][p] [/p][p] [/p][p]Client Profiles[/p][p]There are 4 different client profiles. Fulfilling their specific needs will improve your rating, but accidents and careless driving can have the opposite effect. Pay attention to the mission page UI and see what your passenger will take note of. For example, some clients might want you to not follow the speed limit, and get them to the destination on time, however, some might want you to follow the speed limit and drive very smoothly while obeying traffic rules![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Questions and Requests[/p][p]Pay attention to your passengers throughout the journey because they may have specific requests that you weren't expecting. Some may ask you to turn on the radio or put your windows down, however there are questions that are a bit more in depth, and may require some thinking from you so make sure you answer them correctly, as they will affect your rating score![/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p]Gameplay                [/p][p]We have uploaded various gameplay footage of Taxi Missions in action, check the link here at the following timecodes to see how they work![/p][p] [/p][h3]Poker[/h3][p]Poker is finally arriving in the Casino in Season 5! Let’s again recap what you can expect from this new Casino gamemode.[/p][p][/p][p]To start, head to the Casino and enter a Poker room. Here, you have 3 rooms to choose from. Emerald features a 1,000 Solar Coin buy-in, Sapphire features a 100,000 Solar Coin buy-in but you have to win 15 hands in Poker to unlock, and Ruby features a 500,000 buy-in but you have to win 50 hands in Poker to unlock.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Once you’re in, you have 3 Poker tables, with a maximum seating capacity of 8, so you’ll have 24 players in a lobby for Poker rooms, slightly less than the 32-player lobby in the Casino hall. Next, head to any of the 3 tables and join a game! [/p][p][/p][p]All that’s left to do is look at your cards, and make the right moves! Don’t forget, there is voice chat, so use it wisely if you think you can trick other players into calling your bluff! [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We uploaded gameplay of Poker on the Nacon Racing YouTube channel, so feel free to take a look at how it goes![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]We also want to discuss some issues with Poker. Below are some known issues that are being worked on and fixed for Update 1.[/p][p] [/p][p] [/p][h3]Before/After Map Changes[/h3][p]Another improvement coming to Season 5 is a large amount of map improvements to Hong Kong Island. Quarry Bay had some of these improvements in S4P1, but it gets the final touches in Season 5![/p][p]
Let's take a look at Stanley's prison area, which had a massive change![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We did this to create a better feel of Hong Kong Island and make a more accurate map feel.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Here are some more photos of what players can see.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]We have also created a video showcasing all map changes coming in Season 5. Check the video out below![/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]To discuss this change in more detail, Stéphane Cambier, the Art Director for TDUSC has more to say![/p][p][/p][p]“While a small team is dedicated to optimizing and developing future content, another team is focused on improving specific areas of Hong Kong.[/p][p]These areas required additional attention to capture the mood of their real-world counterparts, as they currently lack key details. Our primary focus has been Aberdeen and Stanley, with northern districts next on our agenda.”[/p][p]- Stéphane Cambier / TDUSC Art Director[/p][p][/p][h3]KT Engine Improvements[/h3][p]The KT Engine gets a lot of improvements for Season 5. You can find improved reflections, timecycles, effects, and more! [/p]

• [p]Ibiza Screenshots[/p][p][/p]
• [p]Hong Kong Island Screenshots[/p][p][/p]

[h3]Construction Sites[/h3][p]The first two construction sites appear in Ibiza! These locations do not represent the full shape of the house, but if you look closely at the environment, you can have an idea of the garden or scenery around the location once it arrives in Season 8![/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]More construction sites will arrive throughout the next Seasons, so keep your eyes peeled![/p][p][/p][h3]Economy[/h3][p]Big changes arrive in Season 5 for TDUSC’s economy! Bigger race payouts, improved FRIM, and car selling![/p][p][/p]

• [p]Race Payouts: We’ve increased the payouts of all races found on both Ibiza and Hong Kong Island. Crown Jewel races now pay as they should based on the risk/time, so some of them can payout sums totalling over 1,000,000 Solar Coins.
  
  We’ve also improved Live Events, as they will now pay an additional Solar Coin bonus on top of the cosmetic reward, which is based on what the reward is. [/p][p][/p][p]We are excited to see your feedback on this new economic change, and we will be on the look out for further feedback to continue evolving TDUSC![/p]

[p][/p]

• [p]FRIM: FRIM has a lot of changes arriving in Season 5. Here are some of the improvements:[/p]
  • [p]Updated levelling system for 99 linear levels[/p]
  • [p]Removed max number of cash-ins per day[/p]
  • [p]Removed tricks max occurrences[/p]
  • [p]Added reputation, influence and Solar Pass exp as rewards[/p]
  • [p]Updated Clean Driving trigger (100km/h)[/p]
  • [p]Removed Burn and 0-100 from actions list[/p]
  • [p]Tweaked timer for cashing-in (you can cash in whenever you want)[/p]
  [p][/p][p]This new system will allow players to earn more in the freeroam mode, and level up FRIM the way they want. Whether you’re cruising, drifting, or having some reckless driving, FRIM will be for you![/p][p][/p]
• [p]Car Selling: Head to the front desk of the Solar Hotel or the Selene HQ to sell your cars! Once you open the menu, you’ll be able to sell your vehicles, with the sell prices varying depending on the odometer distance, upgrades, and vehicle options you have added at the dealership or workshop. [/p]

[h3]Vehicle Improvements[/h3][p]We’ve done a lot to vehicles in Season 5, and we aren’t stopping there. Let’s take a look at all of the improvements coming to TDUSC’s vehicles in Season 5![/p][p][/p]

• [p]Cruise Control: Cruise control will be available in missions and free-roam! There are also new bindable settings in the game control menu to allow you to map this to your wheel.[/p][p] [/p]
  • [p]Speed Hold/Cruise - In this mode, the vehicle's acceleration will stay at the assigned speed. You can increase and decrease this speed in the same Alyss menu. Coming to a stop will automatically turn the cruise control off.[/p][p] [/p]
  • [p]Speed Limiter - In this mode, the vehicle's acceleration is controlled by you, and the assigned speed is the limiter. You can increase and decrease this speed in the same Alyss menu.[/p]
  [p][/p]
• [p]Bug Fixes & Improvements: In Season 5, we tackled a lot of issues surrounding our vehicle models, and below are just some of the improvements you will see in Season 5. [/p]
  • [p]Fixed Alpha 5 max speed[/p]
  • [p]Fixed battery on 918, I8, LPI800 and LaFerrari[/p]
  • [p]Fixed acceleration on Veyron 16.4[/p]
  • [p]Fixed power handbrake on Buggy[/p]
  • [p]Fixed tires size on F40[/p]
  • [p]Updated rear and side light of various cars[/p]
  • [p]Fixed dashboard UI text[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Porsche Carrera & Carrera Bodykit cockpit camera[/p]
  • [p]Corrected Aston Martin Valour base power/torque[/p]
  • [p]Added Super Sport suspension to Aston Martin Valour / Removed All-Road suspension from Aston Martin Valour[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the spoiler of the Pininfarina Battista where it fails to auto-engage while driving at high speeds[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the spoilers of all the McLaren manufacturer cars where it fail to auto-engage while driving at high speeds[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the spoilers of all the Bugatti manufacturer cars where it fail to auto-engage while driving at high speeds[/p]
  • [p]Added Super Sport suspension to the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Huracan Sterrato Licence Plate Lights[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Aston Martin Vantage rear lights[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Aston Martin Valour mirror being reversed[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the left bumper turn signal on the 'Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato' which flashes when the 'Right Turn Signal' is activated[/p]
  • [p]Fixed rear wiper animation on all vehicles that have the feature[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the windshield wipers of the 'Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato’[/p]
  • [p]Added Super Sport suspension to the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+[/p]
  • [p]Fixed dynamic indicators on the AMG GTR/AMG GT Black Series and Shelby GT350R[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Veyron ‘PS’ dashboard display[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Audi Q7 sunroof not opening[/p]
  • [p]Fixed brake bias setting being reversed[/p]
  • [p]Fixed DMC12 dashboard camera view[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Camaro ZLE 1LE incorrect shift animation[/p]
  • [p]Fixed reflections on the dashboards[/p]
  • [p]Fixed DB11 Volante redline UI[/p]
  • [p]Fixed Miura redline UI[/p]
  • [p]Fixed DB11 Volante rear window animation for roof feature[/p]
  • [p]New setting for progressive acceleration on all cars[/p]
  • [p]Decrease unload engine damping influence[/p]
  • [p]Added cruise control[/p]
  • [p]Fixed the DB11 Volante hood vent [/p][p][/p][p]You can also find gameplay of it here![/p][p][/p]

[p]Please continue to share any discrepancies you see with the vehicles in TDUSC. We will be focusing on this throughout Season 5 and will be bringing more vehicle fixes in Season 5.[/p][p] [/p][p]We also have the following fixes arriving in Update 1 and Update 2 of Season 5:[/p]

• [p]Miura correct headlight animation[/p]
• [p]SRT Hellcat gets 8-speed transmission to accommodate the automatic transmission car model[/p]
• [p]Delorean interior dashboard speedometer sync[/p]
• [p]Unlocking the customisation of ‘Special Edition’ Appearances in the Workshop[/p][p][/p]

[h3]Live Events[/h3][p]Season 5 is where live event rewards are improved. You will receive a large sum of Solar Coins in addition to the cosmetic reward; with the actual amount dependent on what the reward is. You’ll also find, no more stickers will be present as live event rewards. Here’s a reminder of some of the rewards you can see.[/p][p][/p][p]The Alpine A110 Légende US 2023 Racing livery arrives in a Season 5 live event![/p][p][/p][p]Licenced PUMA clothing arrives in a Season 5 live event![/p][p][/p][h3]Update 1 Details[/h3][p]Update 1 will bring more bug fixes and the online store. We will discuss the store in more detail in next month's Solar Club Letter with some images of the content you’ll be able to find. However, here’s what you’ll be able to find in the store: [/p]

• [p]Previous Solar Pass Vehicles: There will be a timed exclusive on Solar Pass vehicles arriving in the store. For example, Season 3 Solar Pass vehicles will be available in Season 5. Season 4 Solar Pass vehicles in Season 6. So on and so forth.[/p]
• [p]3 New ‘Special Edition’ Vehicles Each Season: These vehicles can be special licensed or unlicensed bodykits of existing vehicles in-game, or they will be completely licensed special models of existing vehicles in-game. An example of this is the licenced Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series, arriving in the online store in Season 6, or the Nissan GT-R ‘The Tyger’ unlicensed widebody kit arriving in the ‘Season 5 Update 1’ update. In Season 5 Update 1, you can find these 3 special editions arrive in the store![/p][p] [/p]
• [p]Previous Live Event Rewards[/p]
• [p]Emotes[/p]
• [p]Rims[/p]
• [p]Liveries/Paints[/p]
• [p]Clothing (Licenced and Unlicenced)[/p]
• [p]& More…[/p][p][/p]

[p]With the online store, we will also have a system in place that will give players 10 Diamonds per week for free. You will be able to claim this in the online store menu weekly.[/p][p][/p][p]You’ll also find sound improvements for the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and the De Tomaso P72. We’ll detail this more in the ‘🔊 Sounds’ section of the letter.[/p][p][/p][h3]Update 2 Details[/h3][p]The most important update of Season 5, will be update 2. This update is focused on optimisation and performance for PC, XSX, and PS5. To understand what to expect more, here is what TDUSC’s Producer and Technical Director have to say.[/p][p][/p][p]“As we said in our last communication, a dedicated team is now working on resolving the performance issues reported by our community. Because this is a huge task, we needed to subdivide this objective into smaller various ones. The first one is to improve the performance on both consoles, and that's what we have been doing recently. It doesn't mean that it doesn't impact the Steam version at all, it always indirectly does, just that we're focused on specific issues degrading the experience on consoles (e.g the FPS drops when inside the Streets headquarter or during races in heavy lighted areas).We will continue to do so for Update #1 of the season.[/p][p]For Update #2 we plan to have more global improvements which can be appreciated by all players of all platforms. We're already working on a few ones but these take more time to deploy as we need to update the various components of the world while making sure no negative impacts are found. Rest assured we'll continue to work on this topic for the following seasons and until we and our community are satisfied with the result.” [/p][p]- Niels Coueffe / TDUSC Producer[/p][p] [/p][p]“A particular effort is currently underway to optimize the game for Update 2 to make the gaming experience smoother and more enjoyable, regardless of the platform. We are working on this along two main lines:[/p]

• [p]Globally: Season 5 saw the arrival of a heavily revamped rendering pipeline, which is just one step in an engine enhancement program. We are continuing to make improvements, particularly in performance, that this new pipeline allows us, notably by more efficiently using CPU and GPU resources.[/p]
• [p]More Specifically: We are working to identify and correct all points causing in-game performance drops that concretely harm game quality. Corrections can be either in the code or in the data, which sometimes needs to be reworked in depth. This work involves all specialities within the TDUSC team.[/p]

[p]Although this update is mainly focused on game experience, framerate, and erasing the framerate drops, if we can add some nice enhancements to the KT Engine that improve the graphical and render ability further, we will look into doing so too.”[/p][p]- Fabien Fumeron / TDUSC Technical Director[/p][p][/p][p]Similar to the launch of Season 5, we will be showcasing gameplay of this update and discuss the specific improvements on framerate and performance.[/p][p] [/p][h3]Known Issues[/h3][p]Season 5 is our largest update yet, and there are many fixes we are currently working on to increase the polish of the game. Below are some issues we’d like to be transparent with and address, as well as mentioning some workarounds. We plan to have all of these fixed, and more, in the Season 5 Update 1 update[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h2]🔊 Sounds[/h2][p]Sounds are of great importance in a racing game, so let’s go over what’s happening next.[/p][p] [/p][p]Upcoming Updates[/p][p]So far in Season 5, we’ve confirmed the De Tomaso P72 and the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 will be getting a sound improvement in Update 1. The P72 will have a more accurate growl from its V8, and the Vantage GT3 will have a much improved interior cockpit sound to match its accuracy.[/p][p][/p][p]What’s Next?[/p][p]Back in July, we shared the results of the sound design survey in which players had the opportunity to vote on what car sounds they’d like to see improved in the game and some of their thoughts on our audio design. One of the issues we got was the muffled sound of the cockpit, or the audio mix of other world elements. We are currently working on the mix of all AI vehicles in the world, including your opponents. [/p][p][/p][p]Based on the community votes, here are some example vehicles we think we can work on next:[/p]

• [p]Mclaren MP4-12C[/p]
• [p]Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato [/p]
• [p]Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Widebody[/p]
• [p]Lamborghini Aventador SVJ[/p]
• [p]Ferrari 488 Pista[/p][p][/p]

[p]We can’t commit to a specific update date on when these will be fixed, but we will let you know in a future letter when we are working on them, and of course, when they’re ready![/p][p][/p][h2]🖼️ Community Spotlight Winners - October[/h2][p]The Community Spotlight is back! It’s time to announce the winners for the month of October![/p][p][/p][p]An honourable mention for the beautiful Ibiza scenery picture by ISO77![/p][p] [/p][p]Winners[/p][p]There have been some amazing pictures sent in for this month's Community Spotlight, but here are the top 3 voted photos for the month of October![/p][p]
[/p]

1. [p]Discord member PovverfulOz wins this month's Community Spotlight with their amazing photography contrast! Congrats on getting over 60 votes (the most votes ever), your reward is Aston Martin DBS Superleggera when Season 5 launches!
   
   [/p]
2. [p]Discord member Destroyer-GT takes second place in this month's Community Spotlight with their amazing livery on the Huracan Sterrato! Congrats! Your reward is 3,500,000 Solar Coins![/p][p] [/p]
3. [p]Discord member Rei comes third in this month's Community Spotlight with their La Ferrari parked by the sea! Congrats! Your reward is 2,000,000 Solar Coins! [/p][p][/p]
4. [p][/p]

[p]Congrats again to the winners! You will receive your reward within 48 hours after Season 5 releases![/p][p][/p][p]How To Enter[/p][p]First, join our Discord which can be found at Discord.gg/TestDrive. Once you join our Discord, you’ll see a channel called ‘community-spotlight’. Here, you can send the best pictures you've taken in TDUSC! You aren't limited to cars, too. Feel free to send pictures of your liveries, cars, sceneries, garage, etc. The community will vote for the best photo to be featured in-game and win some prizes![/p][p][/p][p]We have also changed the rules to allow for a more fun and fair experience.[/p][p][/p][p]Here are the rules:[/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 in a post[/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]The top 3 voted posts in the month will win prizes[/p]
• [p]The most voted picture in the month will be selected to showcase in the in-game news section in TDUSC[/p]
• [p]The thread will be wiped on the release of every Solar Club Letter[/p]
• [p]Users can only win once every 3 months (including podium spots 1st, 2nd, 3rd)[/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]⏭️ Coming Up Next[/h2][p]What’s next on the communication agenda for TDUSC? Let’s take a look![/p][p] [/p][p]November Solar Club Letter[/p][p]The November Solar Club letter will go over some behind the scenes development of TDUSC and showcase more of what Update 1 will offer.[/p][p] [/p][p]December Solar Club Letter[/p][p]The November Solar Club letter will go over how the online store works, and further detail Update 2 for Season 5.[/p][p] [/p][h2]❤️ Final Message[/h2][p]We hope you enjoy what Season 5 has to offer as we lead into the last Season before 2026. We’re excited to see your reactions on the largest update to TDUSC yet! See you soon![/p]

• [p]The TDU Team[/p]