Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Season 3 Update Brings Mixed Opinions

TDUSC’s Season 3 update adds new cars, game modes, solo racing, pause functionality, and more. But is it enough to reverse the ever-declining player count?

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s Season 3 update drops on March 19, aiming to tackle some of the (many) player concerns while introducing (much-needed) fresh content.

At the start of the trailer, they explain why they switched focus from what was planned for Season 3, stating, “Clan Wars was initially planned for Season 3 but has been postponed based on your feedback.”

“Instead, we’re focusing on some of the most requested changes and additions from the TDU community.”

That sounds promising…

Or, is it too little too late for the game that launched disastrously six months ago, demanded premium prices, and now struggles to attract even 100 daily Steam players?

Check out the video below to see everything included with the latest update. We’ll let you form your own opinions!

Solo Racing Finally Arrives

Solo Mode is a great addition, letting you (finally) take on AI races without being forced into multiplayer lobbies.

You’ll be able to skip encounters with other players entirely and avoid the lobby wait times that have been an issue until now.

The update also adds another aspect that should’ve been included on day one – the ability to pause races and quickly restart them.

New AI difficulty options also arrive, allowing you to choose your preferred level, from Novice to Expert, with tougher competition boosting rewards.

Until now, all of these features were completely absent from the game. It’s crazy that including such simple features has taken this long.

It might not come as a surprise, though, that it’s not all good news. You still need to be online for Solo Mode despite being single-player!

Two New Gameplay Modes Are Added

Convoy Missions brings a return of a fan-favorite from previous TDU games. You’ll need to deliver vehicles while keeping them as pristine as possible or face penalties that could potentially lead to mission failure.

Navigation Races is a new mode where you’ll ditch the GPS, and you’re provided with compass-only guidance. You’ll need to figure out your destination route and test your exploration and navigation skills.

While these new modes are appreciated, fans still miss the ability to purchase and customize properties, manage real estate, and other lifestyle activities from the classic TDU games.

Three New Additions To The Car Roster

More rides are always welcome, and there are now three more available:

• Aston Martin Valour
• DeLorean DMC-12
• Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta

There’s more good news on the vehicle front, too, with the addition of customized license plates.

Despite the additions, the overall car roster remains small compared to most games (especially Horizon 5’s 900+ car roster!), and the garage limit remains unchanged. Understandably, many fans want to see the massive collections you could have with past TDU games return.

These restrictions will likely make Forza Horizon 5 more appealing for the PlayStation newcomers to the series.

Solar Pass Grinding Is Now Reduced… Kinda

KT Racing has doubled the Solar Pass free rewards from 25 to 50 tiers, easing the grind (to some extent!)

You’ll probably need to grind away for around 100-200 hours to earn top-tier vehicles, a similar complaint we often hear from The Crew 2 players.

Again, the grinding requirement might be another reason players could be tempted to switch to Horizon 5 since it practically throws cars at you!

The Game The (Remaining) Fans Want To Love

Some positive takeaways from the update include Solo Mode and the ability to pause/restart (although these should have been available from the start!)

The new races and car additions are also improvements, even if there’s much more yet to be integrated to live up to the potential.

However, many fans continue to express frustration over unresolved issues, such as the lack of property management, limited garage space, and the absence of branded dealerships, all of which were key features in previous TDU games.

Also, despite the inclusion of Solo Racing, an internet connection is still required, which is a big disappointment.

For a game with so much potential, KT Racing has its work cut out if they’re going to turn things around.

With Forza Horizon 5’s upcoming PlayStation release just around the corner, Solar Crown faces even more competition. Open-world games, especially, have been particularly limited on PlayStation until now.

Unless the team can deliver substantial improvements without introducing new problems, it’s hard to see them recovering from the declining player count. We sure hope they can prove us wrong!

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