Bigben Interactive Secures Rights to Test Drive Unlimited; New Game in the Works

[bremics]

over a year later.... still no TDU3 in sight

That's a good thing hopefully.

It should take some time to build a ridiculously huge island with tons of roads.

 

[banckzy]

That's a good thing hopefully.

It should take some time to build a ridiculously huge island with tons of roads.

an update announcement would be nice at least

 

[Ferrari458Italia]

I miss this game SO much... ugh

 

[Silver Arrows]

The thing about TDU2 is, is that it was the game, for me at least, that pretty much made me learn never to believe the hype, and to suspect anything a developer says or does. A lot of it was because I was young, and dumb, but at the same time, I was active in the old TDU2 forums Atari ran. I was excited as anyone that a game I loved on PS2 and PSP - and indeed, on PC and 360, would get a sequel that is bigger, better, and as awesome as ever.

Then I remember the time they flew Paul Oakenfold out to E3 - and had nothing else about the game, at all, except this branded exclusive party. I remember the time when they put an NDA on the beta - and actually enforced it, which usually says something about the game. And then I remember getting the game, pre-ordered, and playing it...online was disabled and would be for the first two weeks of release, or I think it was a month. In any case, the game was dead man walking by that point. I played through the game and found it was the most Jekyll and Hyde experience I had up until that point, and it not only killed any sort of opinion I had towards Eden Games, but also Atari was well.

Really, I don't know what I will think of if and when a TDU3 is actually announced and brought to the wild. By now, Forza Horizon and The Crew are it's spiritual successors, and they are not only much better games, but also actually can somewhat guarantee to work on launch day. It will have to take a lot for me to be interested any more then 'morbid curiosity' wondering what an even smaller publisher then Atari was in 2010-2011 can do with a series that has a lot of poisoned good will amongst the fans still lingering.

 

[DDastardly00]

Forza Horizon is not the spiritual successor to TDU2, it never has been nor will it ever be. The Crew on the other hand is a more apt comparison because some of the members behind TDU (not TDU2) left Eden shortly after TDU1 was completed to start Ivory Tower and make The Crew. However neither of these games fills the void left by TDU1/TDU2 because neither of these games is stylistically similar or offers the ability to buy houses and store cars.

I could also make the argument that the Crew isn't trying to be TDU either, it's story/mission-based with a cops and robbers element, in some ways it resembles the Driver series more than it does TDU with the takedown missions. If you look at the direction the Crew 2 is taking by adding aircraft and boats, it really is setting itself apart from all other open world sandbox games altogether. Even The Crew Wild Run added Monster Trucks and motorcycles and dirt bikes and entire amusement/stunt parks to play with them in. The Crew series is really it's own thing now and I think it's earned that much. It has differentiated itself enough that it has made it's own mark and set off in an entirely new direction.

I don't know what Bigben has in store for the series or if Kylotonn is even the studio working on this (or if it is even in development), all we have is their statement that they would try and stay true to the original game and make a game for the fans. I hope they do, because none of the Horizon games or The Crew for that matter scratches that itch of wanting to drive around Oahu in a Ferrari 308 GTS on my way home to a house with a 10 car garage and palm trees in the front yard.

I hope they go the full 9 yards with everything that made TDU great, make the character creation even better, make the houses even more interactive, then add a solid physics system, bring back interactive locations (like TDU2), add better customization and a better livery editor too. Give us Oahu and maybe one extra location (Dubai?) and I think that would be a formula for success. Who cares what those other guys are doing, just make your own game and stay true to the TDU series, that is the message Big Ben needs to hear.

 

[JohnBM01]

I always say- Test Drive Unlimited 2 was a great game. Trouble is, it could have been much more and much more better. Heck, I thought of the first Forza Horizon with the featuring of Ibiza in TDU2. There probably could have been a convergence of cars and electronic dance music with TDU2. I even made a makeshift Time Trial challenge driving from Space Ibiza to Pacha Ibiza. The Solar Crown gives this game some life when the servers are inactive, but it was so weak for a single-player element. Wonky driving physics didn't help matters much either. And those clothing choices? Pathetic.

TDU2 disappointed hard once you really played through it. This series can be great, but a lot has to change for it to be any real classic. Maybe Bigben Interactive can see the potential and maximize it. Or... maybe they make it worse or don't change much. Either way, and because I am a positive person with a positive mindset, I want to give Bigben Interactive a chance.

 

[inCloud]

I could also make the argument that the Crew isn't trying to be TDU either, it's story/mission-based with a cops and robbers element, in some ways it resembles the Driver series more than it does TDU with the takedown missions. If you look at the direction the Crew 2 is taking by adding aircraft and boats, it really is setting itself apart from all other open world sandbox games altogether. Even The Crew Wild Run added Monster Trucks and motorcycles and dirt bikes and entire amusement/stunt parks to play with them in. The Crew series is really it's own thing now and I think it's earned that much. It has differentiated itself enough that it has made it's own mark and set off in an entirely new direction.

In fact, both Forza Horizon 4 and The Crew 2 will bring some features from TDU. Both will have character outfit customization(successfully implemented in FM7 and partly in FH3, announced in TC2 deluxe edition) and in TC2 you will see some simple housing feature. Also, there will be much more accent at freeroam and cruising in TC2.

 

[Silver Arrows]

In fact, both Forza Horizon 4 and The Crew 2 will bring some features from TDU. Both will have character outfit customization(successfully implemented in FM7 and partly in FH3, announced in TC2 deluxe edition) and in TC2 you will see some simple housing feature. Also, there will be much more accent at freeroam and cruising in TC2.

I mean, they seem like logical steps forward, but it does seem somewhat like jumping the gun saying that FH4 'will' bring these features, no? especially considering we probably won't get anything that resembles a smidgen of info until probably two weeks before E3 when Microsoft's conference plans are leaked if they are anything like last year. And we can guess that Horizon 4, like 3 and Forza 7 before it, will probably be the marquee title in MS's E3 conference. Until then, we can only make (educated) guesses at what will be present in terms of the game and it's features.

 

[DDastardly00]

Not much, but at least some news regarding TDU3, a mention, a whisper....something.

Bigben Interactive just bought a majority share of KT Racing (the studio responsible for the new V-rally game, WRC series, and TT Isle of Man) also known as Kylotonn. Here is an excerpt from their press release:

"By increasing our shareholding in Kylotonn (KT Racing), we validate the merits of this strategic acquisition initiated in 2017 and warmly welcome the talents of experienced developers which we have already fully appreciated over many past projects. The rise of Bigben in the segment of racing games remains a major strategic axis for our future growth" says Alain Falc, President and CEO of Bigben.

"We are proud to become fully part of the Bigben group for which we have developed games for more than 10 years. The longstanding cooperation with Bigben, a token for stable and smooth relations between the teams, our specialization on 2 wheel and 4 wheel off-road racing games as well as the use of prestigious brands (WRC, Isle of Man TT, V-Rally, Test Drive Unlimited) represent competitive advantages for the Group that our integration will strengthen" says Roman Vincent, founding President of Kylotonn.

I'm taking this as confirmation that KT Racing is indeed the studio that is developing TDU3, there was some speculation before about this, but this press release puts that to rest.

 

[FT-1]

I'm okay with Kylotonn taking the wheel for TDU3. Of their existing games, V-Rally 4 is the only one I've played and its engine would form a decent base for the next Test Drive instalment. What's really impressive about VR4 is attention to detail in its long-distance foilage; Having that in an open world game would do it wonders.

I'm also hoping no features are cut from the first two instalments... Apart from Gambling, I can see why that is undesirable in this day and age. Stuff like buying houses, visiting car dealerships, OEM car customisation, side missions and various car functions (convertible tops, indicators, roll down windows etc.) and more need to stay for TDU to keep its unique identity.

 

[rallymorten]

See, that's the funny thing about life: had I been asked, say, two years ago, I'd likely have tended to join in with the optimism.

But this isn't two years ago. And frankly, given how "faithful to the identity of the franchise" their previous two buy-an-old-IP-and-hope-the-name-is-still-relevant-enough-to-sell-the-game-for-them games they've released since then have been, I'm expecting nothing more from this than a worse version of NFS Payback. No walk-arounds. No houses or dealerships. No indicating or putting the roof down. In short, none of the stuff that set (and still sets) the TDU games apart from everything else.

Also I'm calling the story being just another revenge plot, because everyone likes those. I mean, it *is* still 2006, right?

 

[DDastardly00]

See, that's the funny thing about life: had I been asked, say, two years ago, I'd likely have tended to join in with the optimism.

But this isn't two years ago. And frankly, given how "faithful to the identity of the franchise" their previous two buy-an-old-IP-and-hope-the-name-is-still-relevant-enough-to-sell-the-game-for-them games they've released since then have been, I'm expecting nothing more from this than a worse version of NFS Payback. No walk-arounds. No houses or dealerships. No indicating or putting the roof down. In short, none of the stuff that set (and still sets) the TDU games apart from everything else.

Also I'm calling the story being just another revenge plot, because everyone likes those. I mean, it *is* still 2006, right?

Under Alain Jarniou's watch? Doubftful, go back and read post # 60 in this same thread. The game still may be a disappointment, but I doubt it will be because they didn't stay true to the formula. It will be for the physics engine and bad voice acting if nothing else.