Update 24.1 Announcement: Car Rarity Changes and New Season
We're thrilled to announce details of the new Car Rarity Token Compensation feature, coming with the Top Drives 24.1 update on the week starting 25 November!
Keep reading to learn all about the Car Rarity Change Token Compensation System: how it works, how it will roll out, what to expect on the day of launch, and which cars will be affected by rarity changes and compensation.
Scroll all the way down to find out the next Season's - Season 12 - prize cars, and the next Collection Series start date!
For the in-depth FAQ, please visit: https://www.hutch.io/our-games/top-drives/patch-notes/top-drives-24-1:-car-rarity-token-compensation-a-closer-look/
What is the Car Rarity Change (and Why Do It?)
At Top Drives, authenticity is key. We aim to bring you a rich, accurate collection of officially licensed cars from around the world for you to collect and race. While we work hard to keep each car’s stats as precise as possible, adjustments are occasionally needed. To keep gameplay balanced and fair, we regularly refine car stats and RQ levels to align with new cars.
As a result, some cars may need their rarities adjusted. For instance, if a Legendary car’s stats are revised and more in line with Epic status, we need to lower its rarity. Conversely, if a car’s updated stats place it in a higher tier, it should move up.
However, doing so is not as simple as it may sound.
If this Legendary car had upgrades and fuses in it, going down to Epic would mean that the cumulative value of the car plus its upgrades and fuses would be significantly reduced. And vice versa, if a car goes up in rarity, keeping its upgrades and fuses intact would mean that the value of the car increases dramatically due to the higher cost of Upgrades and Fuses for Legendary cars.
This is why an important aspect of changing Rarities fairly is resetting all upgrades and fuses on the car to ensure players do not get an advantage or a disadvantage when the car goes up or down in rarity, and compensating players with Upgrade and Fuse Tokens that can be used on a different car.
How is the New System Different from the Old?
This Rarity Change process builds on the previous one introduced during the World Expo update in 2022 but includes several important improvements:
Revised System Architecture: We’ve completely re-engineered the feature for greater reliability and load-tested it extensively to handle the highest player demands.
Enhanced Support Tools: New tools allow us to better track and resolve any player issues that may arise.
Improved Rollout Process: The rollout is versioned and slower-paced to ensure smooth operation.
Enhanced UI: We’ve improved the user interface for a more straightforward onboarding experience.
Rollout Schedule
The CRC rollout will proceed in stages, focusing on different car rarities in waves:
Wave 1 (Update 24.1): Common and Uncommon Cars
Wave 2 (Update XX): Rare, Super Rare, and Ultra Rare Cars
Wave 3 (Update XX): Epic and Legendary Cars
Wave 1 allows us to establish technical stability and observe player feedback. A minimum two-week gap will separate Waves 2 and 3, allowing further monitoring and adjustments as needed.
Note: We do not anticipate adding new cars to Top Drives until the full rollout of this feature is complete. Rollout schedule may change as we learn from the Wave 1 release.
What to Expect on Launch Day
With Update 24.1, the rollout will initially reach a limited audience: 50% of Android players, allowing us to monitor system performance. We will gradually release the update to the remaining players.
Note that players will not have access to the feature if none of the cars in their garage change rarity.
Upon logging into the game, you’ll see a prompt introducing the feature:
The My Cars screen now has a dedicated Tokens button:
Pressing it opens a brief walkthrough explaining the system:
The Rarity Changes & Tokens screen will display the following:
Number of cars in your garage changing rarity (Wave 1 includes only Common and Uncommon cars)
Awarded Upgrade Tokens and available balance
Awarded Fuse Tokens and available balance
Number of cars of each Rarity in your garage that have been updated
To upgrade a car using your Tokens, simply click on the car to find the number of Upgrade and Fuse Tokens available to you in the top right corner.
From here, you can use your Tokens to upgrade or fuse the car step-by-step. Alternatively, use Turbo Upgrading presets to instantly set your car to a chosen upgrade preset.
Wave 1 Car List
We expect the list of Common and Uncommon cars to change rarity in Wave 1 of the Car Rarity Changes system to be released to the public on Thursday, 21 November.
There will be a total of 47 Common and Uncommon cars changing rarities in update 24.1.
A more in-depth look at the Car Rarity Change Token Compensation feature will be available shortly.
Season Prize Cars
Season 12 starts on 18 November and ends on 15 December.
Compete for Seasonal Prize Cars! Play to win the Ford Supervan 4 and Mitsubishi MiEV Evolution II!
New Collection Series - Gunter's Collection
Our latest Collection showcases Gunter, the connoisseur of vintage speed, with a spotlight on iconic 70s and 80s classics. Think you’ve got what it takes to leave him in your dust?
Start date: 02 December 2024.
