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‘Gran Turismo Sport’ update lets you pay real money for cars
Gran Turismo Sport just released a new patch, and amid gameplay and cosmetic updates, you'll find the option to buy cars with your real hard-earned money. Developer Polyphony Digital is putting more than 200 cars on sale in PS Store and Brand Central despite earlier assurances that the game would not include microtransactions.
Audi’s real-life ‘Gran Turismo’ car will race at Formula E
Audi originally created the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo for the PlayStation 4, exclusively for virtual racing. But now the company is building the vehicle as a fully fledged, operational concept car. The electric e-tron Vision Gran Turismo will compete in Formula E, starting with the race in Rome on Saturday, April 14th.
'Gran Turismo Sport' brings back a classic solo racing mode
As good as it was for Polyphony Digital to finally reach the PS4 with Gran Turismo Sport, its game modes were a bit of a shock for long-time fans. What about those old-fashioned cups? You're about to get them back. The developers are releasing an update in December that will introduce GT League, a single-player mode which resurrects the classic GT modes of earlier games. True to form, you have to compete in a series of cup competitions, some of which require certain cars. You may need a car with a boxer engine, for example, or you might have to own a specific model.
Nissan made a DualShock-controlled car to promote 'GT Sport'
Professional racer Jann Mardenborough recently got the chance to live every Gran Turismo fan's dream: he drove a real car using a DualShock 4 controller from aboard a helicopter. That car was a modified Nissan GT-R aptly called the GT-R /C, made to celebrate the automaker's 20th year of involvement with Gran Turismo and GT Sport's upcoming launch. The vehicle is fitted with four robots -- one each to control the steering wheel, transmissions, brakes and throttle -- and a micro-computer to receive commands from the unmodified DualShock.
Test drive ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ on PS4 next week
Sony is offering up a four-day GT Sport preview, a week ahead of its long-time-coming release. (That's October 17th, in case you forgot.) PlayStation Plus members can preload the demo October 7th, and will be able to take a few cars for a spin from October 9th through October 12th. The demo will offer the first chance for players test out GT Sport's new features, including a photography mode and custom livery for the racing car of your choice. The teaser will also have a new matchmaking system built-in to ensure you're racing similarly-skilled drivers and not just getting lapped all the time.
'Scape' mode in 'GT Sport' is basically Lightroom in a racing game
Even if you're garbage at racing games, this fall's GT Sport has a lot to offer beyond absurdly detailed cars. Case in point: "Scape," the game's insanely deep photo mode. More than just freeze-framing the action during a race, Scape will let you drop any of those ridiculously detailed cars into some 1,000 backdrops and then use DSLR-equivalent adjustments like shutter speed and aperture to get your photo just the way you want it.
'Gran Turismo Sport' is a blast even if you're terrible at it
I've never been into Gran Turismo (or racing games in general), but when my colleague Timothy J. Seppala asked if I wanted to play the franchise's next title, GT Sport, I didn't think twice about saying yes. Especially after seeing how gorgeous the latest trailer looks. And I'm glad I checked it out, even if I did end up in second-to-last place in the two races I played. The graphics in Gran Turismo Sport are as gorgeous as they look on screenshots; it's seriously hard to differentiate cars in the game from real ones. Put simply, it's a perfect way to showcase gameplay at 4K 60fps (don't forget about HDR either), and even more fun if you're experiencing it the way I did: in a vibrating "sled" with a racing seat, steering wheels and pedals.
'Gran Turismo Sport' closed beta kicks off March 17th
Like seemingly every Polyphony Digital game, Gran Turismo Sport has been a long time in coming... but you might not have to wait much longer to give it a spin. Polyphony has announced a Gran Turismo Sport closed beta that will start March 17th for PS4 owners in the US, with other countries following later (European users can find more info here). Just which cars, races and tracks you'll get will "vary" throughout the test, but you'll definitely get a taste for how your Driver Profile (which accounts for your on-track behavior and performance) matches you up with similarly skilled online rivals.
'Forza' is a billion-dollar success story for Microsoft
Microsoft has revealed that its flagship racing franchise has now made over a billion dollars at retail. With last year's well received Forza Horizon 3 shifting over 2.5 million copies in a couple of months, the nine- game racing franchise has slowly cemented itself as one of the strongest brands in gaming. Given Xbox's smaller userbase this generation and the emergence of new rivals like Project Cars, Forza's dominance is a fairly impressive feat.
'Gran Turismo Sport' delayed to sometime in 2017
Polyphony Digital has a reputation for taking its sweet time to bring Gran Turismo games to Sony consoles, and Gran Turismo Sport won't be an exception to the rule. The studio has delayed its first PS4 racing game to sometime in 2017 after having previously committed to a November 2016 launch. Why the sudden change of plans? Polyphony chief Kazunori Yamauchi says his team doesn't want to "compromise the experience in any way" -- as is frequently the case, the company would rather be late than sully its obsessive vision. That's wise given the history of rushed driving game launches (case in point: Driveclub), but it's unfortunate for PS4 owners who've been waiting for what's likely to be their console's definitive racing title.
'Gran Turismo Sport' for PS4 will award real prizes
At long last, Gran Turismo is coming to the PlayStation 4... and you'll have more reasons to play than just the usual graphics and gameplay updates. The newly unveiled Gran Turismo Sport will have two FIA-sanctioned championships running throughout the year (one for countries, one for manufacturers), and the winners of each will get real FIA prizes. This is about building the "next 100 years of motorsports," Polyphony Digital's Kazunori Yamauchi says -- in other words, he wouldn't be surprised if racing is increasingly virtual in the future. It's certainly an easier path to glory than becoming a real race car driver.
Create 'Gran Turismo 6' race tracks on your tablet
For ages, Polyphony Digital has been promising a Gran Turismo 6 track editor that lets you build the race course of your dreams. Well, it's finally here... if not quite in the form you might have expected. Download the Track Path Editor app for Android and iOS and you can design circuits for the PlayStation 3 sim on your tablet. It's not so detailed that you'll recreate every nuance of your local raceway, but you can trace paths with your finger, choose themes and add scenery. Think of it as a way to extend the life of GT6 beyond the occasional new concept car -- you don't have to settle for driving on Autumn Ring or Brands Hatch for the hundredth time.
Bugatti's 'Gran Turismo' concept car hints at life beyond the Veyron
Bugatti's monstrous 1,000HP-plus Veyron supercar may be riding into the sunset, but you won't have to wait long to get a hint of what the exotic automaker is planning next. The company has taken the wraps off of its own Gran Turismo virtual concept car, the not-so-cleverly-titled Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo. This in-game prototype is a direct hint at both the brand's "future design language" and the kind of performance it's aiming for in an ideal world. Not surprisingly, that means something supremely quick. On a simulated Le Mans track, the VGT is powerful enough (thanks largely to its W16 engine) that it can reach 250MPH four times each lap -- ultimately, it's about as fast as the speediest real-world Le Mans prototypes.
Chevrolet unveils futuristic 'Gran Turismo 6' concept car
Nissan isn't the only automaker with a real-life version of a vehicle from Gran Turismo 6. At the LA International Auto Show, Chevrolet rolled out its own: the Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo (VGT). The concept car was developed as part of the Vision Gran Turismo project that includes offerings from Subaru, Toyota, Aston Martin and more. As the name suggests, Chevy's take got a hand from Chaparral Racing and includes futuristic options like driver-adjustable aerodynamics and a laser-based propulsion system. The battery-powered 671-kW laser helps churn out 900 horsepower in thrust, which helps the car top out at 240 MPH while going from 0-60 MPH in 1.5 seconds -- inside the confines of GT6, of course. "In many ways, the Chaparral 2X VGT is like racing wing suit, with a protective fuselage for 'flying' very low to the ground," says design team lead Frank Saucedo. You'll be able to pilot the vehicle via an in-game download on PlayStation 3 consoles this holiday season.
Gran Turismo documentary 'Kaz' premieres on Hulu January 22nd
If you were wondering exactly when and where you'd be able to watch the Gran Turismo documentary, we have the answer. On January 22nd, Kaz: Pushing the Virtual Divide will make its way into your home via Hulu streaming. PlayStation is hosting a round-table discussion with the filmmakers and Kazunori Yamauchi himself via its Twitch.tv channel that day, too. Need an incentive to tune in? Well, during the broadcast, you'll have a chance at winning $1,000,000 -- in Gran Turismo 6 bucks, of course. Now if you'll excuse us, we need some time to ponder why Sony didn't debut the film on its own streaming video service.
New BMW M4, Ford Mustang get their first drive in Gran Turismo and Need for Speed
One great thing about racing games is that they give you a way to drive new and fancy cars anytime without having to sell a limb or two. The recently released Gran Turismo 6 and EA's Need for Speed: Rivals, for instance, now puts you in the driver's seats of the pricey 2014 BMW M4 Coupé and the 2015 Ford Mustang muscle car, respectively. While both rides aren't slated for release until 2014, the games' developers worked closely with the automakers to make the digital counterparts as detailed as possible. Both developers enjoyed early access to the cars prior to their unveiling, with EA taking the step of recording the new Mustang GT's V-8 engine for its game. As a huge plus, they're available as free digital downloads, so you don't need to tap into those emergency holiday funds just to take these for a virtual test drive long before they pop up at local dealerships.
Gran Turismo documentary 'Kaz' exposes series' enigmatic creator (video)
To celebrate 15 years of Gran Turismo, Sony is releasing a documentary about the obsessions of series creator Kazunori Yamauchi. Kaz: Pushing the Virtual Divide chronicles Yamauchi's creative process via interviews with car makers and journalists, all keen to heap praise on the mastermind. While the trailer (embedded below) does get a little bit heavy-handed -- with slightly dodgy comparisons to Magellan, for instance -- it's nice to see an influential game designer's work in the spotlight. We don't have a release date, but it coming out near GT6's December 6th launch doesn't seem too far-fetched.
Sony makes Gran Turismo movie official, GT 6 game to land on December 6
Remember those rumors about Sony making a movie based upon the famed Gran Turismo racing games? Well, today at Gamescom 2013, Sony has officially announced that said film project is in the works. Unfortunately, Sony's not telling us anything about the story itself (other than fast cars being featured), but we do know it'll be a "full length feature film." Kazunori Yamauchi, Polyphony Digital head is helping make it along with filmmakers Mike de Luca and Dana Brunetti. When will their masterpiece be ready for theaters? We don't know. What we do know, however, is that the latest iteration of the Gran Turismo gaming series, GT 6 will be making its debut on December 6th of this year.
Sony confirms Gran Turismo movie, provides no details
Yes, Sony is, in fact, working on a film version of its long-running simulation racing video game series Gran Turismo. A Sony Computer Entertainment UK rep told our sister site Joystiq that said film is "being made," but provided no other information. Yesterday, reports surfaced of the film being tied to Mike de Luca and Dana Brunetti (of The Social Network and 50 Shades of Grey production fame), with support from a trio of Sony Pictures execs. Of course, none of this sounds too far-fetched given the presence of Sony Pictures president Michael Lynton at the PlayStation E3 press conference. He promised Sony Pictures' support to the PlayStation 4 in the form of original programming, and a movie based on a massive PlayStation franchise sounds like a good start. For now, however, few details are confirmed beyond the project's existence.
Sony reportedly planning Gran Turismo movie with producers of The Social Network
While it's not the Mario Kart movie we'd all been hoping for (c'mon, right?,) it's arguably the next best thing. Sony is reportedly developing a film about that other petrol head game -- Gran Turismo. It's claimed that Mike de Luca and Dana Brunetti (The Social Network / Fifty Shades of Grey) are onboard with the project, which no doubt hopes to capitalize on the PlayStation title's solid following. That or Sony got sick of waiting for a certain other series to end before pursuing the idea. While we're not suggesting that our plot expectations are low, there's still hope other game crossovers might give us some faith in the format first.
