Gran Turismo HD goes free as focus shifts to GT5
by Jonti Davies 
{ Dec 1st 2006 at 9:05AM }
Gran Turismo HD on the PlayStation 3 is no more. The game, which was due for release in Japan this month, has officially been cancelled, leaving developer Polyphony Digital to focus its energy on the completion of Gran Turismo 5. All is not lost, however, as what was Gran Turismo HD will now be offered through the PlayStation Store as Gran Turismo HD Concept -- essentially a playable preview of Gran Turismo 5.
GTHD Concept will be free to download and becomes available in Japan on December 24. There is currently no confirmation of a worldwide release date (what a nice holiday treat though!). This free business has us wondering what happened to that dubious rumor about Gran Turismo's excessive microtransactioning?
It appears that there will be no online elements in GTHD Concept (apart from the very act of downloading it), with SCEI's new Mr. Big, Kaz Hirai, explaining in an open letter released this morning: "For the genuine implementation of 'Online Car Life Simulation', please wait for Gran Turismo 5."
That we will do.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
dez_mick @ Dec 1st 2006 9:13AM
So there's no release date huh. What are the odds that this will be delayed 2-3 times. Somewhere, the Forza team is breathing a sigh of relief!
Blammo @ Dec 1st 2006 9:25AM
GREAT
elduderino @ Dec 1st 2006 9:20AM
for fucks sake finish this crap for the ps3 and go back to finishing up the gtpsp game christ.
Wii360dsPSPpc @ Dec 1st 2006 9:24AM
From the face of it, Polyphony is releasing their technology demo. I'm still waiting on GT for the PSP. I guess that we can add this one to the queue as well.
Isn't a bit ironic that the PS3 is light on racing/driving games and its current showcase is a FPS?
nick @ Dec 1st 2006 9:28AM
All is not well. GTHD cancelled? but will be released as a demo? And GT5 instead? I mean what's the difference. Is GT5 not going to be HD? This makes little sense. But it sounds like whatever technology they poured into GTHD will be abandoned, except that it'll be a preview of GT5? Huh?
Maybe GTHD was never going to be released and was simply a technology demo all along.
Todd @ Dec 1st 2006 9:28AM
So weak.
Iscariote @ Dec 1st 2006 9:41AM
Wasn't GT4 supposed to be the online Gran Turismo? Then they took online play out and promised an add on disc which would add it back in. Now this? I put the chances of GT5 being online on day one at 50%.
Wii360dsPSPpc @ Dec 1st 2006 9:34AM
"Online Car Life Simulation"?
No waiting required, Test Drive Unlimited fills that gap quite well and is readily available.
sully @ Dec 1st 2006 9:36AM
That'll be a nice little free tech demo for the masses.
Aside from the smirk at yet another broken promise from Sony that's mandatory from an Xbox 360 owner like myself, this is a good thing in the end. Forget GT4 redone, get working on GT5 because we all know it's going to be a while in development.
Jay Mallard @ Dec 1st 2006 9:43AM
"For the genuine implementation of 'Online Car Life Simulation', please wait for Gran Turismo 5."
I think I'll wait a much shorter period for Forza Motorsport 2 - coming soon for your XBox 360.
The1 @ Dec 1st 2006 9:36AM
Who cares about GT-HD, if it does not have a US release???????
Blair Thiessen @ Dec 1st 2006 9:38AM
I believe GTHD was just a HD version of GT4, and yes GT5 will be HD.
Mario @ Dec 1st 2006 9:37AM
Anyhow, the free Gran Turismo HD Concept will be available on December 24. Currently, it would be a Japan-only release, but then again, we can never tell. The demo will have 10 cars and two layouts of a single track. Polyphony now plans on shelling all its resources to the development of Gran Turismo 5 which is set to come out on 2008. We could only hope that they are making the right decision on this one, they badly need a winning break.
Rask @ Dec 1st 2006 9:37AM
Frankly they made the proper choice here.
Put out GTHD, let people fawn over 1080p in what is essentially a tech demo and focus all your efforts on the real game.
Forza 2 is coming out soon and Sony needs to step it up to counter that one.
> @ Dec 1st 2006 9:40AM
This is the same thing that Polyphony did with GT4.. they had GT4 Prologue before the full version. And yea, where the heck is GT Mobile?
And comparing the GT series to Test Drive is quite hilarious. One is a bike with training wheels the other is a Honda CBR...
Lou @ Dec 1st 2006 9:47AM
Gah, has Polyphony ever delivered anything on time. Some people say Sony overpromises and underperforms, but as any fan of GT knows, Polyphony is the worst. The PS2 made grandiose promises about GT games and it took years to deliver, and even then we got the B-Spec crap and then near the end of the systems life span GT4 was decent. Now I have a PSP with no GT and yet another reason not to buy the PS3 for at least a year or more.
Raquor @ Dec 1st 2006 9:58AM
I agree with poster #2. Where the fuck is GT4Mobile? That was supposed to be a launch game for the PSP TWO FUCKING YEARS AGO!
I say screw em...they've been late and underwhelming since GT3A-Spec, and it keeps getting worse. If I want a good racing game I'll go somewhere else from now on thanks.
Metalmurphy @ Dec 1st 2006 10:07AM
GT HD was NEVER gonna be GT 5. It was supposed to be a demo like it still is, it just won't have a retail launch. Nothing wrong with the free download.
Snorri @ Dec 1st 2006 11:05AM
That Lotus Elise looks sweet. Shame I have to wait until March for my friggin PS3
Nossy @ Dec 1st 2006 9:57AM
When was GT ever part of a launch title/window for a Playstation console? Hey at least it's free, if it was EA, they would've released the game and cash on it while working on the real version (or something close to it). I think it should include online play. This wouldve been a real treat. I'm guessing Polyphony don't want their reputation flushed down the toilet with an incomplete game.
Meanwhile, I'm still debating if I should spend $150 for the semi-wireless racing wheel for my 360 while waiting for the supposedly Spring release of Forza (Which could be delayed further).
jron @ Dec 1st 2006 10:02AM
real time engine swap for massive acceleration
ElTiante @ Dec 1st 2006 10:04AM
Polyphony and Sony have risen lying to a high art. GT4 was supposed to offer online play, GT4 was supposed to offer damage, GT4 mobile was supposed to be a launch title for the PSP. GTHD was supposed to be available near launch for the PS3. If Polyphony history is any guide, to look for GT 5 until 2009.
I’ve every GT game releases and TT (A great game), but now I’m done with Polyphony. TDU, PGR3 (though too arcade-y for my tastes) and Moto GP 06 are out now for the 360 and Forza 2 is out next spring.
If Polyphony history is any guide, don’t look for GT 5 until 2009 at the earliest.
crono141 @ Dec 1st 2006 10:06AM
Am I the only one who thinks this is a good move? The only difference between GT4 and GTHD is 1080p textures, and being nickel and dimed to death for more cars/tracks. I always thought GTHD was a bad idea.
I'm sure they'll recycle much, if not most, of the assets used in GTHD for GT5, so it won't be a total loss.
Meh @ Dec 1st 2006 12:21PM
Nonetheless, Gran Turismo is still the closest thing gaming has come to a real driving simulator and it's a very good series. It has been losing touch recently with all the milkings, prologue, HD and such people have started not caring and so I think they have made the correct decision to leave GTHD behind (it was just GT4 in 1080p anyway and online play) and move onto GT5. I'm pretty sure it won't make much difference really, considering GTHD would have been used as the foundation for GT5 anyway, I'm pretty sure that GTHD and whatever it offered are simply going to be part of the GT5 experience.
Jonah Falcon @ Dec 1st 2006 10:29AM
"Am I the only one who thinks this is a good move?"
Yes. When is GT5 going to be released? The PS3 needs a racing game NOW that ISN'T named Ridge Racer.
GamerG @ Dec 1st 2006 10:27AM
Kaz Hirai's message translates as
"Once again we ask Sony fans to please wait while we sort out more fook ups and btw please do not buy Forza 2 which is not next gen becaise we say it isn't.... SO there!"
Sony fans say in response
"Brilliant! Aren't Sony great to us! And Mr Hirai please can we bend over and drop our trousers?"
Flit @ Dec 1st 2006 10:31AM
@17:
"When was GT ever part of a launch title/window for a Playstation console? Hey at least it's free"
At least it's free? I can give you a "hot lunch" for free too, but that doesn't make it any less disgusting. (If you don't know what a "hot lunch" is, you don't want to know).
Now we know why they were going to microtransaction you to death, because they don't have any assets other than that 1 track! Are game makers going to be paid by how many people download their stuff now? *sigh*
bubbastump @ Dec 1st 2006 10:59AM
I simply can't believe it...can Sony blunder anything else at this point? Absolutely no-one except a few Sony fanboys was impressed by the crappy tech demo at E3.
Forza 2 is going to do laps around this title and Sony is just going to have to sit there and watch. Forza has the new excellent racing wheel...online play that works, spectator mode for online matches and then some.
TexRob @ Dec 1st 2006 11:20AM
For the microtransaction question, did you guys ever think they are probably just going to release this "free" and then try and sell you content for it?
Cuddlefish @ Dec 1st 2006 11:07AM
I've actually played Gran Turismo online as part of the GT4 Online beta test. I assumed GT4 online was coming for PS2 but I guess that was cancelled too. Probably a good decision since it was pretty bad.
crono141 @ Dec 1st 2006 11:53AM
"The PS3 needs a racing game NOW that ISN'T named Ridge Racer."
Thats my point though. If the only difference between GT4 and GTHD is HD textures, who would buy it? Can't PS3 upscale PS2 games to 1080p anyway? Why buy the same game for 60 dollars that you already own?
Its a massive amount of work for probably minimum returns. The assets produced for GTHD (textures and polygons) can be recycled into GT5, thus propelling that project forward.
RoroCo @ Dec 1st 2006 12:21PM
@#30... The PS3 does not upscale PS2 games.
number40one @ Dec 1st 2006 12:55PM
Reprecussion from Kutaragi's replacement?
This puzzles me. The micro-transactions for cars WOULD NOT have worked for a full-priced, GTHD sold at retail. Double-dipping is so very tasteless.
But they could have had a nice little experiment here releasing the game software with some base cars for free, and then micro-transactioning(?) for the "good" vehicles.
Seems like they threw out the baby with the bath water.
crono141 @ Dec 1st 2006 1:31PM
Roroco,
My B. This seems like an obvious feature that should have been included, though. Oh well.
RoroCo @ Dec 1st 2006 1:40PM
Crono... I still agree with your statement for the most part though. Although, Burnout Revenge seemed to do well with the same business model.
fraggedbylaggers @ Dec 1st 2006 10:42PM
"This free business has us wondering what happened to that dubious rumor about Gran Turismo's excessive microtransactioning?"
I'll tell you what happened. They will release the game with one car and one track for free and charge you money for extra courses and cars. I am almost certain this is what will happen.
majormauser @ Dec 1st 2006 3:41PM
Those bums at SONY better release it to the USA on the 24th as well.
I don't know about you but the PS3 is an utter Failure in my mind. No Software... No D/L content... wheres the excitement? They should have new demos going up ever week... EXCITEMENT not boredom... What happened to all the Tech Demos why not put those online as freebees.
SONY STOP THE BOLOGNA I own a boat anchor now.
Shawn @ Dec 1st 2006 3:45PM
@ crono141
If GTHD was basically GT4 with 1010p textures, and recycling the work they've already put into GTHD for GT5 is such a great idea, doesn't that mean that essentially, those who buy GT5 will be playing GT4 all over again?
tunglashor @ Dec 1st 2006 4:49PM
crono - from what I gather the reason there's no upscaling of PS2 games is that the emulation is done in hardware - i.e. the PS3 essentially contains a built-in PS2. So the games will be basically the same as they were on PS2. I'm not sure if this is still the case but there was talk of eventually replacing this with software emulation, removing the PS2 tech from future versions of the PS3, and maybe then upscaling will be a possibility.
Aex @ Dec 1st 2006 7:13PM
1) Forza vs GT4. GT4 wins because of logitech.
2) Forza 2 vs GT5. Who knows /shrug. If Forza works on its handling and implements the wheel VERY well, they are definately going to give Sony a run for their money.
GT is a franchise that suffers from tons of delays, but that doesn't matter when they release the quality product that they do. If I could only have 1 of the two games for the rest of my life EVER, I'd probably go with GT. Seeing how there is no rule restricting me from buying both, I'll be a happy camper :)
crono141 @ Dec 1st 2006 9:37PM
Shawn,
What I mean is, GTHD is the GT4 engine with HD textures. The engine was already done, so all the devs were working on is the hi-res textures. Since they scrapped GTHD, they can move the work on the hi-res textures to GT5 (artwork, not engine) and develop the GT5 engine separately. (engine, not artwork).
Comprende?
Muhammad M @ Feb 13th 2007 9:41PM
are all of you MAD!!!? JK no GT HD was just going to be GT4 in HD, GT5 will be in HD as well. Im not a sony fanboy, but I think its better they release this as a demo, and focus on giving us a REAL NEW GT, hopefully soon, not that I could afford a PS3 untill at least 2012 anyway.