Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 'XL Edition' pops up on retailer sites]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/gran-turismo-5-xl-edition-pops-up-on-retailer-sites/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/gran-turismo-5-xl-edition-pops-up-on-retailer-sites/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/26/gran-turismo-5-xl-edition-pops-up-on-retailer-sites/#comments We're going to go out on a limb and assume that Gran Turismo 5 XL Edition, a mysterious new version of GT5 that's recently turned up on Amazon, Newegg and Buy, isn't a DLC-packed Game of the Year-esque compilation re-release, but rather a literally extra-large version of the original. Bigger cars, bigger tracks, bigger disc, bigger box ... it probably even requires an extra-large PlayStation 3 to play it.

If you're a market analyst looking to make safe predictions, we guess you could infer that GT5 XL Edition is actually the stateside title for Japan's upcoming Gran Turismo 5 Spec II rerelease, but we prefer living on the edge and thinking outside of the box -- until Polyphony Digital makes an official announcement, of course, at which point all knowledge of this post will be disavowed.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 'XL Edition' pops up on retailer sites originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-Turismo-5gran-turismo-5-spec-2gran-turismo-5-spec-IIgran-turismo-5-xl-editionGT5playstationpolyphony-digitalps3spec-2spec-IIXL-editionMon, 26 Dec 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 gives away a Toyota, releases new DLC Pack 2]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/gran-turismo-5-gives-away-a-toyota-releases-new-dlc-pack-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/gran-turismo-5-gives-away-a-toyota-releases-new-dlc-pack-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/gran-turismo-5-gives-away-a-toyota-releases-new-dlc-pack-2/#comments
Don't you hate those "car as a gift" commercials this time of year? If you're in the US, you'll probably know what we're talking about: There's a certain car company that shows commercials during the holidays with an actual car being given as a gift, as if there was some world out there where it was completely appropriate and practical to buy a whole vehicle, put a bow on it, and give it away as a gift. Whatever, Mr. Moneybags.

That said, Gran Tourismo 5 is breaking all the rules, and recently released not only Functionality Update 2.02 with some "community-inspired" improvements, but also the gift of a virtual Toyota 86 GT '12 vehicle (above) for all users. You don't have to pay insurance or registration on it, which, unlike a real car, makes it totally appropriate as a gift.

And Polyphony Digital has also released DLC Pack 2, which brings four new models to the game, including a Nissan GT-R, a Mini Cooper, and a VW Golf, and is available for $3.99 on the PlayStation Store. Four cars for four bucks is also a great gift. An actual vehicle and all of the responsibilities and payments that come with it? Just put the money in a gift card and we'll figure things out ourselves, thanks.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 gives away a Toyota, releases new DLC Pack 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dlcgiftGran-Turismo-5gt5lexusmini-coopernissan-gt-rplaystationpolyphony-digitalps3sonytoyotaFri, 23 Dec 2011 01:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 2.02 update and DLC lands Dec. 20]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/gran-turismo-5-2-02-update-and-dlc-lands-dec-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/gran-turismo-5-2-02-update-and-dlc-lands-dec-20/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/18/gran-turismo-5-2-02-update-and-dlc-lands-dec-20/#comments You probably wouldn't guess it by talking to one of us, but petrolheads do have the ability to get burnt out on a specific vehicle. It may take a long time, granted, but eventually we'll get bored with our current ride and wish that we had some new iron to tool around with. It's called "Gear Acquisition Syndrome" (GAS), and GAS can be devastatingly expensive if left unchecked.

Thankfully though, the GAS methadone clinic known as Gran Turismo 5 is here to keep those urges in check with a title update and several new sets of wheels, all of which become available on December 20. Car Pack 2 will set you back $3.99 and will furnish your ever-growing garage with a 2012 Nissan GT-R Black R35, a 2010 Volkswagen Scirocco R, a 2010 Volkswagen Gold VI R and the 2011 Mini Cooper S. Additionally, anyone who has purchased GT5 DLC in the past will also receive the Gran Turismo Racing Kart 125 SP, which is go-kart for some reason.

The (free) 2.02 title update also includes a set of wheels: The recently revealed 2013 Toyota GT-86. Beyond that, the update boasts a slew of interface improvements and even nets you 10 oil change and car wash coupons (in-game, of course). Hopefully this will keep our greasy little mechanic hands busy enough to prevent us from taking out a second mortgage and buying that Thunderbird we've been eyeing.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5 (December DLC)

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 2.02 update and DLC lands Dec. 20 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 18 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2.02DLCGran-Turismo-5GT5playstationpolyphony-digitalps3title-updateSun, 18 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony: GT Academy round two ruined by cheaters, won't count]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/sony-gt-academy-round-two-ruined-by-cheaters-wont-count/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/sony-gt-academy-round-two-ruined-by-cheaters-wont-count/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/08/sony-gt-academy-round-two-ruined-by-cheaters-wont-count/#comments Sony's GT Academy competition, which was intended to provide the world's best Gran Turismo 5 players with a chance to win a spot as a real race driver using their virtual driving skills, has hit an ugly speed bump. The game's publisher has announced that the second round of the five-round tournament is being stricken from the records -- and the third round delayed -- because some participants were taking advantage of flaws in the game in order to achieve seemingly impossible lap times.

Specifically, cheaters were able to cut corners on the Rome and Madrid courses without being penalized by the game for doing so. Rather than reward the cheaters or end the competition entirely, Sony has decided to allow everyone who participated in round two to proceed to round three. Developer Polyphony Digital says that it's working to fix any potential exploits before conducting the third round of races, but can't put an ETA on the completion of the patch. That being the case, the planned start of round three on February 14, 2011 has been delayed indefinitely.

We're glad that the competition is (hopefully) being made fair for everyone, but have to admit that it would have been pretty funny to see one of the "winning" cheaters cutting corners on a real race track.

JoystiqSony: GT Academy round two ruined by cheaters, won't count originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheatingcompetitionGran-Turismo-5GT-Academygt5playstationpolyphony-digitalps3sonyTue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo Anywhere brings the web, more features to GT5]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/gran-turismo-anywhere-brings-the-web-more-features-to-gt5/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/gran-turismo-anywhere-brings-the-web-more-features-to-gt5/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/16/gran-turismo-anywhere-brings-the-web-more-features-to-gt5/#commentsFiled under: , ,

At some point, Kazunori Yamauchi and his team at Polyphony Digital are going to be forced to stop adding functionality to the eternally in-development Gran Turismo 5. Until then, they continue to announce new features at every major press event. At this year's TGS, it's "Gran Turismo Anywhere," a new web portal for the racing sim. Features of GTA - actually, let's just call it Gran Turismo Anywhere - include My Home, which includes message boards, photo sharing, and the like, as well as Remote Races, which isn't real-time racing over the web, but rather a racing team management simulation.

Yamauchi also announced the X1, a virtual super car in Gran Turismo 5 that seeks to answer the following question: "What would a racing car, freed of all technical regulations look like?" Because F1 cars, rally cars, NASCAR cars, and go-karts just weren't enough, now GT5 also has make-believe cars in its virtual garage. Some more pics of Yamauchi's presentation after the break, but first a poll!

View Poll

Continue reading Gran Turismo Anywhere brings the web, more features to GT5

JoystiqGran Turismo Anywhere brings the web, more features to GT5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-Turismo-5GT5Kazunori-YamauchiplaystationPolyphony-Digitalps3SCEITGS-2010Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 Course Maker and kart racing unveiled]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/gran-turismo-5-course-maker-and-kart-racing-unveiled/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/gran-turismo-5-course-maker-and-kart-racing-unveiled/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/08/19/gran-turismo-5-course-maker-and-kart-racing-unveiled/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Leave it to the makers of Gran Turismo 5 to take all the "cute" out of kart racing. At Gamescom this week, Polyphony Digital is showing off the two newest features of the ever-expanding sim racer: incredibly realistic go-karts and a track editor (which were unceremoniously revealed a few months ago). The track editor, dubbed "Course Maker," is described by the EU PlayStation Blog as featuring "a dizzying array of settings to tweak" -- no surprise there! Actually, Yamauchi and company appear to have connected with reality just long enough to pare down the editor to four selectable themes for custom tracks.

Of course, by not sinking resources into a more full-featured track editor, Polyphony Digital came up with plenty of time to expand GT5 in other directions. Did you know the Photo Travel mode you'll never use now supports 3D images through the use of technology you don't own? Don't worry -- you won't miss out on the complete "racing simulator RPG" that's been added. At least, that's how Yamauchi described the enhanced B-Spec race manager mode, which has you coaching up to six racers and their varying personalities throughout a simulated lifetime.

"In GT5 we have been able to create what I originally intended," Yamauchi said of the updated B-Spec mode during his Gamescom presentation. The team's even created what was originally intended for GT6: kart racing. And why not? Gran Turismo 6 could be a while.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5 (Gamescom 2010)


Update: We've embedded a few third-party videos of the kart racing filmed at Gamescom after the break.

Continue reading Gran Turismo 5 Course Maker and kart racing unveiled

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 Course Maker and kart racing unveiled originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Course-Makergamescom-2010Gran-Turismo-5GT5kartskazunori-yamauchiplaystationpolyphony-digitalps3racingtrack-editorThu, 19 Aug 2010 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Yamauchi: Gran Turismo 5 uses 80% of PS3's power]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/yamauchi-gran-turismo-5-uses-80-of-ps3s-power/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/yamauchi-gran-turismo-5-uses-80-of-ps3s-power/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/01/14/yamauchi-gran-turismo-5-uses-80-of-ps3s-power/#comments If you're someone who loves themselves some arbitrary console performance figures, Polyphony Digital boss Kazunori Yamauchi has you covered. Speaking to VentureBeat, the Gran Turismo creator reckons the latest game in Sony's flagship racing series taps "about 80 percent of the processing power" of the PlayStation 3," adding, "the PS3 hardware has a very high peak performance. The better you manipulate it, the better it performs."

That last quote sounds more like it's about an engine than a console, which isn't surprising given the amount of time Yamauchi spends behind the wheel of the actual supercars from his oft-delayed game. We seriously hope he's not aiming to use 100 percent of the system's potential -- we'd really like GT5 to come out before a child born today is able to drive a real car.

JoystiqYamauchi: Gran Turismo 5 uses 80% of PS3's power originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5GT5kazunori-yamauchipolyphony-digitalThu, 14 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 dev says Sony targeting a 'Summer 2010' North American release]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/12/gran-turismo-5-dev-says-sony-targeting-a-summer-2010-north-ame/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/12/gran-turismo-5-dev-says-sony-targeting-a-summer-2010-north-ame/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/12/gran-turismo-5-dev-says-sony-targeting-a-summer-2010-north-ame/#comments At a recent press event held for Gran Turismo 5, associate producer Chris Hinojosa-Miranda let slip that Sony is "eying" a Summer 2010 for the game on this side of the Pacific. Destructoid reports that Hinojosa-Miranda wouldn't confirm the possibility of DLC for the upcoming title, nor would he commit to there being any difference (content-wise) between the Japanese release this March and the eventual North American release. Allegedly "details are coming soon," and there's always that demo coming to PSN -- but we were really hoping for the early 2010 release that GT5 head Kazunori Yamauchi had teased a few months back.

[Via Kotaku]

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5


JoystiqGran Turismo 5 dev says Sony targeting a 'Summer 2010' North American release originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chris-hinojosa-mirandadlcgran-turismogran-turismo-5gt5kazunori-yamauchinorth-americarelease-datesummer-2010Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 cost roughly $60 million to develop]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/gran-turismo-5-cost-roughly-60-million-to-develop/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/gran-turismo-5-cost-roughly-60-million-to-develop/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/gran-turismo-5-cost-roughly-60-million-to-develop/#comments
At the annual SEMA car show in Las Vegas this week, Gran Turismo 5 creative lead Kazunori Yamauchi was on-hand demoing his game for showgoers and talking to the press. Amidst a torrent of questions from Autoweek, Yamauchi roughly calculated the cost of creating Gran Turismo 5: a cool $60 million. That's what five years of development on a single game has cost Polyphony Digital thus far, an amount Yamauchi says was totally justified in order to "get it right."

"We threw away the legacy code from GT4 and started from scratch ... It's been five years from [the release of] GT4, and that's the same amount of time it took to develop the first GT4." And rather than dodging the reasoning behind the lack of a solid GT5 release date anywhere outside of Japan, Yamauchi flatly offered, "That's more depending on SCEA marketing decisions." Allow us to venture a guess - first half of 2010, perhaps?

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5


[Via VGChartz]

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 cost roughly $60 million to develop originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>budgetdevelopmentgran-turismogran-turismo-5gt5kazunori-yamauchimoneypolyphony-digitalsceasemasonySony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaThu, 05 Nov 2009 16:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 making-of video reveals mysterious packaging [update]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/gran-turismo-5-making-of-video-reveals-mysterious-packaging/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/gran-turismo-5-making-of-video-reveals-mysterious-packaging/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/20/gran-turismo-5-making-of-video-reveals-mysterious-packaging/#comments
It's quite clear to us that Gran Turismo 5 creative director Kazunori Yamauchi knows way more about cars than we do. Take, for instance, this latest making-of video discovered by GT Planet (embedded after the break), where he gets down to the nitty gritty on the inclusion of Mercedes' 2011 SLS AMG in his game. Before he delves into the possibility of the car appearing on the game's cover, he's shown with co-workers handling a box with three disc cases -- one blue, one red, one black. Though he makes it clear over the course of the clip that this isn't the final packaging, he doesn't exactly spell out what these mysterious cases might hold. Millions of cars? Top Gear episodes? Micro Machines?! Our best guess is that it's a Collector's Edition of some sort, though we'd love for such a thing to include a miniature SLS AMG (just sayin'!).

Getting back to the SLS AMG, Yamauchi says that the to-be-released car is in the running for a starring role on the game's cover. "The foremost reason is that the SLS AMG will probably be the most exciting car in the world when Gran Turismo 5 is released ... Also, in terms of styling and driving performance as well, it's probably the hottest car around right now," Yamauchi teases. We've asked Sony for details on the mysterious three-case box and will update this post when we hear more.

Update: Sony has responded by declining to comment. And now we play "The Waiting Game."

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5


[Thanks, Sean]

Continue reading Gran Turismo 5 making-of video reveals mysterious packaging [update]

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 making-of video reveals mysterious packaging [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5gt-planetgt5kazunori-yamauchimercedes-2011-sls-amgpolyphony-digitalracingsimsls-amgTue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TGS 2009: Interview: Gran Turismo 5's Kazunori Yamauchi]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/tgs-2009-interview-gran-turismo-5s-kazunori-yamauchi/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/tgs-2009-interview-gran-turismo-5s-kazunori-yamauchi/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/tgs-2009-interview-gran-turismo-5s-kazunori-yamauchi/#comments During Tokyo Game Show last week we crashed Polyphony Digital's studio and chatted up Kazunori Yamauchi about ... Gran Turismo 6? Wait -- what? Just watch the interview.

Selected excerpts below:

Joystiq: Are there any plans to bring Gran Turismo PSP's "Party Mode" to GT5?

Yamauchi: I'm glad you noticed that. What we really worked hard to make the PSP portable fun and interesting is in those types of details. Obviously, these are ideas we worked hard on and they will be carried over in some form into GT5.

In Gran Turismo, with its ten years of history, the people that who good at playing the game are really, really good at playing the game. Of course, there are a lot of first-time players that want to get into the game, and it was a major theme for us to develop the game so it would be easier for them to get into it. With the party races and these game modes we've developed for the PSP, we've come to one solution for that aspect.

Continue reading TGS 2009: Interview: Gran Turismo 5's Kazunori Yamauchi

JoystiqTGS 2009: Interview: Gran Turismo 5's Kazunori Yamauchi originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-6gt5gt6interviewkazunori-yamauchiplaystation-eyeplaystation-motion-controllerpolyphony-digitaltgs-2009Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 international release likely early 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/gran-turismo-5-international-release-likely-early-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/gran-turismo-5-international-release-likely-early-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/gran-turismo-5-international-release-likely-early-2010/#comments Sony announced a March release for Gran Turismo 5 at Tokyo Game Show last week, a release window that was specifically targeted for the Japanese market. However, don't expect a surprise 2009 release (sorry Amazon!). "I don't think it's going to be that different for US and Europe," Polyphony Digital head Kazunori Yamauchi told journalists at a GT5 event last week. "Marketing is still discussing their issues," which is the reason why a specific date hasn't been pegged yet for those markets.

Yamauchi then went on to list a befuddling list of features that should ship on the disc next year. GT Mode will return with all the features of classic GT games, like the garage, the car dealer, the tuning shop, and license tests. However, more exciting are the new features, such as a brand-new physics model that includes damage and deformation for all "normal" cars. Hybrid and electric cars are going to be added to the livery, too, with over 950 cars available on the disc. There will also be over 70 variations of over 20 locations to race through.

The online features have been expanded to include both text and voice chat, with support for lobbies and private rooms. There will be online photo albums and online replay albums as well; with the ability to export replays to YouTube. Gran Turismo TV, the video service introduced in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will also be expanded with a brand new UI, progressive downloading (so you can watch the video content while it downloads), and the ability to export these videos to PSP. While this may seem like the kitchen sink of features, Yamauchi teased, "we have much more planned."

Considering it's been five years since the release of Gran Turismo 4 on PS2, fans of the franchise are expecting only the best, if not more.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 international release likely early 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5gt5polyphony-digitalrelease-datetgs-2009Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Overheard@TGS: At least someone's happy ...]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/25/overheard-tgs-09-at-least-someones-happy/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/25/overheard-tgs-09-at-least-someones-happy/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/25/overheard-tgs-09-at-least-someones-happy/#comments
While rushing to make an appointment to get hands-on time with Crackdown 2, we overheard two Microsoft exhibitors discussing the reception of the recently released Forza Motorsport 3 demo.

Microsoft Rep #1: "Seems like a lot of people like the demo."
Microsoft Rep #2: "Yeah, well we really like that GT5 release date!"

With Gran Turismo 5 launching in 2010, it looks like Forza Motorsport 3 won't have much traffic to contend with when it launches this October. And boy, is Microsoft happy about it.

JoystiqOverheard@TGS: At least someone's happy ... originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>forza-3gran-turismo-5gt5microsoftoverheardpolyphony-digitalsonytgstgs-2009turn-10Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5's cars caught getting crunched on video]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/gran-turismo-5s-cars-caught-getting-crunched-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/gran-turismo-5s-cars-caught-getting-crunched-on-video/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/19/gran-turismo-5s-cars-caught-getting-crunched-on-video/#comments
The Subaru Impreza that's zipping around the track in a GamesCom video captured by Gamersyde has certainly seen better days, but its suffering is our reward: we actually get to witness the yes-it's-finally-happening real-time car damage taking place in Gran Turismo 5.

Sure, it still might not look quite right (there's something about the cars seeming really lightweight) but it's a good start. Of course, there will always be those who won't be satisfied until "The Real Driving Simulator" lives up to its name and features drivers being thrown from their cars during crashes.

Head over to Gamersyde to view the video.

[Thanks, Colin!]

JoystiqGran Turismo 5's cars caught getting crunched on video originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamescom-2009gran-turismogran-turismo-5gt5polyphony-digitalsonyWed, 19 Aug 2009 19:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 will (finally) crush, flip those lovely cars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/gran-turismo-5-will-finally-crush-flip-those-lovely-cars/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/gran-turismo-5-will-finally-crush-flip-those-lovely-cars/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/18/gran-turismo-5-will-finally-crush-flip-those-lovely-cars/#comments
There have been some big PlayStation-related announcements today: the PS3 Slim, a PS3 price drop and now the Gran Turismo series is really, seriously, finally incorporating visible car damage. On the official Gran Turismo 5 site, the latest spec sheet for the game touts that its physics model "completely renders deformation from crash." Not scratches, not scuffs, but deformation. (Backing up what we saw in the E3 trailer for the game.)

The site also reveals that, in what seems to be an attempt to make up for the absence of spectacular crashes, cars will flip and even land upside-down in reaction to collisions. Of course, all of this will be for naught if a simple bump -- the kind that, in GT5 Prologue, pushes cars aside like they're made of balsa wood -- instantly totals other autos and sends them flying to the moon. We don't think we can wait until GT7 for that to be fixed.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 will (finally) crush, flip those lovely cars originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>finallygran-turismo-5gt5polyphony-digitalsonyTue, 18 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Logitech presents in-game Gran Turismo 5 Prologue challenge]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/logitech-presents-in-game-gran-turismo-5-prologue-challenge/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/logitech-presents-in-game-gran-turismo-5-prologue-challenge/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/logitech-presents-in-game-gran-turismo-5-prologue-challenge/#comments
Players of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue are being asked to "take the Logitech Challenge." It may sound like a soft drink marketing gimmick from the '80s, but it's actually a three-week, in-game competition that could net you some sweet Logitech gaming gear.

Beginning tomorrow, March 18, the Logitech Challenge is a series of three lap time based events set on specific courses with an equally specific car selection to choose from. At the end of each week, Logitech will record the top three lap times; third place will win a Logitech Driving Force Wireless wheel and V470 Cordless Laser Mouse; second place will receive the wheel and a set of Logitech Z-5 speakers; come in first and you'll get the wheel, mouse and Logitech Audio Hub speakers.

Additionally, five random participants from each week will be selected to receive Driving Force Wireless wheels. Full contest rules can be found here; Logitech is extending a 10% offer at its online store for the duration on the event -- type in coupon code "challenge 09".

JoystiqLogitech presents in-game Gran Turismo 5 Prologue challenge originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>contestgran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prologuegt5gt5-prologuelogitechpolyphony-digitalsonyTue, 17 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GT5 Prologue update now available, adds 3 new cars]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/gt5-prologue-update-now-available-adds-3-new-cars/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/gt5-prologue-update-now-available-adds-3-new-cars/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/gt5-prologue-update-now-available-adds-3-new-cars/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Or, as SCEA producer Taku Imasaki puts it on the PlayStation Blog, "NEW CARS!!" He's very excited. Wouldn't you be too, if a free update to Polyphony Digital's Real But Not Real Enough To Crumple Up Your Ferrari Driving Simulator enabled three new rides and a host of gameplay tweaks?

When you next load up Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, you'll be able to download the "GT by Citroen" concept car (pictured), the Ferrari California and the Lotus Evora. Gameplay enhancements introduced by the update include alterations to the penalty system, race difficulty levels, wireless controller responsiveness, sound volume balance and Drift Trial races, which will now feature a rolling start.

A word of caution, however: "Rankings, arcade time trial times, drift trial records, as well as vehicle-specific quick tune settings and custom key layouts will all be reset with the new update. Replay data created before the second update will no longer be viewable after this update." That's the price of Prologue progress, we suppose.

JoystiqGT5 Prologue update now available, adds 3 new cars originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-TurismoGran-Turismo-5-PrologueGT5GT5-ProloguePolyphony-DigitalPS3PSNRacingSCEASony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaFri, 03 Oct 2008 09:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 'might not even roll out before 2010']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/gran-turismo-5-might-not-even-roll-out-before-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/gran-turismo-5-might-not-even-roll-out-before-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/gran-turismo-5-might-not-even-roll-out-before-2010/#commentsFiled under:


Were you one of those people that skipped Prologue to wait for the full version of Gran Turismo 5? Get ready to wait. In an interview with Joystiq, Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi stated that the full version of GT5 "might not even roll out before 2010." Instead, Prologue will continue to be expanded upon, with additional cars, tracks and features. In fact, a new update is planned for the "near future." The big question we have though is: will it be free?

Perhaps Gran Turismo 5 would wrap up production a bit sooner if Yamauchi and crew wasn't so adamant about filming an entire series for Gran Turismo TV. Have fun driving those Ferraris Yamauchi ... while the rest of us wait years for your next game.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 'might not even roll out before 2010' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e308gran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prologuegtgt5kazunori-yamauchipolyphony-digitalThu, 17 Jul 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo TV announced as part of GT5 Prologue]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/gran-turismo-tv-announced-as-part-of-gt5-prologue/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/gran-turismo-tv-announced-as-part-of-gt5-prologue/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/gran-turismo-tv-announced-as-part-of-gt5-prologue/#commentsFiled under: ,


Gran Turismo TV will feature full high definition original content, such as racing events from around the globe, exclusive first peak into Ferrari's headquarters, and programming like the D1Grand Prix and BBC's Top Gear. They will also offer pay-per-view programs. Available on GT5 Prologue via the PSN on August 1st.

JoystiqGran Turismo TV announced as part of GT5 Prologue originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e308gran-turismogran-turismo-5gt5Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Start your browsers: GT Academy now live]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/start-your-browsers-gt-academy-website-now-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/start-your-browsers-gt-academy-website-now-live/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/27/start-your-browsers-gt-academy-website-now-live/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Really real driving simulation news now, with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan launching GT Academy, the competition that will put two of Europe's best Gran Turismo 5 Prologue players inside rapidly moving hunks of metal. If you happen to live in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Norway or Denmark, and have always wanted to go hurtling around a track at terrifying speeds, now's your chance.

The GT Academy website is already up and running, with the first, seven-week long stage of the competition following on June 2nd. You'll have to register your PSN ID on the site during that time and set your fastest lap around the Eiger Nordwand track in a Nissan Fairlady 350Z. Following that, you'll need to come out tops in a national final held in July, and finally, avoid crashing on the real life Silverstone track in August. Easy peasy.

JoystiqStart your browsers: GT Academy now live originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 May 2008 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-TurismoGran-Turismo-5-PrologueGT-AcademyGT5GT5-PrologueNissanPolyphony-DigitalPS3SCEESony-Computer-Entertainment-EuropeTue, 27 May 2008 09:52:00 EST<![CDATA[SCEA very pleased with North American GT5 Prologue sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/scea-very-pleased-with-north-american-gt5-prologue-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/scea-very-pleased-with-north-american-gt5-prologue-sales/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/22/scea-very-pleased-with-north-american-gt5-prologue-sales/#commentsFiled under: ,


North American sales for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue pale in comparison to Europe's numbers; however, SCEA is still very much pleased with the results. NPD numbers showed that 224,000 copies have sold at US retailers, making the game the sixth best selling game overall and the second best selling PS3 title for April.

Considering that GT5 Prologue marked the first time for a pre-full game Prologue title to hit North America, the game actually sold well. Also, the statistics have yet to take into account sales from the PSN version, so the numbers could possibly be exponentially higher. For those of you who just can't get enough number crunching, here are some other interesting stats: Polyphony Digital's website reports that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has shipped 550,000 units in North America, 300,000 in Asia/Japan, and a massive 1,380,000 in Europe.

Sony also expects that Gran Turismo 5 will do even better. "I don't think that these NPD sales fully represent the true anticipation for Gran Turismo 5," said Stephanie Yoshimoto, a SCEA senior product marketing manager. "GT5 will have a much larger overall scope that will inherently attract a larger, mass market audience."



JoystiqSCEA very pleased with North American GT5 Prologue sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 May 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prolo...gt5gt5-prologuepolyphony-digitalThu, 22 May 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 competition will put winners in a real race]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/gran-turismo-5-competition-will-put-winners-in-a-real-race/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/gran-turismo-5-competition-will-put-winners-in-a-real-race/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/06/gran-turismo-5-competition-will-put-winners-in-a-real-race/#commentsFiled under: ,


Umm ... is this really a good idea? Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan seem to think so, having announced "the ultimate competitive driving test" in the form of "GT Academy." The eight-month long European competition will see two obsessive Gran Turismo 5 Prologue players win a four-month training programme to "earn their racing licenses" and, consequently, discover that the ol' mid-turn bump-and-go isn't advised in real life. Following the training, the winners will be granted the opportunity to drive a Nissan 350Z in a 24-hour endurance race in Dubai in January 2009.

To get your foot in the door of GT Academy, you'll first have to keep it planted on a pedal as you face "a series of elimination-based competitions on and off the racetrack." Before that, you'll have to qualify in an online GT5 Prologue tournament on the PlayStation Network, details of which will arrive when GT Academy goes live at the end of May. We wish the entrants the best of luck and remind them that the damage modeling in real-life, 80000p racing is totally awesome.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 competition will put winners in a real race originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 May 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-TurismoGran-Turismo-5Gran-Turismo-5-PrologueGT-AcademyGT5GT5-PrologueNissanPS3SCEESony-Computer-Entertainment-EuropeTue, 06 May 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[American PSN update for April 17th]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/american-psn-update-for-april-17th/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/american-psn-update-for-april-17th/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/american-psn-update-for-april-17th/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's been a long two weeks, hasn't it? But finally, finally we can get our hands on it. That one piece of content we've been looking forward to ever since it was announced. No, not Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Nor Warhawk's new expansion, Operation Broken Mirror. We're talking about "Still Alive" for Rock Band! Here's the full release list:
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue ($39.99)
  • Warhawk: Operation Broken Mirror expansion pack ($7.99)
  • Warhawk "Booster Combo pack" ($11.99) -- contains Operation Broken Mirror and Operation Omega Dawn
  • Rock Band DLC (listed after the break)
  • UEFA Euro 2008 demo (free)
  • Warhawk Operation Broken Mirror trailer (free)
  • Condemned 2: Bloodshot "Making Of" video (free)
  • Haze "Mantel Corporate Vision" video (free)
  • This is Vegas announcement trailer (free)
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue "Friendly Fires" video (free)
  • Gran Turismo 5 Prologue "Beyond the Apex" (free)
  • Two Warhawk themes (free)
  • Lair "Mokai" theme (free)
  • Pineapple Express movie trailer (free)
Don't forget a load of content also went up on Tuesday, when the store launched. We're glad to see the PSN Store getting content again. Don't forget we've listed all the yummy new Rock Band downloadable content after the break. So what will your first purchase be? GT5:P, Operation Broken Mirror or "Still Alive"?

Continue reading American PSN update for April 17th

JoystiqAmerican PSN update for April 17th originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gt5psn-storereleaseswarhawkThu, 17 Apr 2008 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 Prologue now available on PSN]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-on-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-on-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-on-psn/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you're not content to pick up Gran Turismo 5 Prologue in stores on a fancy Blu-ray disc, Sony has uploaded the game on their shiny new PlayStation Network store. The download will set your hard drive back at least 1.9 GB and your wallet $40 (same price as retail).

While not initially available on the PSN version, you can download the intro and ending films at your leisure to view (the latter unlocked only after beating the game, natch). However, a documentary on the series, "Beyond the Apex," appears to be exclusive to the Blu-ray version for the moment.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue


[Via PS3 Fanboy]

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 Prologue now available on PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prolo...gt5prologuePS3Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 Prologue now available from the US PSN Store]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-from-the-us-psn-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-from-the-us-psn-store/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/17/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-from-the-us-psn-store/#commentsFiled under: ,


Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is now up and ready to be downloaded from the American PSN Store, and has been since midnight EST. The price of the game is $40 as well as 1.9GB of your precious hard drive space. Those of you who haven't picked up the, frankly, superior (and cheaper) Blu-Ray version can now go ahead and get your hands on the game without leaving your couch by utilizing the sexy new PlayStation Store. There's more to come from the Store later today and we'll let you know exactly what else is going up as soon as we find out.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 Prologue now available from the US PSN Store originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prologuegt5psn-storeThu, 17 Apr 2008 06:15:00 EST<![CDATA[GT5 could maybe possibly come to Chinese PCs, perhaps]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/gt5-could-maybe-possibly-come-to-chinese-pcs-perhaps/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/gt5-could-maybe-possibly-come-to-chinese-pcs-perhaps/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/16/gt5-could-maybe-possibly-come-to-chinese-pcs-perhaps/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Oh, that Kazunori Yamauchi. He loves to tease us. In an interview with Germany's derStandard (partially translated by develop), the man behind the Gran Turismo series says it would be "very, very improbable that GT will come out on another console." No surprise there, but then that little scamp of a developer entices us with a line about the series "perhaps [coming] to the PC. Particularly [for] the Chinese market."

Of course, a PC version would be the only sane choice for the Chinese market, where the PS3 is not officially released and the PC dominates the gaming scene -- and Yamauchi didn't even confirm that such a Chinese PC version exists. But we can just imagine how this quote will morph and mutate in the hands of fanboys, until, sometime soon, someone will ardently argue that Yamauchi actually confirmed an Wii version of GT5 would be out any day now. Mark our words ...

[via PS3Fanboy]

JoystiqGT5 could maybe possibly come to Chinese PCs, perhaps originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinaGran-turismo-5GT5PCpolyphony digitalpolyphony-digitalpolyphonydigitalPS3SCEAsonySony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericayamauchiWed, 16 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 Prologue continues to dominate European charts]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/14/gran-turismo-5-prologue-continues-to-dominate-european-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/14/gran-turismo-5-prologue-continues-to-dominate-european-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/14/gran-turismo-5-prologue-continues-to-dominate-european-charts/#commentsFiled under:

Even with a million pre-orders sold, Gran Tursimo 5 Prologue continues to light up the European sales charts. In both Spain and Germany, the PS3 exclusive rests as the top selling game, beating out strong competition from a variety of Wii, DS and PSP titles. In Sweden, GT5P was only beat out by the PS2 version of Guitar Hero III.

It goes to show how different each territory is when it comes to gaming preferences. The US version of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue comes out this week on Blu-ray and on the PSN. Will it match the insatiable European demand for Polyphony's racer? We'll have to wait and see.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 Prologue continues to dominate European charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europegran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prolo...gt5salesMon, 14 Apr 2008 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo for Boys lives on, might be GT5 feature]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/05/gran-turismo-for-boys-lives-on-might-be-gt5-feature/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/05/gran-turismo-for-boys-lives-on-might-be-gt5-feature/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/05/gran-turismo-for-boys-lives-on-might-be-gt5-feature/#commentsFiled under:

The awkwardly-named Gran Turismo for Boys was supposed to be a more kid-oriented version of the popular racing sim, giving male youngsters a small taste of the real racing simulator. In an interview with with Kazunori Yamauchi, the director noted that they're still devoted to making Gran Turismo for Boys "but we're hoping to make that a feature within GT5."

A simpler version of GT5 would certain appeal to both boys and girls, no? Regardless, it seems like there are plans to make a much more mainstream-friendly version of GT -- for those who can't get enough auto-assist whilst driving.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqGran Turismo for Boys lives on, might be GT5 feature originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-for-boysgtgt5Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Damage coming to GT5 Prologue, weather possible for final release]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/damage-coming-to-gt5-weather-possible-for-final-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/damage-coming-to-gt5-weather-possible-for-final-release/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/damage-coming-to-gt5-weather-possible-for-final-release/#commentsFiled under: ,

There's something peculiar about the ability to drive 120 mph into a wall and not see a single scratch on your car. The Gran Turismo series has always been fond of that physics anomaly. Speaking to VideoGamer, series creator Kazunori Yamauchi said damage modeling is coming to GT5: Prologue. "We're not really planning for a trial or test version," he said, "we're going at it full speed. We'll see what happens." In a separate interview with IGN, Yamauchi expressed hope for a Fall release of the update.

Yamauchi also hinted that weather effects would be in the final, non-Prologue Gran Turismo 5, due out about a year from now. We're not expecting Burnout-esque pile ups, but a fender bender in the rain would be nice.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

JoystiqDamage coming to GT5 Prologue, weather possible for final release originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>damagegran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prolo...gt5prologuePS3weatherFri, 04 Apr 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo PSP still 'delayed,' possibly until 2009]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/gran-turismo-psp-still-delayed-possibly-until-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/gran-turismo-psp-still-delayed-possibly-until-2009/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/04/gran-turismo-psp-still-delayed-possibly-until-2009/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Polyphony Digital is still working on the PSP version of Gran Turismo. No, really! Series creator Kazunori Yamauchi confirmed as much to us during last year's Tokyo Game Show, blaming the portable racer's vaporware status on the Gran Turismo 5 time sink. Don't expect much movement on the mobile front until Polyphony makes it through the post-Prologue development chicane.

"We had been developing the PSP version, but the problem was that the PS3 version took much more time and effort than we had first imagined," Yamauchi recently told Eurogamer. "So that's been delayed - I don't think we'll be able to make the end of this year for the PSP version, but we are working on it."

If and/or when the final product eventually arrives, Polyphony Digital hopes for it to have an online component "linked" to the PlayStation 3 version. As promising as that sounds, we're still going to file this one as a DNF until we see more.

JoystiqGran Turismo PSP still 'delayed,' possibly until 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-TurismoGranTurismoGT5Polyphony-DigitalProloguePS3PSPRacingFri, 04 Apr 2008 08:02:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 continues European sales momentum after release of GT5]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/ps3-continues-european-sales-momentum-after-release-of-gt5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/ps3-continues-european-sales-momentum-after-release-of-gt5/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/01/ps3-continues-european-sales-momentum-after-release-of-gt5/#commentsFiled under:


The European gaming community really, really loves Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. After a platinum pre-order and a stellar launch, the PS3 has been gaining quite a bit of traction. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Chart-Track's Dorian Bloch said: "PlayStation 3 sales went up by 14 per cent for week 13, after going up 73 per cent the week before."

We're certain that we can expect a similar sales boom after the release of Metal Gear Solid 4 as well. In comparison, Chart-Track noted that "Xbox 360 sales were down by 11 per cent." The effects of Microsoft's price drop were strong, but looks like the power of GT overshadowed the efforts of Microsoft's bargain pricing.

For those in love with sales and numbers, this generation of consoles is proving rather interesting. It'll be fascinating to see the effect GT has on the American market, when it launches in a few weeks time.

JoystiqPS3 continues European sales momentum after release of GT5 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europegran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prolo...gt5salesTue, 01 Apr 2008 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Check out the PlayStation Pavilion at the new Nationals Park]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/check-out-the-playstation-pavilion-at-nationals-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/check-out-the-playstation-pavilion-at-nationals-park/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/31/check-out-the-playstation-pavilion-at-nationals-park/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click to enlarge

A new season of Major League Baseball started up in America last night with the first game ever at Washington's brand new Nationals Park, complete with a presidential first pitch and a thrilling walk-off home run. Why should you care about any of this? Because the opening of the new park also means the opening of its new promotional PlayStation Pavilion, packed with demo kiosks for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, MLB08: The Show, Guitar Hero 3 and SingStar.

You'd think people at a ballpark would have better things to do than play video games, but the demo area drew quite a crowd among the opening night fans. Need proof? Check out our exclusive gallery of photos from the new pavilion below.

Gallery: PlayStation Pavillion @ Nationals Park

JoystiqCheck out the PlayStation Pavilion at the new Nationals Park originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baseballdemogh3gt5kioskmlb08nationalspavilionPS2PS3singstarsonyMon, 31 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 Prologue now available on Euro PSN]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-on-euro-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-on-euro-psn/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/28/gran-turismo-5-prologue-now-available-on-euro-psn/#commentsFiled under: ,


No doubt tired of all the screeching that emanated from yesterday's delay of tire-screeching driving sim, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Sony has finally sorted out its "technical difficulties" and updated the European PlayStation Store. Our readers from across the sea can now cease sending us irate tips and reserve the gnashing of teeth for when they send an exorbitantly priced car into an unforgiving barrier.

Whether you opted for the downloadable Prologue or the Blu-ray version, we hope you enjoy it long enough for the full game to come hurtling around the corner.

JoystiqGran Turismo 5 Prologue now available on Euro PSN originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gran-TurismoGran-Turismo-5Gran-Turismo-5-PrologueGranTurismoGT5Polyphony-DigitalProloguePS3PSNFri, 28 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enjoy your Prologue, Gran Turismo 5 'about a year away']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/26/enjoy-your-prologue-gran-turismo-5-about-a-year-away/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/26/enjoy-your-prologue-gran-turismo-5-about-a-year-away/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/26/enjoy-your-prologue-gran-turismo-5-about-a-year-away/#commentsFiled under: ,


If you were planning to speed past Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on April 17th because "it's just a demo," you may wish to rifle through your virtues and see if patience is among them. According to a PlayStation Blog comment made by SCEA associate producer, Chris Hinojosa-Miranda, the real real driving simulator is still "about a year away." It's no surprise to see him recommending a Prologue purchase in the meantime, but for automotive fans eagerly awaiting the PlayStation 3's premiere driving sim, the content offered in Polyphony Digital's $40 stopgap puts it well above the status of mere demo.

The news certainly shouldn't come as a surprise to them either, as the immense and laborious task of creating Gran Turismo 5 has been well documented. With so much time spent painstakingly modeling each luxurious vehicle, we often wonder if it wouldn't be easier just to fill that Blu-ray disc with interactive HD video. It would be just like Road Avenger, but classier!

JoystiqEnjoy your Prologue, Gran Turismo 5 'about a year away' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After unveiling the cars and tracks for its upcoming too-good-to-be-a-demo PS3 racer, it seems only fitting that Sony let us know what kind of music we can expect to bop our heads too while navigating the twisty corners of GT5 Prologue. According to Sony, the North American version of the 'real driving simulator' will include "a dozen exclusive singles," including an "exclusive remix" of Weezer's song "Automatic" from the band's upcoming album.

In addition, the game, which drops next month as both a download and full retail release, will feature a new version of Polyphony Digital's Masahiro Andoh's series theme song, "Moon Over the Castle." Seventeen international musical numbers from such names as Goose and Nittoku Inoue are also included, giving us plenty of tunes to listen to while failing to pass that license test for the umpteenth time.

Continue reading GT5 Prologue North American release gets exclusive music

JoystiqGT5 Prologue North American release gets exclusive music originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prolo...granturismogt5musicprologuePS3soundtrackTue, 25 Mar 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Counting Rupees: The year of the PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/counting-rupees-the-year-of-the-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/counting-rupees-the-year-of-the-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/20/counting-rupees-the-year-of-the-ps3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Each week Jeff Engel and Geoff Brooks contribute Counting Rupees, a column on the business behind gaming:

Apparently, 2008 is the year of the PS3. After what most consider a very shaky first year, the media is abuzz with a comeback for the company that was once king of consoles. EGM's March issue proudly proclaims on its cover that it's "The Revenge of the PS3". EDGE's December issue was entitled "The Empire Strikes Back" and even Joystiq's PS3 Fanboy has given us 10 reasons why the PS3 is back in the swing of things. Some analysts have proclaimed that the PS3 will do at least as well as the 360 in 2008, and others have the PS3 edging out the 360 by 2010 or even the Wii by 2011. Clearly, everyone is pointing to 2008 being a turning point of sorts for the Cell-powered beast. But is it actually true?

Let's focus on, at least initially, Sony's battle against the 360. Certainly, the PS3 has a lot of things going for it. Blu-ray has officially won the next-gen DVD war; upcoming games, such as Metal Gear Solid 4, Killzone 2, and LittleBigPlanet show tremendous potential; and it has seemingly found a price point that people are willing to pay (as they did originally for the 360). In the US, at least so far this year, Sony has managed to outsell the 360 according to January and February NPD figures. But will it be enough?

Continue reading Counting Rupees: The year of the PS3

JoystiqCounting Rupees: The year of the PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Counting-RupeesGran-TurismoGT5HaloKillzone-2Killzone2LittleBigPlanetMetal-Gear-Solid-4Metal-Gear-Solid-4-Guns-of-the-PatriotsMGS4NPDPS3WiiXbox-360Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Have a look at GT5's Ferrari F1]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/have-a-look-at-gt5s-ferrari-f1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/have-a-look-at-gt5s-ferrari-f1/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/have-a-look-at-gt5s-ferrari-f1/#commentsFiled under:


Click for high resolution image.

Stylish elegance. That seductive red color. No, this isn't a TV commercial for some new car. We're just stating how much we've fallen in love with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's Ferrari F2007. Just look at those sleek curves. The detail on this baby is so life-like it's hard to believe that this is just a digital rendering.

Do you share in our excitement? Interested in seeing more? You can have a better look at the F1 car in the gallery below. Sony's Three Speech blog has even more pics to drool over, so be sure to check them all out.

JoystiqHave a look at GT5's Ferrari F1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prologuegranturismogranturismo5gt5Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GT5 Prologue hits 1 million Euro pre-orders]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/gt5-prologue-hits-1m-euro-pre-orders-download-is-1-9-gb-with-ci/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/gt5-prologue-hits-1m-euro-pre-orders-download-is-1-9-gb-with-ci/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/gt5-prologue-hits-1m-euro-pre-orders-download-is-1-9-gb-with-ci/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The upcoming Gran Turismo 5 Prologue for PlayStation 3 has already reached a milestone, with SCEE confirming the title has reach one million in European pre-orders. That pretty much assures the racer of hitting platinum status within its first week of release.

For those wishing to go the download route, Prologue will only cost your hard drive 1.9 GB. Filling out the remainder of the Blu-ray disc version are cinematics from the game, still available to the downloaded version in-game through GT TV. As explained by Eurogamer (via PS3 Fanboy), you can download the opening movie at any time, and the ending movie becomes available once you beat the game. No word yet on how big those movies are.

GT5 Prologue is due out next Friday, March 28, in Europe (March 27 for download) and April 17 in North America.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

JoystiqGT5 Prologue hits 1 million Euro pre-orders originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingnewsgran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prologuegt5prologuePS3Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:45:00 EST<![CDATA[GT5 Prologue download weighs 1.9GB]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/gt5-prologue-download-weighs-1-9gb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/gt5-prologue-download-weighs-1-9gb/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/17/gt5-prologue-download-weighs-1-9gb/#commentsFiled under:


To download or to get the Blu-ray version: that is the question.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue's release is coming rather soon for both our American and European readers. However, which version should one pick up? For those seeking instant gratification off the hard drive, perhaps the download is the way to go. But take note: the download weighs a hefty 1.9GB.

Some may be wondering: how come the game is so small when a Blu-ray disc can hold so much more? By getting rid of all the videos. Eurogamer explains: "Prologue reduces its footprint is by leaving cinematics on the server until you choose to download them from GT TV. You can choose to download the opening movie at any time, and when you finish Event series you're told that you can now download the end movie from the in-game high-definition TV download page."

Personally, this blogger is much more interested in picking up the retail copy. Who wants to wait to download over and over again?

JoystiqGT5 Prologue download weighs 1.9GB originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran-turismogran-turismo-5gran-turismo-5-prologuegt5Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[[Updated] Gran Turismo 5 Prologue pre-orders reach 1 million in Europe alone]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/15/gran-turismo-5-prologue-pre-orders-reach-1-million-in-europe-alo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/15/gran-turismo-5-prologue-pre-orders-reach-1-million-in-europe-alo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/15/gran-turismo-5-prologue-pre-orders-reach-1-million-in-europe-alo/#commentsFiled under:

[Update: finding the news slightly suspicious, we had our very own European blogger, Jem Alexander, double check the number with SCEE. They confirmed it to be true. So there you have it!]

It's not every day games go "platinum" before they're even released. Generally, this occurs with huge titles, but even taking that into account it's an uncommon feat. Factor into that the notion that a game whose title explicitly states it's a Prologue to a full game ... and it's nearly unbelievable. But in Europe alone, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has achieved just that: one million pre-orders.

What we need to remember is that the pre-order number is not only for Europe alone, but also just for the Blu-ray release of the game -- not the downloadable version. If half of the people who intend to purchase the game pre-order it and the other half download it, well, this is going to be huge. Add America and Japan into the mix and we've basically got the best-selling PS3 title to date; at least, that's what we're assuming will happen. What about you?

Joystiq[Updated] Gran Turismo 5 Prologue pre-orders reach 1 million in Europe alone originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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