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Gran Turismo 5 hits Japan March 2010

By Henry Niizumi, GameSpot Japan

TGS 2009: Long-awaited PS3 racing sim gets a release window across Pacific, ruling out 2009 release; PSP saves to unlock cars on PS3; special Gran Turismo-themed PSP bundle revealed.

TOKYO---It was almost two years ago that Sony and Polyphony Digital gave consumers a quick feel of Gran Turismo 5 with their Prologue teaser disc. Finally, the full product will be making its way to stores. At the Tokyo Game Show's Sony Computer Entertainment conference, Polyphony Digital president Kazunori Yamauchi revealed that Gran Turismo 5 has been set for a March 2010 release in Japan. The date rules out a 2009 release in North America and Europe for the racer, which was first teased at Sony's Electronic Entertainment Expo press briefing way back in 2005.

Beware the Ides of March…in Japan.

Beware the Ides of March…in Japan.

But before the PS3, Sony's PSP handheld will be getting its own bit of the racing action. In Japan, Gran Turismo PSP will be released on October 1 in both UMD (5,480 yen, $60) and download (¥4,400, $49) form. The release coincides with Sony's just-announced PSP-3000 price cut, and as expected, there will also be a bundle slightly more tricked out than the one announced in the US at the beginning of the month.

The special "Racing Pack" bundle, priced at ¥22,800 ($251), will include the Gran Turismo PSP UMD game disc, a special color PSP-3000, a Gran Turismo pouch and strap, and a 2GB memory stick pro. The special color PSP is based on the Piano Black PSP-3000, but with color changes made on the L/R buttons and the handheld's back ring to make it look like a car muffler. There's also a Gran Turismo logo in the front.

It seems that gamers who pick up Gran Turismo PSP will be able to get a head start on the PS3 game. Yamauchi revealed during the conference that players will be able to take the data of their unlocked cars from their Gran Turismo PSP game and use it in Gran Turismo 5.

85 Comments

  • Ehggsz

    Posted Sep 28, 2009 3:25 pm GMT

    @SalarianChemist

    "I personally am very disappointed that the Gran Turismo racing series still has not overcome the legal obstacle of allowing simulated physical damage to all the cars in the game." - SalarianChemist

    "There will be two types of damage, depending on the car you're driving. For regular production model cars, you'll be able scuff the paint job, as well as deform specific areas of the cars. For race model cars, like WRC and NASCAR models, damage will be extended to include parts falling off the car during particularly violent shunts." -GameSpot/Kazunori Yamauchi

  • shinspikes

    Posted Sep 27, 2009 8:38 pm GMT

    @Raceboy024

    Thats sad. I didn't know that. You'd think if they were postin on gamespot, they would at least read that its a demo or more like beta test. Geniuses.

  • Raceboy024

    Posted Sep 27, 2009 6:03 pm GMT

    @shinspikes

    Apparently half the people that bought it. (read some of the posts & you'll know what I'm talking about)

  • shinspikes

    Posted Sep 27, 2009 3:03 pm GMT

    @drummerdeckens

    Everyone knew it was a demo. Who thought it was a full game?

  • drummerdickens

    Posted Sep 27, 2009 3:25 am GMT

    Anyone who bought prologue is a sucker.

    Prologue means "opening", and every review would have told you it was practically just a demo.

  • Raceboy024

    Posted Sep 26, 2009 10:09 pm GMT

    @ SalarianChemist:

    GT5P = demo of GT5

    GT5 **does not** = expansion for GT5P

    Look up the definition of prologue. It's basically a fancy word for demo. I decided to not buy GT5P, so if you decided to pay for, what's essentially a oversized demo, well that was your choice. Nobody forced you to do that, so why would Polyphony Digital make the full game cheaper? That's almost like saying, why should Halo 3 owners pay for Halo 3: ODST. Btw this game's gonna be INSANELY good when it's out. =D
    Can't wait for summer 2010. Even though it's almost a full year away. XD

  • tekken220

    Posted Sep 26, 2009 12:05 pm GMT

    That GT-R is so f-ing sexy

  • SalarianChemist posted Sep 26, 2009 11:17 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    SalarianChemist

    Posted Sep 26, 2009 11:17 am GMT (hide)

    @gobbo00:

    I agree with you completely.

    I personally don't believe Gran Turismo 5 should be sold for $59, since it is literally an "expansion" to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, which sold for $39. Paying $100 for software like this truly is milking a product.

    I think Gran Turismo 5 should be sold for less money, especially to people who purchased Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, because the graphics, sound, and gameplay are all exactly the same. The only difference is the the number of tracks and cars are "expanded" upon.

    I personally am very disappointed that the Gran Turismo racing series still has not overcome the legal obstacle of allowing simulated physical damage to all the cars in the game. I think this is one of the reasons why Gran Turismo 5 Prologue ended up with such mixed reviews and has only an 80 rating on Metacritic, and it's disappointing Gran Turismo 5 doesn't fix this problem.

  • theoardo55

    Posted Sep 26, 2009 7:54 am GMT

    I hope GT 5 Asia HK/SG region release nearly Japan lauch


  • gobbo00

    Posted Sep 25, 2009 11:29 pm GMT

    shani boy101

    They had the engine since GT5p. And honestly this generation of console peaked after 2/3rd year in market. Any improvements or "refine/tweek" are only going to be marginal, look at Call of Duty.

    Would I want another GT game out of the door in around 2 years..... yes, but if it runs on the same engine & hardware. They may as well start working for the next generation of consoles, and make another smaller project for the PS3.

  • shani_boy101

    Posted Sep 25, 2009 10:24 pm GMT

    @gobbo00
    actually, chances are that there will be a GT6 on PS3, considering they've already completed the engine, all they have to do is refine/tweak it to use all of the PS3's power, add new cars, tracks and features, and bam! new game.

  • gobbo00

    Posted Sep 25, 2009 7:45 pm GMT

    Question, do you think there will be a GT 6 on the PS3, when you look at how long it has took to develop GT5?

    Not likey so maybe this is the Definative PS3 racing game.

    Lets just hope they can get at least ONE other PS3 game out this generation (not GT6 though GOD no otherwise we will be looking at GT7 2027 release on PS4)

    It's all moot anyway if GT5p's simulation handling is in GT5 I will stick to Forza 3 thanks.

  • rikhan_z

    Posted Sep 25, 2009 7:02 pm GMT

    Wanna to see Damage models already, not GT5 will dumb AI, fastest car wins the race and no fun... I want GT5 with bright AI and DAMAGE!

  • mrchainsaw15

    Posted Sep 25, 2009 3:32 pm GMT

    Oh my god....just cancel it. So sick of this being pushed back and the little prologue games, which are a joke. I don't even want it anymore.

  • D3A7HJ0K3R

    Posted Sep 25, 2009 1:50 pm GMT

    this and God of war will freakin DEMOLISH all competition next year.

  • D3A7HJ0K3R

    Posted Sep 25, 2009 1:48 pm GMT

    this game will have more cars than freakin forza, fanboys