When the first Gran Turismo released in Japan in December of 1997 (May 1998 for everyone else), it was met with immediate praise by critics and would deservedly go on to be the top-selling game for the PlayStation. With each subsequent release in the series, Kazunori Yamauchi and the team at Polyphony Digital have gone above and beyond what anyone thought was possible in a hardcore simulation racer.
Fast forward to 2010, and the series is in a bit of a strange position. Millions of gamers are anticipating its release…whenever that may be. Unfortunately, PD’s strive for excellence comes at a price. In this case, it’s in the form of never, ever believing an announced release date for a Gran Turismo game until it’s spinning in your PlayStation’s disc drive. In the time since Gran Turismo 4 launched, Microsoft’s Forza franchise has seen 3 releases across two platforms. PlayStation gamers, on the other hand, have only seen the release of Gran Turismo for PSP. While I’ve never enjoyed any Forza game as much as any one Gran Turismo game, it’s always something that Xbox gamers hold against PlayStation fans. Sure, the games aren’t as good, but they have the advantage of being available for purchase.
Fortunately for those that have never wavered in their fandom, Gran Turismo 5 seeks to be not only the most ambitious game in the series, but possibly this entire generation. Anyone who’s so much as watched a Gran Turismo game can tell you that they set a high graphical benchmark, but have you seen the latest night driving trailer? Comparing it to any other racing game is just plain unfair, and not a single one can compete, and don’t be surprised if this is still the best-looking racer five years down the line. On top of this, GT5 will finally feature vehicular damage, which is the first thing detractors of the series always point to. So far it doesn’t look perfect, but it’s definitely a giant first step in the right direction.
As if that weren’t enough, PD got their hands on the licenses for several racing circuits: World Rally Championship, Super GT, and, most interestingly, NASCAR. While some may not find NASCAR very interesting (such as myself), there are millions of people in the United States that do. If you don’t think that the ability to race Jimmie Johnson’s number 48 is a big deal now, just wait until the game releases; I guarantee you’ll be shocked at the new demographic that this title opens up for the franchise. When you add this to the fact that Yamauchi wants approximately 79 million cars in the game, each with their distinct interiors, engine noises, and damage modeling… well, it becomes a little easier to see why this is taking so long.
Finally, GT5 will be the first full release in the series to feature online connectivity. Obviously, racing against other people around the world plays a major role here, but much more is expected these days. Going back to Forza, Turn 10 has done a fantastic job creating a community of players that not only race, but also sell custom cars to each other with the in-game auction house. While this doesn’t seem to be a feature that will make its way to Gran Turismo, players will have a different reason to be excited- Gran Turismo TV. GT-TV was introduced in GT5: Prologue as a hub for all the video content that a gearhead could ever want, with Top Gear leading the pack along with original content.
So why should this matter for those that have no interest in the Gran Turismo 5? For starters, Sony has poured an awful lot into this game and its success, with the game’s presence being felt since the launch of the PS3. Obviously, the game won’t flop; despite hardcore racing sims being a rather niche genre, Gran Turismo is Sony’s all-time best-selling franchise. However, this is the game that will finally prove whether or not Polyphony Digital is willing to evolve its game and craft. Just look at how long it took for PD to finally cave and implement a damage system. If GT5 releases to lukewarm reaction from fans and critics after all of this hype and hoopla, you’d better believe that this will change how much leeway Sony gives to future games, and not just in the GT series.
Is there anything to worry about? Even taking off my GT-loving goggles for a second, the chance of this game being less-than-stellar is slim to none. We’ve all seen the trailers and screenshots, and analyzed every last bit of GT5:P and other demos. It’s pretty apparent that this is shaping up to be the all-time driving sim.
At this point, it all rests on Yamauchi & Company.
The author is correct in more ways then one. GT5 really has more riding on it then any game in the Playstation library. The expectations of GT fans are very high. Plus, no game (not even Forza) has come even close to matching the charm a GT title has. With Gran Turismo, everything is just right.
To someone like me and the millions of die hard GT fans, it represents an end game for any other race game purchases. For example, since GT4, I have bought Forza 2 and 3, Need for Speed Shift, and a few arcade racers including Midnight Club LA. All of these games have been shallow to me. Barely a step up from GT4. Yes, I am aware of the online, damage systems, and painting features in these titles, but to me, that is more for the fans who spend more time creating a livery then they actually do on the virtual track.
All of these games have given me about a month or two of things to do, while each Gran Turismo represents over a year of my dedication to this title. Sony, PD, and Kaz are well aware of folks such as myself, for we buy everything with a Gran Turismo label on it.
When GT5 arrives, I will have two copies (for my family afterall) and will purchase any and all DLC day one. I also have a steering wheel system in place for this game in my office. Yes, Gran Turismo is that big to me. It’s why I do not care how long it takes for GT5 to come out. I want perfection, and Kaz will deliver it.
OK Dean you win, your the worlds biggest Forza fan, who happens to think GT is better, right.
@Max
Those games, at least forza, has more features, superior physics, and better (fewer nissans, and more Porsches) cars, yet you are trying to convince us that for some imaginary spiritual reason GT is better? That is your OPINION, and the only reason you have that opinion is because you are most likely some irrational fanboy.
GT is the oldest, most successful console sim perhaps, but its far from the best.
@Num Skull
Continue your ignorance — GT offers more cars, more tracks, superior physics (lol @ you giving this to Forza — get real, each GT iteration is the next step in physics, GT5 won’t be any different)….and until the feature set is released, you really can’t even make that comment…
So thanks.
More nissan skyline variations does not equal more cars, pretty much every review of Forza 3 mentioned that it had the best physics on a console sim to date, just because you can play the same track at night, in the rain, and backwards, does not equal 4 tracks, its still only one in the real world.
Lol @ Posting like Turn10 doesn’t qualify their “reverse” tracks as track options.
And yes, there is more cars — get over it.
@Num Skull – So thinking GT to be the better game can only be fanboyish rhetoric, while doing the same for Forza makes it cold, hard fact. It’s too bad you don’t realize just how foolish that makes you sound.
Gran Turismo 5 physics?!?!?! OMG! What Sony Fanboy! Physics? What physics? I can crash any of my cars into a wall at 200 mph and not have a scratch or any damage to the car functionality. Yeah, some car sim that is.
LOL Except that has nothing to do with physics… Way to go.
It’s much cooler to have cars hit each other head-to-head at 200MPH and instead of being crushed, one car just lifts straight up into the air and the other just sits there, lol. Yeah — Some car sim that is.
Move along.
I think Forza is the better series, its my opinion, its based on facts but its and opinion all the same.
You dudes have declared it fact that GT is superior, and GT5 will be superior, even though its not out yet, and we have seen little more of it than a few dashboard videos, a bunch of CGI and bull shots, and a really crappy looking and playing demo.
What facts is it based on? Certainly not sales — which would show consumer demand, right?
LOL @ Based on facts
People love to show ignorance over the internet. Driving physics and crash/damage physics are two completely different things.
@ The Dean
Crashing into walls has nothing to do with physics? I think you are late to your Subway job, don’t be late.
Notice that I did not specify crash or driving. I just stated physics in general.
@Soh-knee
I think you’re late for your job handing out tokens in the subway.
Gran Turismo’s driving physics (which is what I was talking about considering, crash physics have never been a key component to the franchise), is what YOU chose to respond to. That continues the conversation along the path it was already set forth on, DRIVING PHYSICS — which your stupid crash comparison has nothing to do with.
Reading comprehension, Spence.
@ the guy who made this article….
79mill cars… r u kidding me… was that a typo or something??? cuz ive been anticipating the release 4 this game and i heard close to 1000….. * 79mil cars is gna take a lot more than 1 blu ray disc…
@ The Dean
Nice try. But physics is physics. And your argument is typical of your standard Sony Fanboy.
Crash your car in GT5 and no damage. As a real driving sim … EPIC FAIL.
@Soh-Knee
What year are we in? 2008? Cosmetic and mechanical damage has been confirmed to be in GT5. “People love to show ignorance over the internet”- zevehcj
why wouldnt GT5 define such things?
its polyphony man!
@Numskull: The GT5 demo was just a showcase of the new driving physics, not even close to a represantation the final product will have regarding graphics.
@Soh-Knee: No, there is a difference between driving physics and crashing physics: One has to do with handling the car while the other with, well, crashing against anything (which you shouldn’t be doing anyway, lol).
Forza is a nice cars game I admit, but if you want the real driving simulator you’ll go with GT for sure.
BTW, one of the things I love about the site is that we see direct responses from writers and stuff. It makes commenting a lot better xD
@Soh-knee
/facepalm
I seriously can’t believe I have to say this — 79 million was hyperbole. The actual number will be between 900-1000 cars.
Yeesh.