GT HD canceled | GT HD Concept = free d/l on Dec. 24

[one]

Message from Kazunori Yamauchi
http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/sp/d375.html
Press Release
http://www.jp.playstation.com/info/release/nr_20061201_gt5_hd.html

Basically they canceled Gran Turismo HD as a stand-alone game and many elements of it are incorporated into GT5 of which release has been officially announced in the above PR too (no release date). Polyphony Digital chose to concentrate on the development of GT5.

Instead, they offer "Gran Turismo HD Concept" for free as a downloadable content on PLAYSTATION Store on Dec. 24. Apparently it's not the only one, Yamauchi says there'll be more concept versions to come before the release of GT5.

More info on GTHD Concept will come later.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Surprisingly, I think this isnt bad news at all. Focus on GT5 polyphony!

 

[Fu3lFr3nzy]

Great news I guess . Free GT demo (this year or next year?) to play while waiting for GT5.

So does that mean no microtransactions anymore?

 

[Paul]

Good move.

Infact GT HD would have never been a stand alone game it would have just turned into GT 5 just like GT 2000 became GT3 on the PS2.

 

[heavenlyglory]

Nice..I'm real glad to hear this.

 

[inefficient]

Smart move.

I don't think many people would have paid for a rushed out GT HD type game. It would have tarnished the name of GT if it was a sub par game with launchy graphics and micro rapements.

But a free GT Concept game is a great PR move. Even if it is not a perfect game, it makes Sony look good. It makes the PS3 look good. It's a great Christmas present fron Sony!

 

[Farid]

Free stuff is good.

With that said, I don't like GT one bit, so you wouldn't have caught me into buying this GT:HD no matter what...

 

[mrboo]

Great news, now they can concentrate on GT5

 

[patsu]

『グランツーリスモＨＤコンセプト』の主な内容
・収録車種 10台予定
・収録コース 1コース2レイアウト予定
・タイムアタックおよびドリフトトライアルモード収録予定
・ネットワークランキング対応予定

Gran Turismo HD Concept content:
* 10 cars
* Course 1, Course 2
* Time Attack and Drift Trial modes
* Network ranking

EDIT: The above are planned features (予定). Also for courses, the original text says: Course 1, Course 2 Layout. I took it to mean 2 courses. Some say it means 1 course, 2 layouts.

 

[Rolf N]

First result of the management reshuffle?
Like less cynicism, more presents? After all the promise of nickel-and-diming customers for every single piece of foliage wasn't the proposition to improve the corporate image. Seems like a change of strategy (for the better!).

 

[London Geezer]

GREAT move from Sony. Giving GT goodness away for free is just a really good idea for them. They seriously need to get into people's heads, and things like this will help.

 

[DJ12]

Certainly better than having to pay for these "concept" versions.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

It's good that they'll start to focus on GT5 faster, that way it might actually get released during our lifespan. I always thought that focusing on these GT4+ games was a waste of time.

 

[Bobbler]

Awesome.

 

[Arwin]

That's good news that we get something in December after all, yet to be honest I'd have liked some form of online GT4 still, even if on PS2, so that's a bit of a downside as well. If that is going to wait until the release of GT5, then God knows how many years we'll be waiting ... Hopefully F1 is any good online, or they decide to release some kind of Online Concept as well for free, that would be a great service.

 

[Sindre]

Wonderful news!! Will be a nice thing to get updates all along the wait for GT5.
. . . Still have to wait till March though. . .

 

[Tap In]

great idea here

 

[Cobra101]

Is this free release only in Japan?

 

[hey69]

does it matter? you can create a japan acount and download it

 

[Crayon]

That's excellent news!!

So glad the PS3 is heating up so quickly. By March it will pretty much be in full swing (for me, personally). Unlike the PS2 that was pretty tepid for the first 6 months.