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Covers come off GT5 Prologue™ for PlayStation®3

On  the  evening  of  Thursday  27  March  Sony  Computer  Entertainment  UK  launched  Gran  Turismo  5 Prologue™ for PlayStation®3 in spectacular style, bringing the most realistic of driving games to life in the heart of London.  

An underground car park at London’s Marble Arch was transformed into the GT5 Pit Lane with an incredible array of cars, all featured in GT5 Prologue, on show. The GT5 Pit Lane showcased a range of highly sought after cars including an Audi R8, Aston Martin DB9, Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper SRT10, Ford GT, TVR Tuscan Speed 6, Ford GT and a Ferrari 599. The latest  version  in  the  Bafta  award-winning  Gran  Turismo  series,  available  from  today  for  the suggested retail price of £24.99,  is available both on Blu-ray disc and as a download from PLAYSTATION®Network (PSN). The release marks the 10^th anniversary of the Gran Turismo® series, which has sold almost 50 million copies  worldwide  to  make  it  the  world’s  most  successful  gaming  franchise.    

Now  backed  by  the graphical power of PlayStation 3, the stunning High Definition format of GT5 Prologue is poised once again to set a new bench mark for driving simulators. Providing  another  feather  in  Gran  Turismo’s  cap,  the  event doubled  up  as  the  first  official  UK appearance  of  Nissan’s  brand-new  GT-R,  a  car  on  which  Gran  Turismo  creator  Kazunori Yamauchi was invited to become a key member of the development team. The Gran Turismo team designed the GT-R’s ‘multi function meter’ that allows the car to inform the driver of the vehicle’s condition. The sensational 480bhp, 0 to 62mph in 3.6 seconds GT-R is already on general sale in Japan and in racing form scored a 1-2 finish on its debut in the hotly-contested Japanese Super GT Championship. It will be launched in the UK in 2009, but customers can ‘road-test’ the car on GT5 Prologue, the world’s most realistic driving simulation game, while they wait!

The Marble Arch setting for the GT5 Pit Lane was highly appropriate for the game. For the first time the GT  Series  includes a  London  city  circuit  that  enables  GT  fans  to  roar  through  Piccadilly  Circus,  race down  Shaftesbury  Avenue,  hammer past  Charing  Cross,  speed  around  the  National  Portrait  Gallery and  rev  their  vehicles  via  Trafalgar  Square.  

Other tracks  include  the  Swiss  mountain  Alp  Eiger Nordwand,  the  legendary  Daytona  International  Speedway  in the USA, the  High  Speed  Ring,  and Japanese Grand Prix venues Fuji and Suzuka. A  grand  total  of  71  of  the  hottest vehicles  from  the  world’s  most  iconic  manufacturers  –  all  officially licensed,  including  Ferrari  which  make  its  debut  in Hi-Def  graphics.  There  are  also  all-new  driving physics  for  the  most  lifelike  driving  experience  ever  as  well  as  new and  improved  opponent  artificial intelligence for the toughest race challenge yet.

For the first ever time in the franchise, there is an online multiplayer option – where up to 16 players go head-to-head against players from all over the world on PLAYSTATION®Network (PSN). And then there’s GT TV - a dedicated online channel, packed with news and content from the world of motoring  and  motorsport.  Downloadable  content  will  also  be  available on  GT  TV.  For  example downloads  will  include  40  episodes  from  the  cult  BBC  Top  Gear  programme.  

You  can  also  take  a browse through the Gran Turismo museum where you’ll find virtual exhibits on the history of many of the world-class car marques that have starred in Gran Turismo. Gran Turismo 5 – the full title – launches in 2009. Until then, there’s enough ultra-realistic, high-speed racing   in   Gran   Turismo   5   Prologue   on   PS3   and   it’s   out   now!