Hello everyone, its Penrose Tackie here Gran Turismo, European Brand Manager.
Following the groundbreaking success of the GT Academy last year and as part of our activities around the forthcoming launch of Gran Turismo 5, I am delighted to officially unveil GT Academy 2010. The following is a brief overview of this year’s Academy, but to make sure you’re getting the latest info, make sure you’re following the Facebook fan page.
On 17th December exclusively via the PlayStation store, we will be launching the GT Academy 2010 Time Trial. The time trial will be the only way into this year’s Academy, and if you’ve got what it takes it could be the start of a life-changing journey.
Last year the GT Academy programme unearthed a real driving talent in the form of Lucas Ordonez from Spain, who after winning the GT Academy went on to drive for the Nissan PlayStation race team and take an astonishing second place in the GT4 Championship – all in his first season!
This time around the Academy is even bigger and better, and competition is bound to be pretty fierce – perhaps best of all though for Gran Turismo fans, it will be the first opportunity to get a hands-on taster as to what Yamauchi-san and his Polyphony team have been carefully crafting and polishing at their Tokyo base.
Qualify in the top twenty within your country and you will be invited to a national final event, where you will pit your wits against the best Gran Turismo drivers in the country. If you make it from there only then will you join the elite 20 that will be taken into the GT Academy 2010.
Only the two best drivers will make it out of this 5 day test of nerve and skill. From there will follow an intensive driver training schedule from which we will select our one GT Academy ace.
The time trial features the stunning Nissan 370Z in two guises. Firstly a blisteringly fast, race-tuned monster and secondly an only slightly less fearsome non-tuned version.
The 370Z is the most recent of the new range of cars wearing the famous ‘Z’ brand revived by Japanese manufacturer Nissan. The car has been specially chosen for its challenging but hugely entertaining rear-wheel drive dynamics and the time trial should allow GT novices and veterans alike to get a real idea of what its like to get to grips with this sensational car
To enter the Academy racers will have to post their best overall leaderboard times negotiating a specially created section of a new Gran Turismo 5 circuit. This best time will be a composite of two separate runs – one with the tuned vehicle and the other with the non-tuned version.
You will have the opportunity to keep refining your overall best time from the launch of the demo right up until the close of this time trial stage at 24.00 CET on 24th January 2010.
To give a flavour of what the GT Academy is all about, check out this trailer.
The GT Academy will run in the following countries:
- UK
- Ireland
- France
- Switzerland
- Italy
- Germany
- Austria
- Denmark
- Norway
- Finland
- Sweden
- Spain
- Portugal
- Netherlands
- Belgium
- Australia
- New Zealand
However gamers in countries not mentioned on the list need not fear as there will be a special Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge for them to get to grips with it, too.
If you want to keep up to date with what’s happening with GT5 and the GT Academy 2010 keep checking back on the PlayStation.Blog and also check out the following links.
www.gran-turismo.com
www.facebook.com/GTAcademy
www.twitter.com/GTAcademy
GT fans get ready to start your engines!
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80 CommentsAdd Yours
1
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:14 pm by godsgift1888
First YAY
2
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:15 pm by vicheous
Woooo i’ll join again! Wass 176th place last time!
3
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:16 pm by Croopnick_PL
No Poland?
4
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:17 pm by godsgift1888
Shall give this a go this year missed out last year to it
5
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:20 pm by Pamperdamps
So Let me get this clear. There is a demo version of GT5 coming to the store that we can try out for the real event?
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:15 pm by Penrose Tackie
Hello Pamperdamps – You are right this time trial is a section of a track from the forthcoming GT5 game. In participating countries this will also be the entry method for the GT Academy.
6
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:20 pm by spatsnaz
Yes please.
7
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:25 pm by imajinetion
That’s great and all, but… GT5 European release date? Come oooon.
8
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:29 pm by Carnivius_Prime
Not a GT fan (I respect the series but I prefer more arcade-style racers like Motorstorm and Burnout) but wanted to say I like that car in the pics
9
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:31 pm by RaphaeI
SCEP what are you doing, where’s Poland
10
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:35 pm by SnoopDop
Regarding gamers from “non-mentioned” SCEE/PAL countries such as Morocco, Russia and UAE. Will they also be able to compete and WIN and entry to GT Academy 2010 , just like others ??
11
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:35 pm by betahoven
So basically a demo of GT5 on the 17th. Sweet.
12
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:40 pm by devilmaker
Its really great to hear you guys are doing this again this year. Just wondering if you’ve got a link to the terms and conditions?
13
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:44 pm by Steiner84
aint his name “lucas ordonez”?
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:17 pm by Penrose Tackie
Well spotted Steiner84!
14
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:52 pm by onlineatron
Stop faffing about with this nonsense.
No one cares about Prologue
No one cares about a competition demo
GIVE US GT5!
15
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:02 pm by Paulus-NL
again a demo? there was already a demo some time ago. after that came prologue. now again a demo. when will we see the full game? well for me it took to long. no buy for me. maybe when it is a budget title.
16
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:03 pm by Noisepurge
sounds good! But is this like a game that we download and play or is it a DLC for GT5Prologue?
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:19 pm by Penrose Tackie
Hello Noisepurge – this is a downloadable time trial featuring new content from GT5 not GT5 Prologue.
17
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:04 pm by sentry-23
So is this build on the GT5 engine ?
(I assume it is, but I can’t really read that in the text)
18
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:04 pm by vonhammer
Cheers for that Penrose, I guess SCEE are really going to push GT5 hard then “arcadeas part of our activities around the forthcoming launch of Gran Turismo 5″ especially starting this early.
I know I have no vested interest in Sony shifting hardware,but if you guys are reading this use proper game/replay footage and constantly have “Not A Representation Actual Gameplay Footage”.
And please don’t use american tv footage,the image quality of uncharted 2 ad’s was sub internet standard,it was a blurry mess.
Make 2 or 3 different ad’s,showing off the range of cars,almost aim for a “never see the same car twice approach” pimp the functions in another,headtracking,GTTV,Youtube uploads,photomode let people know what there missing out on.
19
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:13 pm by daffycare
fantastic cant wait, thanks
20
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:27 pm by PirateThom
Ignore Prologue, this is the first demo of Gran Turismo 5 and there’s a potential prize at the end of it.
21
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:30 pm by majorRaj
I’m excited, I just hope that this is not an old build of GT5.
22
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:30 pm by majorRaj
Will this demo expire?
23
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:37 pm by majorRaj
Sorry for posting again, just too excited. Will there be the new damage system in this?
24
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:47 pm by vicheous
Last winner: http://www.lucasordonez.com/
This will be awsome
Try and better my place from last time..
25
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:57 pm by KaosAngel
No America.
26
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:57 pm by wbrinkman
Really enjoyed the TV show that was made around the competition last time, looking forward to a new series.
Apart from the new GT5 time trial demo that is going to be put on the PSN store, will we see a little update to Prologue as well around that time?
Currently the Nissan370z isn’t in the game.
27
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 1:58 pm by GEORGE_GR33
Hi Mr. Penrose Tackie,
Why not Greece again? If you want the best players in Gran Turismo,
You have to let Greece in. I’m very disappointing, it’s very sad.
GEORGE_GR33
28
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:08 pm by tony1311
Why is Greece out and Belgium,Switzerland,Denmark,Ireland in??
There should be a way to accept everyone in and find a new system of selecting the best,not the top 20 of each country…this is ridiculous! why not choose the top 100 overall to proceed???
29
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:11 pm by vonhammer
@ major raj
“I’m excited, I just hope that this is not an old build of GT5.”
It won’t be the absolute latest,it was probably locked down a few weeks ago,and needs approval,although I guess polyphony get priority status
“Sorry for posting again, just too excited. Will there be the new damage system in this?”
difficult this one,there’s reasons why it should/shouldn’t.
It could answer a question I’d have for Mr Yamauchi.We know it will feature 2 version’s of the nissan stock and tuned.GT5 features 2 levels of damage (I think) one for production,one for race.
My question would be if we take a stock car and tune it into a race car will we get the highest damage level available.
30
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:15 pm by RaphaeI
Hi Penrose,
if You could, please answer @10, “special Gran Turismo 5 Time Trial Challenge” for other countries really sounds like something different from GT Academy… or does it mean that there will be a separate “top twenty” for all of them together?
Thanks.
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:27 pm by Penrose Tackie
Hello Raphael in countries not involved in the GT Academy there will be the separate GT5 Time Trial Challenge which will allow GT fans to see who is number one in their particular country.
31
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:22 pm by majorRaj
@ vonhammer
Thanks mate, your probably right. The stock cars probably won’t have full damage but maybe the paint comes off the car. I think the race cars (rally cars) implement full damage. Il try finding out at GT Planet. Anyway should be good to play on a more recent build of the game.
Good luck with the time trial
32
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:29 pm by oOSerpentsKissOo
Greece is always left out in EVERYTHING !!
33
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:34 pm by Apnomis
Is this ‘demo’ based on final GT5 code or is it the same as the GT:Prologue build?
Also will this be a standalone demo like GT:HD Concept?
34
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:51 pm by Klart
Sweet.
35
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:54 pm by vonhammer
@ Apnomis
It has to be 5,the poly count in this screen is higher than prologue,and seeing as it’s double per car in 5 It can only be a version of 5
36
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 2:55 pm by vonhammer
lol forgot the screen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/playstationblogeurope/4154577227/ sizes/o/
37
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:08 pm by Apnomis
Thanks vonhammer, I’ve just read confirmation of it on videogamer.com:
“A SCE UK spokesperson said that the download is a “self contained demo based on GT5 code,” hopefully clearing up any confusion over exactly what is being offered.”
38
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:22 pm by CruizD
No South Africa? That’s disappointing.
Can we still download the trail nevertheless?
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:29 pm by Penrose Tackie
Hi CruizD, yes the GT5 Time Trial Challenge featuring the same circuit and cars will be available to download.
39
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:30 pm by Ikkarus
Looks like a fantastic opportunity.
I will be trying out my luck when it goes live.
40
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:30 pm by quarkquest
Looking forward, but on other hand I wanted to wait for the full game release and then try out. You can say then just wait for the full game, well you think I can prevent myself not to download and try out
Also wondering how much the damage model is present in the demo?
41
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:42 pm by Steiner84
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 12:44 pm by Steiner84
aint his name “lucas ordonez”?
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:17 pm by Penrose Tackie
Well spotted Steiner84!
I can be wriong on this, but aint he polish?
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:43 pm by Penrose Tackie
No he is Spanish Steiner84!
42
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:49 pm by majorRaj
Will the demo contain any other cars besides the ones metioned?
Does the demo expire?
Is the demo the same as the one shown at TGS and Gamescom?
43
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 3:51 pm by Pound_lb003
Penrose Tackie, may I just say your name is equally as epic as this news.
Congratulations on the double serving of epic.
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 4:17 pm by Penrose Tackie
Thanks Pound_lb003 good luck on the time trial!
44
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 4:00 pm by tony1311
Dear Mr Penrose Tackie,
I am Italian but i live in Greece. Can i participate as an Italian even though the country in which i live and play GT is not on the list?
All the best,
tony1311
45
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 4:08 pm by Yandoo_PT
that’s great, Portugal too.
46
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 4:33 pm by wiktorclunk
no Poland
47
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 4:56 pm by arabek
Oh no no no no no. I’ve bought a system from You just for this game. No way you’re excluding me out of this event, just because i’m from Poland. I’m taking this to the EU court to fight for my rights this time. You better to fix this _MISTAKE_ fast or else!
That’s no way to treat paying customers!!!
48
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 5:03 pm by hjm50
I cannot wait. Thanks so much I’ve been to hear about GT5 for a while now.
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 5:20 pm by Penrose Tackie
hjm50 thanks for the positive comment – good luck on the time trial.
49
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 5:06 pm by Demonized
No sound in the trailer?
50
Posted on 3 December, 2009 at 5:21 pm by marcgrab
If I am from Poland is it possible for me to create ,e.g., the UK account and try my way to the Academy?
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